Making the difference: Training early childhood math teachers in STEM skills

Making the difference: Training early childhood math teachers in STEM skills

Mark Applebaum * Mark@kaye.ac.il Kaye Academic College of Education
Judith Zami Judithzamir@gmail.com Kaye Academic College of Education
Summary: 
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is regarded internationally critical to effectively prepare citizens for the twenty-first century (Early Childhood STEM Working Group, 2017; McClure et al., 2017, National Research Council, 2011). One basic assumption underlying this work how improving outcomes for children requires the provision of support for their teachers so that educators are empowered to provide high-quality STEM experiences during the first years of primary school. This paper presents the case study emerged from the Kanga-Kids Professional Development Model of Training for in-service Math teachers in the early years of elementary school. The model includes three main components: (1) workshops, (2) reflective coaching cycles, and (3) professional learning communities/workgroups. The findings show that the program has succeeded in changing basic attitudes and beliefs as well as daily routines at school in teaching math. This paper contributes to theoretical and practical literature in the area of STEM bringing a detailed example of the design and its impact.
Keywords: 
mathematics
Teachers’ development
STEM
Refers: 

[1] Afriana, J., Permanasari, A., & Fitriani, A. (2016). Project based learning integrated to stem to enhance elementary school’s students scientific literacy. Journal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 5(2), 261–267.

[2] Applebaum, M. V., & Samovol, P.I. (2002). Teaching mathematics using the idea of “Research problems”. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on the Teaching Mathematics (at the undergraduate level), University of Crete, Hersonissos, Crete, Greece.

[3] Artman-Meeker, K. M., & Hemmeter, M. L. (2013). Effects of training and feedback on teachers’ use of classroom preventive practices. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 33(2), 112–123

[4] Bagiati, A., Yoon, S. Y., Evangelou, D., & Ngambeki, I. (2010). Engineering curricula in early education: Describing the landscape of open resources. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 12(2), 1-15.

[5] Banko, W., Grant, M. L., Jabot, M. E., McCormack, A. J., & O’Brien, T. (2013). Science for the next generation: Preparing for the new standards. National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Press.

[6] Beilock, S. L., Gunderson, E. A., Ramirez, G., & Levine, S. C. (2010). Female teachers’ math anxiety affects girls’ math achievement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(5), 1860–1863.

[7] Brendefur, J., Strother, S., Thiede, K., Lane, C., & SurgesProkop, M. J. (2013). A professional development program to improve math skills among preschool children in Head Start. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(3), 187–195

[8] Brenneman, K., Stevenson-Boyd, J., & Frede, E. C. (2009). Mathematics and science in preschool: Policy and practice. Preschool Policy Brief. Issue 19. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.

[9] Brenneman, K., Lange, A., & Nayfeld, I. (2019). Integrating STEM into preschool education; designing a professional development model in diverse settings. Early Childhood Education, 47, 15–28.

[10] Bybee, R. W. (2013). The Case of STEM Education: Challenges and Opportunities. NSTA Press.

[11] Bybee, R. W., & Fuchs, B. (2006). Preparing the 21st century workforce: A new reform in science and technology education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 43(4), 349–352.

[12] Campbell, F. A., Pungello, E. P., Miller-Johnson, S., Burchinal, M., & Ramey, C. T. (2001). The development of cognitive and academic abilities: Growth curves from an early childhood educational experiment. Developmental Psychology, 37(2), 231–242.

[13] Christensen, R. R., Knezek, G., & Tyler-Wood, T. (2015). Alignment of hands-on STEM engagement activities with positive STEM dispositions in secondary school students. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 24(6), 898–909.

[14] Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2014). Learning and teaching early math: The learning trajectories approach (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge

[15] Costa, A. L., & Garmston, R. J. (2002). Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance schools. Norwood: Christopher-Gordon.

[16] Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A. C., Klebanov, P., & Japel, C.(2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6), 1428–1446.

