The development of a professional development model focusing on outdoor learning resources to enhance in-service teachers’ STEM literacy

Abstract

This study aimed to (1) identify the need assessment of enhancing teachers’ science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy; (2) develop a professional development (PD) model to enhance teachers’ STEM literacy focusing on using outdoor learning resources; and (3) study the effectiveness of a PD model using outdoor learning resources to enhance teachers’ STEM literacy. The research participants in this study were 320 teachers who responded to the online questionnaire to identify the need assessment of enhancing teachers’ STEM literacy, nine teachers who participated in a focus group interview, 30 teachers who participated in the PD model, and five experts who approved the PD model. For data collection, the researcher employed the teachers’ STEM literacy test, the satisfaction survey form, and an evaluation form for experts’ approving the model. The researchers used the modified priority needs index (PNI_modified), means, standard deviations (SD), t-test dependent, and content analysis. The findings revealed that the top needs to enhance teachers’ STEM literacy that most teachers identified was the connection of STEM education with other disciplines (PNI_modified = .17 from primary school teachers and PNI_modified = .28 from secondary school teachers). For the model, there are five components: principles, objectives, outdoor STEM activities, supported strategies, and evaluation. Finally, the experts approved this model at an excellent level (M = 4.62, SD = 0.31). Teachers increased their STEM literacy scores after participating according to the PD model, with a significant difference of .01. The findings also showed that teachers’ satisfaction with the PD model was at an excellent level.