Improving Student Interest in STEM through Pre-service Teacher Industry Engagement: Bridging the Gap Research Report No. 5

This report is produced in response to the requirements of the new grant agreement established between the Flinders University of South Australia and the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) on 30th June 2023. It provides an overview of the outcomes and activities of the Pre-service Teacher STEM Industry Engagement: Bridging the Gap Project (BtGP) since its inception in July 2016 and its conclusion in June 2024.

Designed as an innovation in science teacher education, the Preservice Teacher STEM Industry Engagement (BtGP) project has allowed 155 student teachers of secondary science, over a period of seven years, to participate in a series of short-term STEM industry engagement experiences and activities, directly involving the participation of 20 different South Australian STEM businesses and industries.

By immersion in an authentic experiential learning activity, known as the ‘STEM industry engagement’ student teacher capacity to teach from a ‘rich place’ has been enhanced. The STEM industry experience enabled pre-service science teachers to provide secondary school students with a greater and deeper appreciation of the value and importance of learning and understanding STEM, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical science knowledge and its application in society.