Future in Educational Research最新文献

{"title":"Creative approaches for 21st-century Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics teacher education: From theory to practice to policy","authors":"Marina Milner-Bolotin, Dragana Martinovic","doi":"10.1002/fer3.70","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.70","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This special issue addresses two crucial questions that teacher educators have been grappling with for nearly half a century: What qualities, attitudes, and skills should be nurtured in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers during their education (Ben-David Kolikant et al., <span>2020a</span>, <span>2020b</span>)? Additionally, how can we effectively connect research, practice, and policy in STEM teacher education to incorporate innovative 21st-century approaches? The authors contributing to this special issue aimed to explore creative strategies and programs for STEM teacher preparation and professional development, made possible by the advancements in educational technology, STEM education research, and our evolving understanding of student engagement in STEM learning.</p><p>However, achieving these goals means overcoming the challenges, such as (a) breaking away from subject silos to recognize interconnections between STEM fields; (b) collaborating with colleagues across diverse disciplines; (c) developing authentic curricula that seamlessly integrate elements from various STEM areas; (d) understanding and incorporating different epistemologies into teaching practices; (e) encouraging divergent thinking among students; (f) increasing awareness among policymakers; and (g) ensuring funds for new initiatives.</p><p>Despite the growing interest in STEM education, teacher preparation and professional development remain compartmentalized, leaving many educators with limited training in different STEM subjects and their effective integration (Krushelnycky & Karrow, in this volume). As a result, the implementation of STEM courses and curricula varies significantly worldwide, reflecting different national and local education policies. Consequently, teacher education programs and school curricula differ in their approach to integrating STEM disciplines: Some follow a more traditional model, offering separate courses for each subject—often referred to as the ‘S.T.E.M. approach’. In contrast, others adopt multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary methods, enabling students to draw on knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines to tackle real-world problems (Martinovic & Milner-Bolotin, <span>2022</span>). This variation highlights the complexity and challenges of embedding STEM education within existing educational frameworks.</p><p>While it is evident that nations need ‘teachers and educators who are able to successfully teach foundational STEM knowledge and skills in an integrated and inspirational manner’ (Siekmann, <span>2016</span>, p. 3), achieving this goal is far from simple. It is even more challenging to ensure that new STEM curricula are built on a solid foundation of subject-matter knowledge and grounded in STEM education research (Milner-Bolotin, <span>2018a</span>). Consequently, teachers and teacher educators across the globe face significant pressure as they navigate these largely ","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"5-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.70","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143740987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empowering young minds: The future of computational thinking and AI education in early childhood","authors":"Weipeng Yang, Jiahong Su, Hui Li","doi":"10.1002/fer3.69","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.69","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Empowering young minds in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape is crucial for preparing the next generation to confront and embrace the challenges posed by this new era. Central to this mission is the integration of Computational Thinking (CT) within early childhood education, where a focus on understanding technologies, honing problem-solving skills, and fostering positive ways of thinking can shape future innovators. CT, which encompasses essential concepts, practices, and perspectives (Brennan & Resnick, <span>2012</span>), is emerging as the new literacy in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Celik, <span>2023</span>). By embedding CT into early curricula, we can cultivate critical skills in children that enable them to think algorithmically and adapt to technological advancements. Furthermore, creating learning environments that prioritize collaboration and creativity—utilizing technology as a tool for active engagement rather than passive consumption—will help children develop a mindset that not only adapts to change but also drives it. In this way, early childhood education can empower young minds to thrive in a future where technological fluency is essential, ultimately fulfilling the promise of a dynamic, tech-savvy society. Therefore, this special issue presents a couple of cutting-edge studies that examine the current status of early AI and CT education and pave the way for future studies.