Challenges to Effective STEM Programs
Several challenges to successfully implementing integrated STEM education
programs can be overcome with specific attention to the program’s design. There
are, of course, the obvious challenges, including additional preparation time
for teachers, the need for additional materials and resources, and the inventory
storage, which, on the surface, may seem insurmountable. With a supportive
administration and collaborative team approach, these challenges
are manageable.
What is not as obvious, however, is how to address teacher attitudes toward
several shifts in teaching practice. Authentic assessments can be subjective, which
is often a new approach for teachers who are most comfortable determining
grades based on objective tests and worksheets. Additionally, in integrated
programs, teachers find themselves forced to learn new content, material that
likely does not come easily to them. Evaluation studies of existing programs found
that the teachers’ collective attitude toward implementing the program had a
direct impact on student learning. These challenges can be mitigated through
supportive administration, continuous staff development, and consultants who
focus on the specific needs of teachers transitioning to a new way of teaching
(Satchwell & Loepp, 2002). One practice is for teachers to experience a new
inquiry-based STEM program as a learner before they are expected to support
it as a teacher. Leading teachers through the student materials as a teacher
development strategy goes a long way toward preparing and motivating teachers
to embrace the pedagogical approach (Diaz & King, 2007).