MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A STEM EDUCATION WORKSHOP IN THAILAND
Open Access
- Author:
- Autid, Waeodao
- Graduate Program:
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- October 04, 2017
- Committee Members:
- Gwendolyn Monica Lloyd, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Gwendolyn Monica Lloyd, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Fran Arbaugh, Committee Member
Bernard Joel Badiali, Committee Member
Roger C Shouse, Outside Member - Keywords:
- STEM implementation
STEM education workshop
inquiry-based-learning
project-based-learning
game-based-activity
independent learning - Abstract:
- Literature on teacher professional development has focused on teacher learning as the processes of change in classroom practice, student learning outcomes and teachers’ beliefs and attitudes. In bridging the two literature strands of teacher professional development and teacher change, this study was proposed to examine Thai mathematics teachers’ classroom instruction after participating in a 3-day STEM education workshop in Thailand. In this study, I investigated multiple aspects of STEM education that the teachers integrated in their classrooms and extent to which teachers were able to implement what they gained from the workshop. I conducted four case studies of teachers after they attended the workshop. Using the data from classroom observations, teachers’ interviews, classroom artifacts, and teacher self-reflection reports, I employed a phenomenological analysis approach to analyze each case of teacher’s experience with STEM implementation and look across the cases for the commonalities and differences. The findings from the study revealed that the four teachers exercised classroom instructions differently. Implementation approaches varied from project-based-learning, game-based-activities, independent learning and whole class discussions. Variations were due to teacher beliefs and interpretations of STEM teaching, student context, teacher experience, and time availability related to existing mathematics content curriculum and unexpected school events. All teachers I observed had positive attitudes towards STEM implementation and developed future plans to further integrate STEM skills in their classrooms. On-going STEM education workshops, guidelines and resources should be provided. Establishment of a professional learning community is needed to encourage teacher academic collaboration in the four STEM disciplines.