Collaborative Research: Comparing Preservice STEM Teacher Preparation Using Virtual Reality Artificial Intelligence Simulations Versus Peer Teaching

This NSF IUSE: EDU project aims to serve the national need for a globally competitive STEM workforce by preparing undergraduate STEM education students to more effectively teach all K-12 students. The project will support future teachers by offering experiential learning through virtual reality artificial intelligence simulations and scaffolded peer teaching. These innovative teaching experiences are designed to help future educators develop the skills needed to facilitate discussions of scientifically relevant real-world problems. Through this work, the project aims to prepare undergraduate STEM education students to effectively teach science in K–12 schools to support all STEM learners in solving real-world problems. This project includes partners at the University of West Florida, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Kennesaw State University, and Drake University. Together, these institutions will investigate how undergraduate STEM education students can be effectively prepared to facilitate discussions of scientifically relevant real-world problems. Project goals include developing and comparing two instructional practice modalities - virtual reality artificial intelligence avatar simulations and scaffolded peer teaching - and evaluating their impact on approximately 250 undergraduate STEM education students across the five institutions. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study will collect data through rubric-based evaluations of teaching performance at three timepoints, participant surveys, and mentor feedback. The research will focus on preservice teachers preparing to teach science in K–12 schools. By preparing future STEM teachers to enact science instruction that encourages students to solve real-world problems, this project will provide empirical support for the use of scientifically relevant real-world problems in STEM teacher preparation programs. An external evaluator will provide formative and summative feedback about project objectives. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, national STEM education conferences, and a publicly accessible project website offering open educational resources. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. Partial funding for the project is from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.