Multidisciplinary teaching: the emergence of an holistic STEM teacher.

Abstract

This full research paper approaches the teaching of STEM from a new multi-disciplinary perspective. While the importance of the STEM agenda is not in dispute, the plurality in treatment of STEM as individual subjects or disciplinary areas of study potentially limits the evolution of a new conception of STEM education. In this paper, determinist disciplined learning is challenged through the advocacy of a learning science agenda, which we argue from the perspective of modern teacher education.Unintentionally, our educational systems and structures can create a silo-effect, sometimes impeding the development of multi and trans-disciplinary competencies. This paper advances an argument for a conception of teacher education that supports the development of the holistic STEM teacher. Our conception of the holistic STEM educator revolves around central themes focused on building, manipulating and synthesising STEM specific attitudes, skills and knowledge. The proximal and distal effects are also considered in subsequent discussion.This paper does not propose a generalist teacher, as the significance of content knowledge as a critical component of teacher efficacy is not contested. On the contrary, it considers an unbounded and applied perspective to the treatment of STEM with implications for an enhanced comprehension of abstracted knowledge and support for a more robust construction of meaning. The vision of a STEM teacher is articulated with respect to position, treatment and competencies intending to qualify and sustain the STEM agenda through pragmatic action.