Enhancing Digital Fluency Skills and STEAM Teaching Self-Efficacy of Teachers of Gifted Students Through Digitally Supported STEAM Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this research is (a) to determine the effect of a six-day-long professional development workshop called as “digitally supported STEAM learning” on the digital fluency skills and STEAM teaching self-efficacy of gifted students’ teachers and (b) to reveal the views of teachers on different aspects of “digitally supported STEAM learning.” In this mixed-method research with an embedded design, the data were collected from 20 teachers working in Science and Art Centers where gifted students study in different cities of Türkiye. Quantitative data were collected through the Digital Fluency Scale and Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale for STEAM Practices while qualitative data were gathered through audiotaped semi-structured focus group interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed performing the Wilcoxon signed-rank test while the qualitative data were content analyzed by using inductive coding. As a result of this research, it was found that “digitally supported STEAM learning” caused a significant increase in the digital fluency skills and STEAM teaching self-efficacy of teachers of gifted students. Also, it was understood from focus group interviews that because of “digitally supported STEAM learning,” the teachers of gifted students learned the content of STEAM, how to integrate technology and education.