The development of any country in the world depends largely on its escalating focus on integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (iSTEM). Over the years in Nigeria, there are calls for action to integrate STEM disciplines as the pre-service teachers are only receiving training in the separate field of STEM. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the iSTEM course as a new pedagogy for training the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching the iSTEM disciplines in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study utilised one group quasi-experimental research design. Purposive sampling was used in choosing all the 54 pre-service mathematics teachers in their 300-level undergoing a teacher training programme in Sokoto State University, Nigeria. The participants underwent a 5-week iSTEM course organised by the researchers that focused on the five levels of integration that include: Single, Combine, Multiple, Engineering Projects, and Fully Integrated STEM disciplines. Data was collected through the iSTEM pre- and post-survey Questionnaire (iSTEM-SQ) and analysed using descriptive statistics. The bar graph and non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test were also used in describing the effectiveness of the pre- and post-survey test. The findings indicated that the iSTEM course was effective in preparing and empowering the pre-service mathematics teachers’ pedagogical strategy for teaching integrated STEM in their future classroom instruction. The paper also recommends for incorporation of the iSTEM approach in the curriculum of pre-service mathematics teachers at the various institutions of learning in Nigeria.

The purpose of this paper is to present the need to develop the integrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (iSTEM) course training module for preparing the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching the iSTEM course in their future classroom instruction. In this paper, the researchers present the data for the study collected qualitatively using semi-structured interview questions. Purposive sampling was used in choosing 6 university lecturers in Nigeria for conducting the interview to identify and seek their insights regarding the need for iSTEM course training and module for teaching iSTEM course. An interview data collected was transcribed and inductively analysed using an exploratory content analysis approach in which five main themes have been identified, namely: (i) pedagogical knowledge; (ii) content knowledge; (iii) conception of the iSTEM; (iv) instructional strategy and (v) curricula knowledge for teaching iSTEM course. The results of this study indicated that all the six interview participants responded that they have no idea and had insufficient knowledge about the teaching of integrated STEM course. Moreover, the lecturers indicated that they were not exposed to the iSTEM course at all. The findings revealed that there is a need for the iSTEM course training and development of the iSTEM teaching module in helping the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching the iSTEM course. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended suitable iSTEM course training module to prepare the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching iSTEM course could be integrated into the teacher education curriculum in Nigeria.

This preliminary study is conducted as a preamble for the need to develop the iSTEM course training module for preparing the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching the iSTEM course. Based on this preliminary study, the researchers were guided by the theory of constructivism learning and model of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in collecting the qualitative data for the need to develop iSTEM course training module using semi-structured interview questions. Thus, six university lecturers in Nigeria was purposefully choosing in conducting the preliminary interview in order to identify the need for iSTEM course training and module for teaching iSTEM course. The interview data collected by the researchers were inductively analysed using an exploratory content analysis strategy. The results of this study indicated that all the six interviewers’ participants revealed that there is a need for the development of iSTEM course training module. This study suggests that the iSTEM course training module should be integrated into the Nigerian educational curriculum for training the pre-service mathematics teachers’ readiness in teaching iSTEM course.