Preferred Instructional Design Strategies for Preparation of Pre-Service Teachers of Integrated STEM Education

The purpose of this study was to identify the preferred instructional design strategies for the preparation of pre-service teachers who will deliver integrated STEM lessons. The research objectives were threefold and included identifying a preferred definition of integrated STEM education, developing its purpose statement, and creating a list of instructional design strategies that could be used for designing, planning, delivering, and assessing integrated STEM instruction. The Delphi method was selected as the optimum approach for data collection, since STEM education is still a growing phenomenon lacking consensus in its interpretations of meaning and practice. Gaining group consensus from expert teacher educators regarding the preferred instructional design strategies for implementing integrated STEM instruction will offer guidance for developing pre-service teacher education courses. Four rounds of surveys were conducted, which resulted in a proposed definition for integrated STEM education, a proposed purpose statement, and nine instructional design strategies—Plan an integrated STEM lesson, Select design challenges which integrate STEM content, Create solutions to problems using the engineering design process, Develop a project-based lesson, Develop an argument supported by STEM knowledge integration, Support an experiential-learning environment, Choose multiple examples to demonstrate STEM concepts and connections, Assess student understanding of STEM relationships, and Arrange collaborations to solve problems applying STEM concepts. This study\u27s results should aid teacher preparation programs in the development of future STEM teachers who are capable of designing, planning, delivering, and assessing instruction that will strengthen student\u27s learning through integrated content and processes needed to solve complex societal problems