Steam-Focused Education: Teacher Beliefs About School Climate, 21st Century Learning, and Climate for Creativity
Abstract
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM)-focused education argues to include the arts in such curriculums (as opposed to STEM), but the advocacy is outpacing the knowledge on the efficacy of STEAM-focused education. This study examines teachers’ beliefs about and implementation of STEAM according to several variables. A 63-question survey instrument was answered by a total of 78 participating middle and high school teachers and explores the beliefs of STEAM-focused education teachers and STEAM subject area teachers about STEAM-focused enacted curriculums and what is most important to teachers when implementing STEAM. It further looks at teacher feelings about their school climates and explores a possible creativity climate connection to STEAM beliefs and/or implementation. Two multiple regression analyses were used to determine relationships between the dependent variables (STEAM Curriculum Beliefs and STEAM Curriculum Implementation) and independent variables (STEAM-focused vs. discipline specific, school climate, creativity climate, teaching 21st century skills beliefs, teaching 21st century beliefs implementation).Most significantly, this study found a standard error of estimate (SEE) was 0.48 likelihood of predicting teachers’ beliefs about STEAM-focused education by both STEAM-focused teachers as well as the individual domain teachers and found no difference among the two groups. 21st Century Skills Implementation and Beliefs had statistically significant relationships with STEAM Curriculum Beliefs. The two small to moderately statistically significant variables on STEAM Curriculum Implementation were Teaching Efficacy and 21st Century Skills Implementation, which suggests they are the most important factors when considering a STEAM-focused program.
Subject Area
Education|Art education|Curriculum development
Recommended Citation
Stein, Jaymie Paige, "Steam-Focused Education: Teacher Beliefs About School Climate, 21st Century Learning, and Climate for Creativity" (2021). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI28869915.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI28869915
