Facilitating curiosity

Secondary STEM education majors experiences in a discovery learning center

Abstract

This study documented twenty secondary STEM teachers’ experiences as assistant curiosity facilitators in a Discovery Learning Center (DLC) during and after a summer camp for elementary age students. Data collection spanned four years and included participation at the DLC prior to entering their master’s level initial licensure program and into their first two induction years as teachers in high needs school districts. Data from surveys, self-reflections and focus group interviews indicated mixed perceptions related to whether the DLC experiences could influence teaching in formal classroom experiences. Some teachers perceived the summer camps as “playtime” and did not think that learning occurred. Others acknowledged the benefits of informal activity and considered engagement level as an important factor in formal learning environments.