Skip to main content

Early Childhood Educators and STEM Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
STEM Education in the Early Years

Abstract

Thus far, we have focussed on the macro issues of the social, pedagogical, and economic perspectives of STEM discussed in Chap. 2; the impact of digital technologies on children’s learning in Chap. 3; and the role of play and play-based learning in Chap. 4. In this chapter, we turn our attention towards early childhood educators who are largely responsible for ensuring a positive experience of STEM for young children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anderson, J., English, L., Fitzallen, N., & Symons, D. (2020). The contribution of mathematics education researchers to the current STEM education agenda. In J. Way, C. Attard, J. Anderson, J. Bobis, H. McMaster, & K. Cartwright (Eds.), Research in mathematics education in Australasia 2016–2019 (pp. 27–57). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4269-5_3.

  • Anderson, J., & Tully, D. (2020). Designing and evaluating an integrated STEM professional development program for secondary and primary school teachers in Australia. In J. Anderson, & Y. Li. Integrated approaches to STEM Education (pp. 403–425). Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J., Wilson, K., Tully, D., & Way, J. (2019). “Can we build the wind powered car again?” Students’ and teachers’ responses to a new integrated STEM curriculum. Journal of Research in STEM Education, 5(1), 20–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aronin, S., & Floyd, K. K. (2013). Using an iPad in inclusive preschool classrooms to introduce STEM concepts. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 45(4), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005991304500404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Attard, C. & Holmes, K. (2020). Technology enabled mathematics education: Optimising student engagement. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackley, S., & Sheffield, R. (2015). Appraising the E in STEM education: Creative alternatives to “engineering”. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 23(3), 1–10. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/229408366.pdf.

  • Bobis, J., Kaur, B., Cartwright, K., & Darragh, L. (2020). Teachers’ professional learning and development in mathematics education. In J. Way, et al. (Eds.) Research in mathematics education in Australasia 2016–2019 (pp. 117–146). Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breffni, L. (2011). Impact of curriculum training on state-funded prekindergarten teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 32(2), 176–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2011.572226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brenneman, K., Lange, A., & Nayfeld, I. (2019). Integrating STEM into preschool education; Designing a professional development model in diverse settings. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47, 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-018-0912-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, C., Speldewinde, C., Howitt, C., & MacDonald, A. (2018). STEM practice in the early years. Creative Education, 9(1), 11–25. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2018.91002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, J.-Q., McCray, J., Adams, M., & Leow, C. (2014). A survey study of early childhood teachers’ beliefs and confidence about teaching early math. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(6), 367–377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0619-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.-L., Huang, L.-F., & Wu, P.-C. (2021). Preservice preschool teachers’ self-efficacy in and need for STEM education professional development: STEM pedagogical belief as a mediator. Early Childhood Education Journal, 49(2), 137–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01055-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chesloff, J. D. (2013). Why STEM education must start in early childhood. Education Week 32(23), 27–32. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/03/06/23chesloff.h32.html.

  • Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2011). Early childhood teacher education: The case of geometry. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 14(2), 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-011-9173-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clements, D. H., Vinh, M., Lim, C.-I., & Sarama, J. (2020). STEM for inclusive excellence and equity. Early Education and Development, 32(1), 148–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2020.1755776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, C. M., Lachapelle, C. P., & Davis, M. E. (2018). Engineering concepts, practices, and trajectories for early childhood education. In L. English, & T. Moore (Eds.), Early engineering learning, early mathematics learning and development (pp. 135–174). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8621-2_8.

  • Dindyal, J. (2015). Geometry in the early years: A commentary. ZDM—Mathematics Education, 47(3), 519–529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-015-0700-9.

  • Donohue, C., & Schomburg, R. (2017). Technology and interactive media in early childhood programs. YC Young Children, 72(4), 72–78. https://www.jstor.org/stable/90013713.