</p><p>The integration of AI into early childhood education is ushering in a transformative era for educational practices and pedagogies (Su & Yang, <span>2022</span>). In this collection, Berson and Berson (<span>2024</span>) explore this paradigm shift by examining the interplay between AI, historical imagery, and children's creativity through the use of an AI-powered painting tool called <i>CultureCraft</i>. Grounded in constructionist theory and the multimodality of digital play, their research investigates how such technologies can democratize access to cultural heritage resources while promoting children's creative expression, inquiry-based learning, and critical thinking skills. Utilizing a design-based research approach, the study engaged 20 preschool classrooms to assess how the incorporation of <i>CultureCraft</i> could enhance teacher-child interactions and learning experiences. The iterative phases of the research—including initial training, implementation, observation, and feedback—highlight the importance of a collaborative and adaptable framework for introducing educational technology in early childhood contexts.</p><p>In tandem with these findings, also in this collection, Yim and Wegerif (<span>2024</span>) address an essential yet often overlooked aspect: teachers' perceptions and acceptance of AI educational tools designed to teach AI literacy to young students. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model, Yim and Wegerif (<span>2024</span>) conducted a mixed-methods study surveying 57 teachers to gauge the","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"2 4","pages":"312-317"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.69","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143252173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expanding Teacher's technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge with funds of knowledge: An exploratory STEM professional development model using video creation workshops","authors":"Gerald Tembrevilla,&nbsp;Marina Milner-Bolotin","doi":"10.1002/fer3.67","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.67","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recent initiatives in the Philippines have underscored the significance of 21st-century approaches to preparing K-12 STEM public teachers to embrace technology-enhanced pedagogies. This case study, part of a larger investigation, employed portraiture methodology to examine one science teacher's growth in technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) while integrating students' funds of knowledge (FoK) in a 4-week science video creation workshop. The workshop trained the teacher as a learning doctor to diagnose teaching and learning impediments during pre- to post-video production. Data included the teacher's pre- to post-production video creation experience, reflections, and individual interviews. Findings indicated: (a) a gradual growth from a self-assessed detached TPACK to an expanded TPACK, (b) concrete FoK integration, which served as a bridge to widen the teacher's TPACK, and (c) effective science video creation workshop, viewed through the lens of a science teacher as a learning doctor, offered explicit scaffolding to address teaching and learning impediments during video creation. The findings suggest that science video creation workshops represent an exploratory and innovative model for deliberate professional development (PD) in STEM education, particularly for teachers in rural areas. This model highlights the relevance of research integrating FoK and TPACK and offers a new approach to enhancing teachers' TPACK. The findings have potential implications for advancing PD for rural science teachers in the Philippines and STEM educators in rural areas globally, emphasizing the value of rural schools as centers for relevant pedagogical innovation in STEM education.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"127-145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.67","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143740985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Good luck have fun: The need for video game pedagogy in teacher education","authors":"Tasha Richardson","doi":"10.1002/fer3.68","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.68","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In education, the shift to emergency remote teaching found teachers working to increase student engagement in the online environment while still relying on face-to-face pedagogical approaches in the absence of sufficient Professional Development opportunities (DeCoito &amp; Estaiteyeh, 2022). In response to the growing interest in video games in education, this article reconsiders the data collected for a single case of primary/junior preservice teachers (PTs) enrolled in a science education methods classroom to answer (a) How can video games be used as a learning object in a teacher education program? (b) How does using a video game in a science education class impact PTs' intent and understanding of using video games in their future classroom? (c) How PTs can be supported to understand how video games can be used? Results found video games acted as significant springboards for learning as PTs worked together to make meaning of STEM and reflected—both during and after gameplay—on video game use with their future students. Additionally, exposure to digital game-based learning increased both intent and confidence of using video games as deep learning objects for their future classrooms. Recommendations and implications are discussed regarding the introduction and integration of video games in a teacher education program.