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Teaching Across Subject Boundaries in STEM: Continuities in Beliefs about Learning and Teaching

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Abstract

This study explored the teaching and learning beliefs of qualified (in-field) secondary science teachers who were teaching mathematics out-of-field that is, without qualification. The relationship between secondary teachers’ beliefs about their in-field subject—science and their out-of-field subject—mathematics was examined. The theory of boundary crossing and frameworks of beliefs about science and mathematics teaching and learning were used to explore continuities of beliefs when crossing disciplinary boundaries to teach mathematics out-of-field. Individual semi-structured interviews and video-stimulated interviews were used to collect data about teachers’ beliefs and teaching practice for science and mathematics. Continuity of beliefs across science and mathematics was more likely when teachers held traditional beliefs about science. Continuity of non-traditional beliefs about learning and teaching science and mathematics was less likely, though some teachers did show evidence of beginning to adopt, or exhibit a desire to learn more about, constructivist approaches to teaching mathematics.

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Notes

  1. This project was funded through an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant (DP150102089).

  2. This program employed high achieving graduates as associate teachers for 2 years with a 0.8 EFT workload whilst they completed their teacher education qualification over the 2 years.

  3. TI 30 stands for Individual Teacher Interview, paragraph 30.

  4. VSI stands for video-stimulated interview about a lesson.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge fellow researchers: Ass. Prof. Linda Hobbs (lead investigator, Deakin University), Dr. Frances Quinn (University of New England), Ass. Prof. Terry Lyons (Queensland University of Technology) and Prof. Russell Tytler (Deakin University).

Funding

The findings reported in this article arise from a Discovery Grant funded by the Australian Research Council: Out-of-field Teaching: Sustaining Quality Practices Across Subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton, 3800, Australia

    Colleen Vale & Pennie White

  2. Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia

    Coral Campbell & Christopher Speldewinde

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  1. Colleen Vale
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  2. Coral Campbell
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  3. Christopher Speldewinde
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Correspondence to Colleen Vale.

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Vale, C., Campbell, C., Speldewinde, C. et al. Teaching Across Subject Boundaries in STEM: Continuities in Beliefs about Learning and Teaching. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 18, 463–483 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-019-09983-2

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