Abstract
Exposure to pre-college Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities and undergraduate service learning have been linked to increased interest and participation in STEM careers. However, few studies have linked these two activities to increased interest and participation in teaching careers related to STEM. Due to changing national standards and demographics, the next generation of K-12 teachers will be required to integrate STEM into their classrooms while dealing with students of diverse backgrounds that may differ significantly from their own. Of concern are the elementary or K-6 teachers who will be expected to include STEM in their lessons but do not hold an undergraduate degree in a STEM field and may not even be familiar with the acronym. This study evaluates the impact of an After School STEM service learning course on undergraduate preservice teachers (PSTs). This course was designed with the broad goal to engage undergraduates who are thinking about becoming teachers (going on to a credential program after graduation) in a service learning course in which they engage in a pre-credential field experience. As part of this experience, undergraduates learn about STEM integration in teaching and STEM based activities, and then teach those activities to elementary students in local after school programs. The main research questions for this study include: A) How did the service learning experience (in which our undergraduate students teach STEM activities in elementary after school programs in diverse communities) influence their ideas about: (1) STEM, (2) teaching elementary students about STEM, and (3) teaching diverse populations of students?, and B) Were there differences in these ideas depending upon the elementary school site where the service learning practicum took place? The undergraduates’ experiences and developing perspectives are examined through written reflections and field observations throughout the semester. Instructors' field notes from the service learning experience are used as a data source of triangulation. In general, results from this study indicate that undergraduate students’ ideas about STEM and STEM teaching strategies changed, perception of young students’ abilities to engage in STEM were expanded, and self-confidence and desire to pursue a teaching career increased.