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"167-186"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.68","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teachers' perceptions, attitudes, and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) educational learning tools: An exploratory study on AI literacy for young students","authors":"Iris Heung Yue Yim,&nbsp;Rupert Wegerif","doi":"10.1002/fer3.65","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.65","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy education for young students is gaining traction among researchers and educators. Researchers are developing courses and attempting to teach AI literacy to younger students, using age-appropriate AI educational learning tools. Although teachers play a crucial role in AI literacy education, their perceptions and attitudes have received little attention. This study explores the perceptions of 60 teachers regarding the use of AI educational learning tools, and examines the factors influencing their attitudes in relation to implementing AI literacy education. The technological acceptance model and the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (CK) (TPACK) framework inform the research design, and a mixed method, combining the statistical package for Social Science and thematic analysis, is employed for data analysis. The study reveals that teachers have positive perceptions regarding the usefulness and ease of use of AI educational learning tools in their AI literacy teaching. This paper also reveals that teachers embrace an arts-based approach to teaching AI literacy. The qualitative data reveal that teachers face challenges such as insufficient CK and experience with AI; and knowledge of TPACK. The five factors affecting their acceptance of AI educational learning tools are: (a) teachers' perceptions of their AI CK and experience in teaching AI literacy (technological content knowledge); (b) technical challenges and stakeholder acceptance; (c) the attributes of AI educational learning tools; (d) school infrastructure and budget constraints; and (e) potential for distraction and negative emotional responses. This study offers insights for policymakers regarding professional development initiatives and technical support mechanisms, thereby facilitating more effective AI literacy implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"2 4","pages":"318-345"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.65","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143253129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring parents' perceptions of computational thinking and its role in children's television","authors":"Breniel Lemley,&nbsp;Fashina Aladé","doi":"10.1002/fer3.66","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.66","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rise in children's media use and the prioritization of STEM learning has led to the development of new STEM-related apps, TV shows, and other media for young children, with several recent examples focused on computational thinking (CT). Learning CT at a young age can be beneficial to children's analytical and problem solving skills. Positive effects of educational media are best realized when the learning is scaffolded by a caregiver, but the ability of parents to scaffold CT lessons is understudied. This study explores parents' perceptions, understanding, and recognition of the CT cues embedded in a new television show for preschoolers. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 parents who, together with their children (ages 4–6), viewed two episodes of a new series. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Most participants had never heard of CT before. When asked to define it, many parents highlighted aspects of CT in their definitions; however, their examples illustrated limited understanding of how CT might be taught to young children. Although some parents had reservations regarding the abstractness and age-appropriateness of the topic, parents believed CT was an important topic for their children to learn. Research has shown that scaffolding can be beneficial to promoting CT learning in young children. Therefore, for creators of CT-focused content, it is important that the curricular focus and learning goals are made very clear so that parents and caregivers can scaffold the material in a way that effectively supports their children's learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"2 4","pages":"422-438"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.66","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143252738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cultivating STEAM teachers: A regional resource-based model for normal university students in Chongqing","authors":"Yun Lin,&nbsp;Ni Li","doi":"10.1002/fer3.61","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.61","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The cultivation of innovative talents with interdisciplinary skills is a central goal of STEAM education, and the success of STEAM education hinges on the availability of qualified STEAM teachers. This study explores how to integrate STEAM awareness, understanding, and curriculum development into the teacher education and major course learning system of normal university students in Chongqing, China. Drawing upon the region's rich resources, the study proposes a three-level STEAM teacher training model. At the macro level, the model advocates for a collaborative educational ecosystem involving government, schools, businesses, and society. At the meso level, it presents a 4-year curriculum model that progressively cultivates preservice teachers' interdisciplinary thinking, integration skills, and pedagogical competence. At the micro level, the model explores effective pedagogical methods and strategies for implementing STEAM projects in real-world teaching scenarios. This regional resource-based model offers a “Chongqing plan” for training STEAM teachers and ensuring a sustainable supply of innovative talents to support the region's economic and social development.