“Houston, We Have a Problem:” Teachers’ Overcoming Challenges with Circuits when Using STEM PD Kits

Author: Hyohyun Kim

Field of Study: Educational Theory, Research, and Practice

Faculty Mentors: Meredith Schwendemann

Easel: 2

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: Elementary teachers often encounter challenges when integrating engineering into science lessons due to limited content knowledge (Pazos et al., 2023). There is a need to understand the processes teachers experience during hands-on engineering activities. This study explores how elementary teachers engaged with an engineering professional development (PD) kit that incorporated electrical circuit components. Using the zone of proximal development (ZPD; Vygotsky, 1978) as a framework, this qualitative multiple-case study (Yin, 2018) examined four teacher teams’ experiences. Data sources included video of the teachers completing the PD kits and follow up interviews. Results from thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022) of the data suggest that content knowledge alone does not ensure success. Rather, teachers' epistemic responses, including how they identify gaps and define problems, shape their problem-solving and instructional strategies. This study shows that hands-on PD may broaden teachers' ZPDs through scaffolding to address gaps. This insight provides practical guidance for designing PD.