Even as STEM education is increasingly emphasized, challenges related to insufficient elementary teacher preparation in STEM — as well as attrition of teachers — persist across the U.S. High-need schools in particular face challenges in recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. 

The project aims to identify programmatic features that support preservice and inservice elementary teachers self-efficacy in teaching integrated STEM within high-need schools. Research will include participants from previously funded Noyce projects and current preservice teachers at four institutions to explore links between integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy, teacher preparation and development opportunities, teaching effectiveness and teacher retention. 

Throughout the project, researchers will (1) track changes in elementary teachers integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy as they shift from preservice programs to inservice teaching positions, (2) identify key elements of preservice and inservice teacher training that support the development of integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy among early-career teachers, (3) identify the relationships among integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy, teaching effectiveness and teacher retention, and (4) build a community of elementary teachers focused on improving their STEM teaching and support their ongoing STEM teaching self-efficacy development.

This project is a collaboration among the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Indiana University Southeast, Southern Methodist University and Towson University.