STEM Teacher Internship Programme (STint)
About this good practice
STEM Teacher Internship program (STInt), a Dublin City University initiative to inspire innovative learning, was established in 2016. STInt provides student and early career STEM teachers (primary/secondary) an immersive learning experience of a paid STEM internship in industry. These unique experiences support STEM teachers in designing innovative learning opportunities for their students, deepening awareness of STEM roles and careers, and tackling equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM education. In 2023, STInt established a national program to include teachers from seven Irish Universities.
Program objectives
• Develop common understanding of STEM education between teachers, industry, and university.
• Program designed to develop teachers understanding of integrated STEM education and its role in society.
• Support teachers in examining the role of STEM industries within wider societal contexts.
• Industry aims are more aligned with “preparation for STEM careers, and uncritical attitudes towards science and technology” than “preparing students for critical citizenship and/or activism”.
• Increase the number of young people that choose STEM careers, particularly minority and underrepresented groups:
• Teachers are second strongest influential factor when young people choose university courses and careers.
• 1 secondary school teacher can influence up to 5,000 pupils over the course of their career.
Resources needed
2 Full Time Employees.
Travel budget.
Marketing and Communications budget.
IT and equipment budget.
Evidence of success
87% very confident they could design a STEM learning experience that promotes the development of students' transversal skills
83% very confident they could advise students on STEM careers
91% very confident they could identify diverse STEM role models for their students
83% very confident they could contact a business or industry to invite them to speak to their students
*Intern Feedback, STInt Annual report 2023.
Potential for learning or transfer
STInt identifies two major challenges in 21st Century education:
• Inequities in education, particularly in STEM, leading to disparities in STEM careers,
• The need for alignment between research, policy, and practice in STEM education, along with capacity-building for teachers.
To address these STInt recommends:
• Build and deepen teachers’ understanding of integrated STEM education through immersive professional experiences in real-world STEM contexts.
• Develop and strengthen the connections across and between actors within the STEM learning ecosystem to improve learner outcomes.
Teacher Learning:
• Reflect on the STEM competences and literacies developed through their internship and design innovative learning opportunities for their students that make connections between STEM curricula and real-world applications.
• Understand the variety of STEM roles and career pathways and the vital role of STEM in addressing societal challenges.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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