ERIC Number: EJ914281
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 17
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1045-1064
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Characterization of a Unique Undergraduate Multidisciplinary STEM K-5 Teacher Preparation Program
O'Brien, Steve
Journal of Technology Education, v21 n2 p35-51 Spr 2010
The K-5 school years are crucial, setting the framework for all subjects as well as critical thinking skills. The single most important component in a classroom is the teacher. However, in a formative timeframe for elementary-school aged children, the number of K-5 teachers that are educated with a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math specialization ("STEM") is substantially underrepresented. At The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) it was felt that the Department of Technological Studies was well positioned to provide a unique academic major by combining the T&E with the M&S components of STEM, resulting in a program breadth that matches the breadth of skills needed by a highly skilled K-5 teacher. Such a program was established at TCNJ and is formally referred to as the Math-Science-Technology or MST program. It was demonstrated that a multidisciplinary MST program was successful both in terms of growth and content knowledge. The MST program should be particularly well-suited to today's educational environment in which substantial numbers of students in STEM-related areas are lost, their scores are low on quantitative literacy, and they would likely score low on measures of technological literacy (Steen, 2001). (Contains 6 figures and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Educational Environment, Technological Literacy, Thinking Skills, Numeracy, Literacy, Undergraduate Study, Interdisciplinary Approach, STEM Education, Teacher Education, Elementary School Teachers, Majors (Students), Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Program Descriptions, Critical Thinking
Journal of Technology Education. Web site: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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