Connecting Teachers, Students and Pre-Service Teachers to Improve STEM Pathways in Schools

Abstract

This paper presents an example of collaboration between teacher educators, pre-service teachers, current teachers and school students that had a primary aim to increase student interest in STEM activities through a MakerSpace STEM club, while improving pre-service teachers’ confidence in delivering the Australian Curriculum: Technologies. The benefit of close relationships between universities and schools provides the framework for collaborative learning opportunities for pre-service teachers and school students. University academics were facilitators in the process, managing the external grant application and wider community workshops as well as embedding the activities in the university curricula. The school teachers managed the internal delivery of the MakerSpace club and promotion of STEM activities in their schools. All worked collaboratively to provide two professional development workshops, supported by a grant from the Google CS4HS program. Outcomes of this research demonstrate a student-centred approach to digital technology education. This model of collaboration between teacher educators and schools is replicable and has a positive impact on preparing pre-service teachers to be classroom ready.