BECOMING A STEAM-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATOR: INTERSECTING SCIENCE TEACHER IDENTITY AND EXISTING PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE IN NEPAL

Abstract

Personal experiences and practices shape and nurture teacher beliefs about science classrooms. It has been demonstrated that their understanding of their actions depends heavily on the experience of identification. It has impacted their instructional strategies and provides a solid foundation for their learning endeavor (Kelchtermans, 2005). Science teachers frequently face their professional identities in multiple ways of action in the classroom. Thus, this study illustrations my identity construction process to intersect present Nepali pedagogical activities and the identity of science teachers. However, science teachers face many challenges in their careers and changing identities. This study is a critical autoethnographic research based on the self-inquiry process. Hence, I generated initial research questions based on my critical reflection upon different contexts, i.e. primary, secondary, and higher levels’ science learning/teaching scenario (as a learner), experience in science classroom practices/ crease (as a science teacher), and engagement with STEAM education course (as a STEAM learner) as well as my professional experiences working at a Nepali university as a science educator. The overall study of research is a reflective journey between 2001 and 2020 because I choose this timeline to express my multiple perceptions in science teaching and learning. Through a critical autobiographical inquiry of my lived experiences of disengaged science education, three emergent research questions form the basis for this study; (1) In what ways does my practice of reflection (my self-examination, self-reflection, and learning process) affect my own professional identities? (2) How did I prepare myself as a STEAM teacher/ educator and progress in my M.Phil. journey? (3) Why did I transform from a conventional science educator to a STEAM educator through a critical reflective lens? In this study, I used a picture of science teacher identity construction, like Beauchamp and Thomas (2006) thought, to examine the teachers' identity development concerning my classroom roles and responsibilities, the way I feel about and describe myself as a professional identity, and my beliefs and classroom practices. It is a critical autoethnographic (CAE) design, I try to explore my (I am as a participant) world, lived experiences, feelings, and my perspective/narration through reflective writing. Then multiple genres are developed probing by these thoughts, values, prejudices, perceptions, views, feelings, and perspectives. Thus, this critical autoethnographic inquiry aimed at capturing my lived experiences of my identity and practice through envisioning of transformative vision of STEAM education. It is a multi-paradigmatic research design space and employs interpretivism, criticism, and postmodernism, as a ‘tripod of my inquiry.’ And, it is mostly guided by constructivism, critical, and transformative theory. Moreover, in this study, I include four main sections in the form of chapters. First is my (as a student) perception of the notion of a science teacher professional. My identity is explored in addition to the view of the community of practice towards the traditional school structure with a critical comparison with job regarding societal values. The following section illustrates my changing identity as a STEAM-based educator to respond to the research question of how I prepared myself as a STEAM teacher/ educator and progressed in my M.Phil. journey. The final section incorporates the synopsis, transformation, and praxis. It also presents why I transformed into a STEAM- educator through a critical autobiographical lens and reflection of my experiences. The overall reflection of this journey, future direction, and implications of this study are presented in the epilogue as a poem. Three research questions of my study and reflective themes are connected in multiple ways in different chapters so combinationation of four chapters (IV, V, VI, and VII) envisioning leads my transformation