Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Integrated Curriculum in the Elementary School

Authors

  • Susannah L. Brown Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, USA
  • Jillian R. Powers Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, USA
  • Ann T. Musgrove Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, USA
  • Susan Gay Wemette Center for Creative Education, Foundation School, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33422/worldte.v3i1.359

Keywords:

Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education, curriculum integration, student knowledge, student identities, student attitudes

Abstract

An interdisciplinary research team consisting of university professors and elementary school educators examined the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs at an elementary school in Florida, United States, and the elementary school students' knowledge, identities, and attitudes toward STEAM learning experiences. In this paper, researchers discuss the findings of this explanatory mixed methods study (Fraenkel et al., 2012), by following up the quantitative analysis with qualitative inquiry to gain deeper insight into of participants' responses on a pre-activity questionnaire and a post-activity questionnaire. Open-ended responses on the pre- and post-questionnaire were thematically coded independently by three researchers using a priori codes and discussed collaboratively to connect to quantitative analysis. Research questions include: what are participants' self-reported STEAM knowledge, identity, and attitudes before and after participating in the lessons, and how did the STEAM lessons impact participants' STEAM knowledge, identity, and attitudes? Results indicate an increase in knowledge of figuring out how devices and applications work and solving problems with technology. Concerning identity, students indicated higher recognition in programming robots and utilizing technology while attitudes increased in multiple dimensions, including a desire to consider future STEAM careers. Teaching and learning strategies for reforming elementary school Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and STEAM education in the United States as a dependable human resource for a competitive workforce is a significant part of the study and impacts the field of education.

Author Biographies

Jillian R. Powers, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, USA

Dr. Jillian R. Powers is an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) for the College of Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. Dr. Powers teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in instructional technology and design. Her research focuses on teachers' adoption and integration of technology, preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology and STEM education. In 2019, she was selected to be an FAU Woman Leader in STEM, and in 2022, she was the recipient of the FAU College of Education Researcher of the Year award at the Associate Professor level. 

Ann T. Musgrove, Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, USA

Dr. Ann T. Musgrove is an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in the College of Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in instructional technology and design. Her research focuses on best practices in technology integration, including online course delivery. Dr. Musgrove was a member of a small team that created FAU’s first center for elearning. She has published book chapters, scholarly articles and books including “Real or Fake? Resources for Teaching College Students how to identify fake news” and “Technology-Enhanced Exploratory Installations to Support Constructivist Professional Development: The Technology Test Kitchen.”

Susan Gay Wemette, Center for Creative Education, Foundation School, USA

Dr. Susan Gay Wemette currently serves as the Director of Arts Integration and Creativity at the Center for Creative Education in West Palm Beach, Florida. She earned a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction focused on arts education, an MFA in Acting, and has a BFA in Theatre. In 2008, Dr. Wemette co-founded Blue Planet Global Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to guiding teachers in utilizing arts-integrated international collaborations for teaching both global competence and core curriculum. Apart from her roles at CCE and Blue Planet, Dr. Wemette also acts as a consultant and program evaluator for The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and Theatre Lab at Florida Atlantic University.

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Published

2024-08-10

How to Cite

Brown, S. L., Powers, J. R., Musgrove, A. T., & Gay Wemette, S. (2024). Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Integrated Curriculum in the Elementary School . Proceedings of The World Conference on Research in Teaching and Education, 3(1), 21–33. https://doi.org/10.33422/worldte.v3i1.359

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): Proceedings of the 7th World Conference on Research in Teaching and Education

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Susannah L. Brown, Jillian R. Powers, Ann T. Musgrove, Susan Gay Wemette

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.