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"187-201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.61","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global initiatives and challenges in integrating artificial intelligence literacy in elementary education: Mapping policies and empirical literature","authors":"Ibrahim H. Yeter,&nbsp;Weipeng Yang,&nbsp;Joshita B. Sturgess","doi":"10.1002/fer3.59","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.59","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated most facets of life in the 21st century and has rapidly transformed various aspects of modern society. From entertainment to education, these advanced technologies have achieved a high level of competency in skills that once necessitated human involvement. Given AI's potential impact, ensuring students are literate in AI will support the careful integration of these advanced technologies to achieve sustainable development goals. This review hence examines the avenues for integrating AI literacy into elementary education by analyzing current global initiatives focused on implementing AI literacy education. The purpose is to support innovations within the educational framework to develop a universally accessible AI literacy education program. In line with this purpose, this study explores worldwide AI literacy initiatives that use hands-on activities, collaborative learning, and project-based learning to introduce AI fundamentals to diverse learners. Limitations on the provision of AI literacy education are also discussed, including professional development, openness to AI tools, and other challenges. This review aims to inform global efforts to support universal access to AI literacy education, which can ensure equitable outcomes for all learners, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to support the development and delivery of quality AI literacy education.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"2 4","pages":"382-402"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.59","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143252874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Horticulture in education: A comprehensive insight into school gardening","authors":"Jingcheng Xu,&nbsp;Xianyi Gao,&nbsp;Tingwei Lin,&nbsp;Wei Wang,&nbsp;Haijun Xu,&nbsp;Yunfei Xu,&nbsp;Xinxi Wang,&nbsp;Xiaoqing Cheng,&nbsp;Zengju Chen,&nbsp;Tingsheng Tan,&nbsp;Huijuan Qi,&nbsp;Ying Wang,&nbsp;Min Hong,&nbsp;Shudong Liu","doi":"10.1002/fer3.62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.62","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <p>School gardening (SG) is the practice of using school grounds to establish horticultural spaces that are collaboratively designed and managed by teachers, students, volunteers, and others. SG offers plant cultivation areas, locations for students to cook, socialize, and relax, and a stress-relieving environment. Now SG has gained popularity worldwide. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the benefits of SG, current challenges faced in the realm of SG, countermeasures to these issues, and precautions that should be taken account into when implementing SG. This paper is intended to serve as a valuable reference for guiding the continued advancement of SG initiatives in the future.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"28-47"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.62","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gap in early career teachers' STEM pedagogy: Exploring micro-credentials as a possible creative solution","authors":"Gina Solano,&nbsp;Gurupriya Ramanathan","doi":"10.1002/fer3.55","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.55","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This exploratory study sought to address the gap in strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher preparation in elementary and secondary teacher education programs. Integrated STEM education is attracting increased attention and gaining momentum from educators, politicians, STEM industries, and the media across the nation. Many state and national organizations have called for a new workforce of problem solvers, innovators, and inventors who are self-reliant and able to think logically, also suggesting that creating such capacity is one of the critical foundations that drive innovative capacity in the nation. A key to developing these skills is STEM competencies and career goals in every K-12 student. To do this, teachers must be educated on how to connect STEM careers and integrate STEM content into their curriculum. Providing integrated STEM micro-credentials for preservice and in-service teachers can be a flexible solution for providing teachers a method to learn how to improve their content knowledge and pedagogy (Digital Promise, 2019). Participants were a combination of undergraduate preservice teachers and graduate early-career teachers who were asked about their STEM preparation. The majority of the participants received very little to no integrated STEM preparation. As a possible solution for this, participants were asked about their preferred type of professional development (PD) and if participating in a micro-credential course would be a possibility. Nearly all of the participants agreed that a self-paced micro-credential that blended online and in-person instruction would be something they would do to learn how to integrate STEM more effectively into their pedagogy. Micro-credentials could be a successful solution for educator PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":100564,"journal":{"name":"Future in Educational Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"146-166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fer3.55","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}