[17] Duncan, G. J., & Magnuson, K. (2011). The nature and impact of early achievement skills, attention skills, and behavior problems. In G. J. Duncan & R. J. Murnane (Eds.), Whither Opportunity: Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children’s Life Chances (pp. 47–69). New York: Russell Sage

[18] Duschl, R. A., Schweingruber, H. A & Shouse, A. W. (Eds.). (2007). Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K–8. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

[19] Early Childhood STEM Working Group. (2017). Early STEM matters: Providing high-quality STEM experiences for all young learners: A Policy Report by the Early Childhood STEM Working Group. Chicago: University of Chicago STEM Education/Erikson Institute.

[20] Eshach, H., & Fried, M. N. (2005). Should science be taught in early childhood? Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14(3), 315–337.

[21] Farkas, S., Johnson, J., & Duffett, A. (2003). Rolling up their sleeves: Superintendents and principals talk about what’s needed to fix public schools. New York: Public Agenda.

[22] Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C, Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K.S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4). 915-945.

[23] Gee, K. A., & Wong, K. K. (2012). A cross national examination of inquiry and its relationship to student performance in science: Evidence from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006. International Journal of Educational Research, 53 (1), 303–318.

[24] Geertz, C. (1990). The Interpretation of Cultures [Hebrew]. Jerusalem: Keter.

[25] Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (2008). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Aldine: London.

[26] Guzey, S. S., Moore, T. J., Harwell, M., & Moreno, M. (2016). STEM integration in middle school life science: Student learning and attitudes. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25(4), 550–560.

[27] Hadzigeorgiou, Y. (2002). A study of the development of the concept of mechanical stability in preschool children. Research in Science Education, 32(3), 373–391.

[28] Han, S. (2017). Korean students’ attitudes toward STEM project-based learning and major selection. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 17(2), 529–548.

[29] Han, S., Capraro, R., & Capraro, M. M. (2015). How science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) project-based learning (PBL) affects high, middle, and low achievers differently: The impact of student factors on achievement. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(5), 1089–1113.

[30] Hefty, L. J. (2015). STEM gives meaning to mathematics. Teaching Children Mathematics, 21(7), 422–429.

[31] Huinker, D., & Madison, S. K. (1997). Preparing efficacious elementary teachers in science and mathematics: The influence of methods courses. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 8(2), 107–126.

[32] Hunting, R., Mousley, J., & Perry, B. (2012). A study of rural preschool practitioners’ views on young children’s mathematical thinking. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 24, 39–57

[33] Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC). (2015). Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. Allen, L., & Kelly, B. B. (Eds.). Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

[34] Johnston, J. (2011). The impact of home and school on early years scientific development. Education in Science, 245, 30–31.

[35] Joyce, B. R., & Showers, B. (2002). Student achievement through staff development (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve (ASCD).

[36] Katz, L. G. (2010). STEM in the early years. Early Childhood Research & Practice. Urbana-Champaign, IL: ECRP.

[37] Kelley, T. R., Brenner, D. C., & Pieper, J. T. (2010). Two approaches to engineering design: Observations in sTEm education. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 47(2), 5–40.

[38] Kermani, H., & Aldemir, J. (2015). Preparing children for success: integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom. Early Child Development and Care, 185(9), 1504–1527.

[39] Klibanoff, R. S., Levine, S. C., Huttenlocher, J., Vasilyeva, M., & Hedges, L. V. (2006). Preschool children’s mathematical knowledge: The effect of teacher “math talk.” Developmental Psychology, 42(1), 59–69.

[40] Lantz, H. B. (2009). Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education: What form? What function? https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/1/docs/ jep/STEMEducationArticle.pdf

[41] Lee, J. S., & Ginsburg, H. P. (2007). Preschool teachers’ beliefs about appropriate early literacy and mathematics education for low-and middlesocioeconomic status children. Early Education and Development, 18(1), 111–143.

