Spatial Thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Elementary Teachers' Beliefs, Perceptions, and Self-Efficacy

Autor/inn/en	Gagnier, Kristin Michod; Holochwost, Steven J.; Fisher, Kelly R.
Titel	Spatial Thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Elementary Teachers' Beliefs, Perceptions, and Self-Efficacy
Quelle	In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 59 (2022) 1, S.95-126 (32 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Gagnier, Kristin Michod)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-4308
DOI	10.1002/tea.21722
Schlagwörter	Spatial Ability; STEM Education; Elementary School Teachers; Teacher Attitudes; Beliefs; Self Efficacy; Anxiety; Problem Solving; Thinking Skills; Science Instruction; Teaching Skills; Teacher Characteristics; Teaching Experience + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; STEM; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Lehrerverhalten; Belief; Glaube; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Angst; Problemlösen; Denkfähigkeit; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Lehrbefähigung; Lehrkompetenz; Unterrichtsbefähigung
Abstract	Fostering students' spatial thinking skills holds great promise for improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Recent efforts have focused on the development of classroom interventions to build students' spatial skills, yet these interventions will be implemented by teachers, and their beliefs and perceptions about spatial thinking influence the effectiveness of such interventions. However, our understanding of elementary school teachers' beliefs and perceptions around spatial thinking and STEM is in its infancy. Thus, we created novel measures to survey elementary teachers' anxiety in solving spatial problems, beliefs in the importance of spatial thinking skills for students' academic success, and self-efficacy in cultivating students' spatial skills during science instruction. All measures exhibited high internal consistency and showed that elementary teachers experience low anxiety when solving spatial problems and feel strongly that their skills can improve with practice. Teachers were able to identify educational problems that rely on spatial problem-solving and believed that spatial skills are more important for older compared to younger students. Despite reporting high efficacy in their general teaching and science teaching, teachers reported significantly lower efficacy in their capacities to cultivate students' spatial skills during science instruction. Results were fairly consistent across teacher characteristics (e.g., years of experience and teaching role as generalist or specialist) with the exception that only years of teaching science was related to teachers' efficacy in cultivating students' spatial thinking skills during science instruction. Results are discussed within the broader context of teacher beliefs, self-efficacy, and implications for professional development research. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01