IPCSM 2021 PROGRAMME BOOK

BST0109B

Exploring Science Teachers’ Instructional Practices: A Need Analysis for Scientist
Teacher-Student Partnership (STSP) in Integrated STEM

Mohamad Hisyam Ismail1,2, Hidayah Mohd Fadzil1*, Rohaida Mohd Saat1 and Muhamad Furkan
Mat Salleh1,2

1Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya,
50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2Science Education Department, Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan
Selangor, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The declining number of students choosing STEM subjects and careers in Malaysia raised concern
on the education system’s ability to produce sufficient human development for sound national
development. Quality of teaching used to integrate STEM in the classroom practices often claimed
as one of the main determinants to the issue. Concerning this issue, this qualitative study aims to
investigate science teachers practices in integrating STEM in their classroom. Interviews were
conducted with six science teachers represented three major disciplines (Biology, Physics,
Chemistry) from various secondary schools in Malaysia. As part of a larger study, the objectives of
this study mainly focusing on exploring the instructional practices by the teachers to integrate
STEM content in their classrooms. This paper discusses three themes emerged from the interviews
namely: instructional strategy, elements of STEM and issues of the practice. The study found that
all science teachers have different strategies to integrate STEM into their classrooms such as
inquiry and problem-based learning. To integrate STEM, the teachers mostly focus on embedding
STEM skills through hands on activity or highlighting the real-life applications of the STEM
concepts during lesson. Less emphasis was given on connecting concepts of different disciplines
during teaching and learning and teacher-driven activity were amongst the issues discovered in
teachers’ instructional practices. Despite their efforts, they admitted that they still lack skills to
integrate STEM and need help from the experts, especially STEM practitioners like scientists and
engineers. The study concludes in the needs of the science teachers for improving their delivery
of the STEM subjects in more integrated manner.

Keywords: Integrated STEM, instructional practices, scientist-teacher-student partnership
(STSP), science teacher, teaching and learning

101

102

103

104

105

T
H
A
N
K

Y
O
U

106