[42] Leuchter, M., Saalbach, H., & Hardy, I. (2014). Designing science learning in the first years of schooling. An intervention study with sequenced learning materials on the topic of ‘floating and sinking’. International Journal of Science Education, 36(10), 1751–1771.

[43] McClure, E., Guernsey, L., Clements, D., Bales, S., Nichols, J., & Kendall-Taylor, N., & Levine, M. H. (2017). STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early childhood. DREME: Development and Research in Early Math Education. New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/ wp-content/uploads/2017/01/jgcc_stemstartsearly_ final.pdf

[44] McDonald, C. V. (2016). STEM education: A review of the contribution of the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Science Education International, 27(4), 530–569.

[45] McPhan, G., Morony, W., Pegg, J., Cooksey, R., & Lynch, T. (2008). Maths? Why not? Canberra: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/3051

[46] Mertens, D. (2020). Research and Evaluation in Education and Psychology. Sage: London.

[47] Murphy, S., MacDonald, A., Danaia, L., & Wang, C. (2018). An analysis of Australian STEM education strategies. Policy Futures in Education, 17, 122-139

[48] National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008). Foundations for success: The final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. U.S. Department of Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ ED500486.pdf

[49] National Research Council (2011). Successful K-12 STEM education: Identifying effective approaches in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

[50] National Research Council (2014). STEM Integration in K-12 Education: Status, Prospects, an

[51] National Science Teachers Association (2014). Statement of early childhood science education. https://static. nsta.org/pdfs/PositionStatement_EarlyChildhood.pdf

[52] Odom, S. L. (2009). The ties that bind: Evidence-based practice, implementation science, and outcomes for children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 29, 53–61.

[53] Patrick, H., Mantzicopoulos, P., & Samarapungavan, A. (2009). Motivation for learning science in kindergarten: Is there a gender gap and does integrated inquiry and literacy instruction make a difference. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(2), 166–191.

[54] Prinsley, R., & Baranyai, K. (2015). STEM skills in the workforce: What do employers want? Office of the Chief Scientist, Australian Government. https:// www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/ OPS09_02Mar2015_Web.pdf

[55] Reimers, J. E., Farmer, C. L., & Klein-Gardner, S. S. (2015). An introduction to the standards for preparation and professional development for teachers of engineering. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research, 5(1), 40–60.

[56] Reis, S. & Renzulli, J. (2009). The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A focus on student strength and interests. In J. Renzulli, E. Gubbins, K. McMillen, R. Eckert, & C. Little, (Eds) Systems and Models for Developing Programs for the Gifted and Talented. (pp. 323-353) Prufrock Press: Texas.

[57] Riley-Ayers, S., & Frede, E. (2009). Introduction to what works in early childhood curriculum. Early Childhood Services: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Effectiveness, 3(3), ix–xi.

[58] Roth, W.-M., Goulart, M. I. M., & Plakitsi, K. (2013). Science education during early childhood: A cultural historical perspective. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.

[59] Runco, M. A. (2014). Creativity: Theories and themes: Research, development, and practice (2nd ed.). Elsevier.

[60] Scriven, M. (1991). Evaluation Thesaurus. Sage: California.

[61] Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14.

[62] Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., & McLaughlin, T. (2011). Professional development in early childhood intervention: Where we stand on the silver anniversary of PL 99-457. Journal of Early Intervention, 33(4), 357–370

[63] Starkey, L. (2012). Teaching and learning in the digital age. New York: Taylor and Francis.

[64] Sternberg, R. J., & Williams, W. M. (1996). How to develop student creativity. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

[65] Toh, L. P. E., Causo, A., Tzuo, P. W., Chen, I. M., & Yeo, S. H. (2016). A review on the use of robots in education and young children. Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 19(2), 148–163.

[66] Watts, T. W., Duncan, G. J., Siegler, R. S., & Davis-Kean, P. E. (2014). What’s past is prologue: Relations between early mathematics knowledge and high school achievement. Educational Researcher, 43(7), 352–360.

Articles in Issue