STEM Education (Theses)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://dspace.mic.ul.ie/handle/10395/2269

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The development of computational thinking: a constructionist school computer programming initiative in a girls' primary school
(2025-05) Carroll, Claire
In September 2025, the newly established Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum was rolled out in primary schools across Ireland with the intent to provide opportunities for students to learn the fundamentals of programming and build on their computational thinking skills. To date, much of the research on the learning of programming and computational thinking has been conducted with older students or in informal settings. Therefore, this study was conducted in a primary school context to investigate if primary school students could develop their computational thinking through engaging in programming activities. Sixty-seven students from third, fifth and sixth classes in an Irish primary school took part in a ten-week Scratch programming initiative designed to foster their computational thinking. Various data collection methods were adopted to capture the multidimensional nature of computational thinking, including artefact analysis, artefact-based interviews, questionnaires and an observation diary. Brennan and Resnick’s (2012) three computational thinking dimensions (concepts, practices and perspectives) were used to interpret the data, before deductive and inductive analyses were adopted to conceptualise the nature of the dimensions. Findings indicate that the primary school students in this study excelled at both synchronisation and parallelism, with many students illustrating an understanding of more challenging concepts such as state synchronisation and parallel launching of multiple scripts. However, conditional loops and variable initialisation caused significant difficulty, with further analysis revealing that students would require further scaffolding to acquire these concepts. This research gave insights into the poorly defined computational practices and perspectives, providing teachers, researchers and policymakers with a more comprehensive picture of how these dimensions can manifest in a primary school classroom. In presenting thick descriptions of these students’ experience, this research also highlights pedagogical factors that shaped and supported their computational thinking development, including programming language, project type, level of scaffolding and peer engagement. Finally, a reconfigured computational thinking framework is proposed, identifying aspects of computational thinking that were not sufficiently captured by the Brennan and Resnick (2012) framework.
'To be or not to bee?' Lesson study in early years education: what are the characteristics of an effective STEAM lesson?
(2025-03-21) Quane, Emer
This study investigates the integration of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in early years education using the innovative approach of lesson study. The aim of this research is to explore the characteristics of effective STEAM lessons in early years education, in an urban, junior primary school. Through a collaborative lesson study framework, educators collaboratively design, implement, and reflect upon STEAM-infused lessons, tailoring them to the unique developmental needs of 5–7-year-olds. The two teacher participants engaged in six lesson study cycles over the course of four months. Lesson study was used as a vehicle to implement STEAM lessons in two senior infant classes. Qualitative data was collected through semi structured interviews, lesson plans, and observations. Preliminary findings showcase a positive impact of STEAM in early years education and outline effective pedagogies and methodologies used. Furthermore, the findings illustrate how lesson study offers a conducive platform for educators to co-create developmentally appropriate STEAM experiences. Collaborative lesson planning and iterative refinement contribute to the design of engaging STEAM activities that facilitate young children’s STEAM experiences. However, challenges related to teachers changing practice and teachers lack of confidence in teaching STEAM in early years education were identified. Furthermore, the study highlights the significant impact of professional development for educators to effectively implement STEAM education. The work concludes by contemplating the place of STEAM education and lesson study in the current educational landscape and makes recommendations to support their implementation nationally.
From STEm to steM: developing the landscape of teacher learning for STEM education
(2025-03-13) Fitzpatrick, Michelle
The new Irish Primary Curriculum Framework introduces STEM as one of five broad curriculum areas, and publication of a STEM specification is imminent. Traditionally, STEM content has been taught as discrete disciplines across the sectors, with initial teacher education (ITE) being no exception. However, the new focus on integrated and interdisciplinary approaches has created an impetus to re-examine how we explore the STEM disciplines in ITE. This dissertation presents an action inquiry to prepare preservice teachers for the new demands of STEM education. Participants were two groups of preservice teachers (PSTs) (n=30 and n=28) undertaking a mathematics education specialism as part of their undergraduate programme. This dissertation reports on two 12-week integrated STEM interventions. While both modules differed in their approach, common themes were generated throughout. Findings across both modules indicate that purposefully designed, interdisciplinary STEM education experiences at the ITE level can create informed, confident STEM teachers ready to take on new integrated teaching roles. Opportunities to engage as learners of integrated content supported participants in developing the required STEM literacies and exposed them to the rich and ambitious pedagogies necessary for effective classroom implementation. Collaborative field practices corroborated this learning as they witnessed theory play out in practice and observed the benefits for children. Challenges were also noted as the PSTs negotiated the blurry boundaries of STEM education. This dissertation reports on the difficulties in positioning meaningful mathematics within integrated tasks. Responsive to these challenges in the first iteration of this module, the subsequent design forefronted mathematics as the central discipline. Journeying with these preservice teachers from the lecture room to the primary classroom and back allowed me to examine their evolving understanding of STEM education over time and observe the development of their STEM teacher identities. Implications for ITE and STEM education are discussed.
Teachers’ understandings of lesson study as a professional development tool in a primary multi-grade school
(2022-03-30) Flanagan, Bridget
With increasing focus on primary curricular reform in Ireland, growing understanding of the importance of education in the early years has led professional development organisations to consider the effectiveness of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education for young children. This research seeks to explore the potential of lesson study as a vehicle to promote and support collaborative professional development in a rural, multi-grade primary school. Three teachers were introduced to and participated in four cycles of lesson study over the course of one school year. Lesson study was utilised to design and implement integrated STEM lessons in Junior and Senior Infants (ages 4–7 years). Through an action research methodology, qualitative data were generated from interviews, lesson plans, collaborative weekly meetings, observation sheets, and the researcher’s reflective journal and field notes. Analysis suggests that teachers began to develop new pedagogical practices as a result of iterative and collaborative lesson study processes. Findings also reveal insights into the knowledge-related demands of designing and implementing STEM lessons. Successive and collaborative cycles enabled teachers to become more confident in their teaching of STEM education, and they believed they had a greater understanding of the children’s learning. While teachers perceived lesson study to be a beneficial form of professional development, some factors constrained their engagement, including practical, cultural and sustainability challenges. The work concludes by contemplating the place of lesson study and STEM education in the current educational landscape, and makes recommendations to support their implementation nationally.

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