Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Hung, Wei-Chen

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment (ETRA)

Abstract

This dissertation provides a multifaceted approach on improving educational outcomes, encompassing teacher preparation, the structure of learning experiences, and the variety of settings in which instruction occurs, through a manuscript-based approach. The articles investigate the effectiveness of instruction and within elementary STEM setting, specifically with robotics in a suburban Midwest school district. The first article explores the dynamics of interaction (student-tool, student-student, student-teacher) and the impact of teacher scaffolding within integrated STEM robotics utilizing a problem-based learning (PBL) approach. The first article utilizes participant observation and video recording to investigate teacher scaffolding strategies and student interactions during robotics activities to support computational thinking skills in Grade 3 and 4 students. The second article investigates how a professional development (PD) workshop influences elementary teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes towards inquiry-based learning (IBL) and robotics, contributing to understanding of how to support teachers in providing effective instruction. The second article utilizes a mixed-methods design including surveys and interviews, focuses on the impact of a professional development workshop on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes towards IBL and robotics teaching, and how these factors influenced their instructional choices. The first article provides empirical grounding for what effective elementary robotics STEM looks like in the classroom, while the second article investigates how to support the teachers who are essential for implementing these effective practices, emphasizing that PD must address both teacher capacity (skills and knowledge) and teacher confidence and beliefs. The finding from Article 1 that was most relevant to Article 2 was the importance of teacher-to-student interaction and scaffolding, particularly during solution development and testing, for positive student learning experiences and the development of computational thinking. The findings from the second article show that PD significantly increased teachers’ confidence in teaching robotics and their positive attitudes towards IBL. The findings also reveal that perceived PD factors (e.g., hands-on experience, understanding the learning process, and a shift towards valuing student exploration) affect teachers’ confidence, attitudes, teaching strategies, and specific classroom strategies. For elementary in-service teachers, making robotics and IBL work in elementary STEM is a multifaceted approach, because shifts in self-efficacy and attitudes enable teachers to use more effective strategies; however, teachers’ success in effectively implementing STEM-integrated curriculum depend on “proper training” (e.g., teachers being prepared and supported across all those facets). These findings highlight the critical role of teacher support and effective PD in successful STEM-integrated robotics implementations.

Extent

109 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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