Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ECER 2018 Annual International Conference, Bolzano, İtalya, 3 - 05 Eylül 2018, ss.42
This research delves into the preparedness of a faculty of education at a state university in Ankara to implement effective STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, a critical component for sustaining economic and technological growth. Through a detailed case study approach, the study scrutinizes the faculty's readiness using a specialized STEM framework from the New York City Department of Education, which spans four domains including School Vision and Structures for Success, STEM Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Strategic Partnership, and STEM College and Career Readiness. By employing intensity sampling, seven faculty members were selected for semi-structured interviews to extract nuanced insights into their perceptions and readiness to integrate STEM disciplines, with readiness indicators classified from Early to Fully Integrated. The analysis, enriched by analytical coding, unveiled five prominent themes regarding the faculty's stance on STEM: its perceived novelty, identified gaps and insufficiencies, its characterization as an American imposition, the necessity for broader interdisciplinary collaboration, and existing resistance towards its integration. The readiness assessment revealed an overall emerging level of STEM integration within the faculty, suggesting a recognition among faculty members of the importance of STEM education and a forward-looking intention to enhance their readiness. This study significantly contributes to understanding the complexities and challenges of embedding STEM education within higher education curricula, highlighting the imperative for well-rounded strategies that address both the structural and perceptual dimensions of readiness for STEM education.