Evaluating STEAM-competence of prospective natural science teachers

Introduction. The article studies the problem of developing STEAM competence in undergraduates pursuing their first degree in natural science education. The authors justify the necessity of introducing the discipline called ‘STEAM-approach in natural science education’ into the curriculum. The purpose of the article is to assess the readiness of future teachers of natural science subjects to implement STEAM education. Materials and Methods. The research methodology follows integrative, complex and contextual principles and the essential ideas of STEAM education aimed at the formation of STEAM-competencies in future natural science teachers. The authors summarized existing approaches to identifying key competencies, developed the structure of STEAM competence and designed the syllabus for ‘STEAM approach in natural science education’ discipline. The academic discipline ‘STEAM approach in natural science education’ was integrated in the curriculum of ‘Biology and Geography’ undergraduate programme and tested in the educational process. Final evaluating procedures which assessed the level of developing the components of STEAM competence included the comparative analysis of data obtained by means of questionnaires of teachers and students and the comparative assessment of some components of the STEAM competence in the control and experimental groups. Experimental work was conducted in secondary education settings in the Republic of Belarus and in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after Maxim Tank. The study involved 33 natural science teachers and 70 undergraduates doing their first degrees in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at BSPU named after Maxim Tank. The methods of theoretical analysis, comparison, questionnaire, testing, and statistical data processing were used in the study. Results. In the course of the research, the need for the formation of STEAM competence in future teachers of natural science subjects is substantiated; a system of their preparation for the implementation of STEAM education is developed and justified. The results of experimental work confirm that the effectiveness of training future natural science teachers to implement STEAM approach is determined by academic disciplines, which involve students in STEAM education. Conclusions. The results obtained prove the effectiveness of developing STEAM competence in future natural science teachers by means of targeted method training provided at the first stage of higher education. Teaching ‘STEAM approach in natural science education’ discipline as one of the elements of future teachers’ method preparation for implementing STEAM education contributes to the improvement of their STEAM competence.