Eric.ed.gov – Beyond the Acronym: Preparing Preservice Teachers for Integrated STEM Education

Integrated STEM education seeks to build deep connections between science, technology, engineering, and math. Contextualized lessons give students greater access to these content areas and can heighten engagement. Great parallels can be drawn between liberal arts philosophies and integrated STEM education. This paper explores how one teacher team developed curriculum and enacted lessons using an integrated STEM approach. This study found that teachers viewed integrated STEM instruction as rewarding. The teachers also mentioned the need for constant communication to fully implement the model. Students perceived this model positively and enjoyed participation. Outcomes of this study have the potential to inform teacher preparation programs by making more transparent how implementation of integrated STEM models can be achieved.