Metaphorical Perceptions of Prospective Teachers for STEM Education

Abstract

In this study, the perceptions of prospective classroom teachers on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education approaches have been examined through metaphors. The participants in this qualitative research project included 138 prospective teachers studying between the 2016-2017 academic year in the department of elementary education from the faculty of education at a public university in Turkey. In order to determine the perceptions of STEM teachers selected from different class levels, the prospective teachers were first educated about STEM education. Next, a form, on which the statement, "STEM Education (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) is like ...because ... " was presented to the prospective teachers, and they were asked to write a metaphor for STEM education, as well as to explain the reason. The data obtained from the forms were analyzed through content analysis. From the data analysis, the valid metaphors on STEM education created by the prospective classroom teachers were collected under 9 different conceptual categories, which were developed on the basis of common characteristics. These categories reveal that the prospective teachers regard STEM as a useful, necessary and highly appreciated approach that involved complementary fields. In some categories, it was found that there were significant differences in the rate of participants according to gender and class level.

Thematic Content Analysis of Doctoral Theses in STEM Education: Turkey Context

“…With STEM, it is aimed to raise individuals who can associate science, technology, engineering and mathematics with each other and develop innovative skills (Sümen & Çalışıcı, 2016). In this context, STEM education is an educational approach focusing on the interdisciplinary nature of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Çalışıcı & Sümen, 2018). STEM education strives to fuse science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines by linking a unit or lesson with a real life problem and a content (Bozkurt Altan, Yamak & Invention Kırıkkaya, 2016).…”

Prospective Teachers’ STEM Awareness and Information Communication Technologies Usage Levels*

“…Additionally, it was determined that prospective teachers produced completely positive metaphors about STEM education in the metaphor studies related to STEM, they had positive opinions (Ergün and Kıyıcı, 2019a), and all prospective science teachers who got STEM education produced positive metaphors for STEM education (Altun Yalçın and Yalçın , 2018). In the study of Çalışıcı and Özçakır Sümen (2018), it was concluded in the metaphors produced by prospective classroom teachers that most of the prospective teachers believe STEM fields complement each other and are a useful approach. It was determined in Ergün's (2019) study that prospective teachers have positive perspectives towards STEM.…”

“…It was emphasized in the study of Ciğerci (2020) that there is no significant difference in STEM awareness levels of female and male prospective teachers , but the STEM awareness levels average of female prospective teachers were higher than that of male prospective teachers. It has been determined in the study of Çalışıcı and Özçakır Sümen (2018) that most of the female and male prospective teachers had close and positive views in the metaphors related to STEM, but female prospective teachers had created more metaphors than male teachers that STEM was a necessary approach. In the study of Nguyen and Redding (2018), it has been determined that within the last 24 years, there has been a change in the STEM areas, from the male dominated understanding to the understanding where women came to the fore.…”

Perspectives of STEM Education from Physics Teachers' Points of View: A Quantitative Study

“…Even the single-disciplinary STEM perspective still exists among educators (Breiner, Harkness, Johnson, & Koehler, 2012). Different parties have conceptualized STEM in many different ways (Bunyamin et al, 2020;Nasri et al, 2020;Çalışıcı & Sümen, 2018;Türk et al, 2018). To date, this problem is expected to continue to happen because reaching an agreement on a common STEM perspective is quite challenging.…”