2018 - Identifying Taiwanese Teachers’ Perceived Self-efficacy for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Knowledge

Attribution: Lee, Min-Hsien Hsu, Chung-Yuan Chang, Chun-Yen
Researchers: Chun-Yen ChangChung-Yuan HsuMin-Hsien Lee
University Affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
Email: jackohio@gmail.com
Research Question:
-This study aims to develop a new survey to assess Taiwanese teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in STEM knowledge. -It aims to probe any differences in teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in STEM knowledge regarding their gender and teaching subjects. -The authors examine the structural relations among teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in STEM knowledge and their attitudes toward STEM education.
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Asia-Pacific Education Research
Journal Entry: Vol. 28, Issue 1, pp. 15-23
Year: 2018
Findings:

-Male teachers outperformed female teachers in each dimension
of the survey.
-Teachers’ self-efficacy in synthesized knowledge of STEM had two mediating effects. One was in the relationship between self-efficacy in engineering design and attitudes toward STEM education. The other was in the relationship between self-efficacy in Mathematical Thinking and Attitudes toward STEM education. Displaying higher self-efficacy in Engineering Design or Mathematical Thinking is not sufficient to positively predict their attitudes toward STEM education. It is having teachers with higher self-efficacy in the synthesized knowledge of STEM that matters.
-Taiwan teachers tend to have relatively high self-efficacy in terms of their Mathematical Thinking knowledge.
-Taiwan teachers seem to manifest favorable Attitudes regarding STEM education.
-Twain teachers have relatively low confidence in their Engineering Design knowledge.
– Teachers’ Scientific Inquiry and Technology Use did not relate to their self-efficacy in Synthesized Knowledge of STEM and Attitudes toward STEM education.
– Only when teachers demonstrate higher confidence in combining technology use, engineering design, and mathematical thinking into a single learning topic of science in many ways will they believe in the positive impact of STEM education on students.
– When designing teachers’ professional development, the educational authorities concerned should be very intentional in facilitating teachers’ understanding of concepts and processes that are applied through engineering design and mathematical thinking activities.

Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: AttitudesGenderInternationalSelf-EfficacySTEMTeacherRegions: InternationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: SurveyAnalysis Methods: Confirmatory Factor AnalysisStructural Equation Modeling Sampling Frame:High school teachers in Taiwan
Sampling Types: Non-Random - PurposiveAnalysis Units: TeacherData Types: Quantitative-Cross Sectional
Data Description:

-The authors recruited a total of 220 (92 female, 128 male) in-service high school teachers who teach science, mathematics,
or technology in Taiwan
-The authors developed the “Percieved STEM Knowledge Survey” which consisted of six factors: scientific inquiry, technology use, engineering design, mathematical thinking, and synthesized knowledge of STEM, as well as attitudes toward STEM education.
Teachers could assess their self-efficacy from 1, strongly unconfident, to 5, strongly confident.

DV: Attitudes towards STEM

Theoretical Framework:
The framework of integrated STEM knowledge. SI knowledge for scientific inquiry, TU knowledge for technology use, ED knowledge for engineering design, MT knowledge for mathematical thinking, STEM synthesized knowledge of STEM, ATT attitude toward STEM education.
Relevance:Gender and STEM; Teachers and STEM
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts