TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STEM PROGRAM AT SELECTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS

Abstract

Brewley, H.K., Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of the STEM Program at Selected Elementary Schools in Southeast Texas. Doctor of Education (Executive Educational Leadership), May 2020, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. Stakeholders have voiced their concerns about the U.S. public school system. They have made recommendations that the educational system uses a more rigorous curriculum or delivery of instruction to prepare students for future employment. Hence, the STEM Program introduced students to relevant experience with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Vasquez, Comer, & Villegas, 2017), while providing students with a rich learning experience they need to excel in STEM careers. However, the integration of a STEM Program can be challenging due to several factors. The purpose of this descriptive study was to gain a knowledgeable insight from a teacher’s perspective on the implementation of the STEM Program. This research will focus on the benefits of implementing a STEM Program. As well as the challenges of implementing the program. The methodology used for this study was a collection of surveys from Twenty-two identified STEM teachers at five non-selective STEM magnet campuses. The survey contained demographic and open-ended questions and was used to address three questions: (a) teachers’ perceptions regarding the implementation of a STEM Program, and (b) teachers' perceptions of motivational factors that influence the implementation of a STEM program. The researcher used open coding and a cluster of meanings to develop an understanding of the data. The findings concluded that although participants had the knowledge to implement STEM into their classroom, about half failed to use the required skills consistently due to external motivation and on-campus emphasis on STEM.

KEYWORDS: STEM, Innovative programs, Teacher evaluation, Inquiry-based learning, Project-based learning