Board 170: STEM-ulating Change: Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Integrated STEM Education (Work-in-Progress)

Abstract This article highlights the current focus on integrated STEM education, which is based on recognizing that the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are interrelated in real-world applications. The teaching practices of preservice teachers (PSTs) may be impacted by the perceptions they hold prior to entering the classroom. As a result, attention is needed to understand the perceptions of integrated STEM held by pre-service teachers (PSTs). Gaining a grasp understanding of these perceptions will enable educators to better prepare for teaching integrated STEM, potentially resulting in enhanced long-term teaching practices and student growth. Therefore, this paper employs the eight models of integrated STEM education proposed by Ring et al. (2017) to examine empirical studies and explore the factors that influence the perceptions of PSTs regarding integrated STEM education. Our paper follows the PRISMA guidelines and flow chart, which include a checklist with 27 items and a flowchart with four steps. The inclusion and exclusion criteria for this study required eligible papers to be empirically based, peer-reviewed, published in English between 2011 and 2023, and relevant to the research question. A content analysis method was applied to examine the articles (n = 27) that satisfied the inclusion criteria. PSTs' perceptions of integrated STEM education were influenced, according to preliminary findings, by the following variables: (a) prior knowledge and experiences with STEM education; (b) beliefs about STEM education; (c) perceived benefits and challenges of integrated STEM education; (d) available support and resources; and (e) professional development opportunities. The paper also addresses the theoretical and educational implications of the results for the planning and implementation of integrated STEM professional development programs for policymakers and stakeholders as well as teachers.