STEM Think Tank and Conference: Encouraging K-12 Teachers to Integrate STEM in the Classroom

Few conferences set out to examine the impact they have on attendees and whether or not they have met their goals and perhaps research questions beyond a simple satisfaction survey. This study uses surveys and interviews to examine the influence of the STEM Think Tank and Conference 2012 (TT&C), hosted by the Center for STEM Education for Girls, on its attendees (i.e. K-12 teachers, K-12 administrators, university faculties, and industry). We set out to define how the TT&C influenced the attendees’ professional connections, both in type and number, and how teachers’ experiences at the TT&C affected their future use of STEM integration in their classroom. Eighteen teachers participated in a pre-conference survey to establish baseline data, and fourteen of these teachers completed the post-conference survey. The pre-conference surveys addressed attendees’ current professional connections and use of STEM integration. The postconference surveys readdressed attendees’ thoughts on professional connections and STEM integration, as well as their TT&C experience. We chose to follow up with six teachers in interviews at the end of the TT&C to pursue some topics in more depth. These interviews, which followed up on the attendees’ responses to pre-conference surveys, were categorized into subthemes related to professional connections and STEM integration. The interviews were complimented by the data comparison of the pre and post-conference surveys. In summary, attendees increased their connections at the TT&C. Teachers thought of ways to utilize their new connections in their profession (such as teacher-industry and teacher-university collaborations) and use these connections to help enact STEM into their courses. Participants took STEM integration tools and ideas from the TT&C. Having attended the TT&C the participants were more confident in enacting STEM into their classrooms and within their schools.