  • Dubosarsky, M., John, M. S., Anggoro, F., Wunnava, S., & Celik, U. (2018). Seeds of STEM: The development of a problem-based STEM curriculum for early childhood classrooms. In L. English, & T. Moore (Eds.), Early engineering learning, early mathematics learning and development (pp. 249–269). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8621-2_12.

  • Early Childhood STEM Working Group at the University of Chicago. (2017). Early STEM Matters: Providing high-quality STEM experiences for all young learners. UChicago STEM Education. http://ecstem.uchicago.edu.

  • English, L. (2018). Engineering education in early childhood: Reflections and future directions. In L. English, & T. Moore (Eds.), Early engineering learning, early mathematics learning and development (pp. 273–284). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8621-2_13.

  • Estapa, A. T., & Tank, T. M. (2017). Supporting integrated STEM in the elementary classroom: A professional development approach centered on an engineering design challenge. International Journal of STEM Education, 4, Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-017-0058-3.

  • Fleer, M. (2009a). Supporting scientific conceptual consciousness or learning in ‘a roundabout way’ in play-based contexts. International Journal of Science Education, 31(8), 1069–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690801953161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M. (2009b). Understanding the dialectical relations between everyday concepts and scientific concepts within play-based programs. Research in Science Education, 39(2), 281–306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-008-9085-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ginsburg, H. P., Cannon, J., Eisenband, J., & Pappas, S. (2006). Mathematical thinking and learning. In K. McCartney, & D. Phillips (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of early childhood development (pp. 208–229). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470757703.ch11.

  • Greca Dufranc, I. M., García Terceño, E. M., Fridberg, M., Cronquist, B., & Redfors, A. (2020). Robotics and early-years STEM education: The botSTEM framework and activities. European Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 01. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/7948.

  • Guskey, T. R. (2002). Professional development and teacher change. Teachers and Teaching, 8(3), 381–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/135406002100000512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gustavsson, L., Jonsson, A., Ljung-Djärf, A., & Thulin, S. (2016). Ways of dealing with science learning: A study based on Swedish early childhood education practice. International Journal of Science Education, 38(11), 1867–1881. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1220650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hachey, A. (2020). Success for all: Fostering early childhood STEM identity. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 13(1), 135–139. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-01-2020-0001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Handal, B., & Herrington, A. (2003). Mathematics teachers’ beliefs and curriculum reform. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 15(1), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Honey, M., Pearson, G., & Schweingruber, H. (2014). STEM integration in K-12 education: Status, prospects, and an agenda for research. National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council, The National Adacemies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/18612.

  • Kelley, S. S., & Williams, D. R. (2013). Teacher professional learning communities for sustainability: Supporting STEM in learning gardens in low-income schools. Journal of Sustainability Education, 5, 327–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, A. (2014, 2014/10/20). Understanding continuing professional development: The need for theory to impact on policy and practice. Professional Development in Education, 40(5), 688–697. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.955122.

  • Kermani, H., & Aldemir, J. (2015). Preparing children for success: Integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom. Early Child Development and Care, 185(9), 1504–1527. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1007371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, K., & Miller, J. (2020). Digital technologies and numeracy—Synergy or discord? In A. MacDonald, L. Danaia, & S. Murphy (Eds.), STEM Education Across the Learning Continuum (pp. 137–154). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2821-7_8.

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815355.

  • Lippard, C. N., Riley, K. L., & Lamm, M. H. (2018). Encouraging the development of engineering habits of mind in prekindergarten learners. In L. English, & T. Moore (Eds.), Early engineering learning, early mathematics learning and development (pp. 19–36). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8621-2_3.

  • Lowrie, T., & Larkin, K. (2020). Experience, represent, apply (ERA): A heuristic for digital engagement in the early years. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(1), 131–147. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maass, K., Geiger, V., Ariza, M. R., & Goos, M. (2019). The role of mathematics in interdisciplinary STEM education. ZDM - Mathematics Education, 51(6), 869–884. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-019-01100-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClure, E. R., Guernsey, L., Clements, D. H., Bales, S. N., Nichols, J., Kendall-Taylor, N., & Levine, M. H. (2017). STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early childhood. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED574402.

  • McManis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology with early learners. YC Young Children, 67(3), 14–24. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42731168.

  • Moomaw, S., & Davis, J. A. (2010). STEM comes to preschool. YC Young Children, 65(5), 12–14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42730633.

  • Moss, J., Hawes, Z., Naqvi, S., & Caswell, B. (2015). Adapting Japanese lesson study to enhance the teaching and learning of geometry and spatial reasoning in early years classrooms: A case study. ZDM - Mathematics Education, 47(3), 377–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-015-0679-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) & Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College (FRC). (2012). Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/topics/PS_technology_WEB.pdf.

  • National Research Council. (2006). Learning to think spatially. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11019.

  • Ntuli, E., & Kyei-Blankson, L. (2011). Teacher criteria for evaluating and selecting developmentally appropriate computer software. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 20(2), 179–193. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/36190/.

  • Palaiologou, I. (2016). Children under five and digital technologies: Implications for early years pedagogy. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 24(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2014.929876.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, M.-H., Dimitrov, D. M., Patterson, L. G., & Park, D.-Y. (2017). Early childhood teachers’ beliefs about readiness for teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(3), 275–291. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X15614040.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, B., & Dockett, S. (2002). Young children’s access to powerful mathematical ideas. In L. D. English (Ed.), Handbook of international research in mathematics education: Direction for the 21st century (5 ed., pp. 75–108). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Philipp, R. A. (2007). Mathematics teachers’ beliefs and affect. In F. K. Lester (Ed.), Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning: A project of the national council of teachers of mathematics (pp. 257–315). Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piasta, S. B., Logan, J. A. R., Pelatti, C. Y., Capps, J. L., & Petrill, S. A. (2015). Professional development for early childhood educators: Efforts to improve math and science learning opportunities in early childhood classrooms. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(2), 407–422. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prentiss Bennett, J. M. (2016). An investigation of elementary teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education [Dissertation, Regent University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schielack, J., Charles, R., Clements, D., Duckett, P., Fennell, F., Lewandowski, S., Trevino, E., & Zbiek, R. M. (2006). Curriculum focal points for prekindergarten through grade 8 mathematics: A quest for coherence. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. https://www.nctm.org/curriculumfocalpoints/.

  • Şeker, P. T., & Alisinanoğlu, F. (2015). A survey study of the effects of preschool teachers’ beliefs and self-efficacy towards mathematics education and their demographic features on 48–60-month-old preschool children’s mathematic skills. Creative Education, 6(3), 405–414. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2015.63040.

  • Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., & Melhuish, E. (2008). Towards the transformation of practice in early childhood education: The effective provision of pre-school education (EPPE) project. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640801889956.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, A. G. (1992). Teacher’s beliefs and conceptions: A synthesis of the research. In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 127–146). Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tytler, R., Williams, G., Hobbs, L., & Anderson, J. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for a STEM interdisciplinary agenda. In B. Doig, J. Williams, D. Swanson, R. B. Ferri, & P. Drake (Eds.), Interdisciplinary mathematics education: The State of the art and beyond (ICME-13 Monographs, pp. 51–81). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11066-6_5.

  • Vartuli, S., & Rohs, J. (2009). Early childhood prospective teacher pedagogical belief shifts over time. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 30(4), 310–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901020903320262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan, M., & Beers, C. (2017). Using an exploratory professional development initiative to introduce iPads in the early childhood education classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(3), 321–331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-016-0772-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2020). STEM education in early childhood: A review of empirical studies. Early Education and Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2020.1814986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin Larkin .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Larkin, K., Lowrie, T. (2022). Early Childhood Educators and STEM Education. In: STEM Education in the Early Years. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2810-9_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2810-9_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-19-2809-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-19-2810-9

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics