Edgar John Sintema

There is a widespread need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher professional development (TPD) that strengthens teaching practice and supports student learning, particularly in small-island, post-disaster, and resource-constrained education systems. However, limited research has examined how teachers experience the enablers and constraints of STEM TPD through the integrated lenses of content, context, process, practice architectures, and teacher well-being. This qualitative study explored STEM teachers’ perceptions of a professional development program in the U.S. Virgin Islands and examined how the program shaped their teaching practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight STEM teachers during the first quarter of 2025. Using the theory of practice architectures and the National Staff Development Council’s content, context, and process standards, the study analyzed how teachers described the cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political arrangements that enabled or constrained their professional learning. Findings revealed that collaboration, knowledge acquisition and sharing, practical classroom application, and attention to emotional and professional well-being served as key enablers of STEM TPD. Constraints included challenges with independent tasks, technology integration, and the need for greater artificial intelligence literacy to support responsible classroom use. The study contributes to STEM TPD literature by centering teachers’ voices and demonstrating how professional development in a small-island, post-disaster context must address not only STEM content and pedagogy but also collaboration, resource adaptation, technological readiness, and teacher well-being. These findings can inform the design of context-responsive STEM professional development programs in similarly situated education systems.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their mathematical pedagogical content knowledge and to determine effect of demographic variables (Gender, year of study) on their mathematical pedagogical content knowledge. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data from 104 pre-service teachers. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to examine pre-service teachers’ perceived knowledge of teaching strategies, mathematical language and symbols, misconceptions, curriculum, and their perceived knowledge of learners. Results show that in general, majority pre-service teachers have strong perceptions of their mathematical pedagogical content knowledge. They consider lesson planning, purpose of the mathematics curriculum and assessment tools used in a mathematics classroom as important aspects of their perceived knowledge of the curriculum. It was also revealed that their perceived knowledge of misconception would enable them to know and anticipate their learners’ misconceptions. However, results also indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in pre-service teachers’ mathematical pedagogical content knowledge based on gender and year of study. Study implications are also discussed.

There is an increased demand to empower pre-service teachers (PSTs) with knowledge and skills regarding the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching science. Using the technology acceptance model as theoretical lens, this paper explores the self-concept and views of PSTs in their final year of study regarding their competences to teach science with ICTs. A mixed methods design was used to collect data from 506 PSTs in two phases. In the first phase, all participants responded to a technological pedagogical and content knowledge questionnaire. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from a subsample of 28 participants. Results showed that PSTs still underestimate their competences to teach science with ICTs and the majority believe that different school situations and lack of use of ICTs by mentor teachers contribute to failure to build on their competences. Findings also revealed that PSTs have the highest perceived knowledge in technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and lowest in technological knowledge. We suggest that PSTs have opportunities to develop their technological content knowledge (TCK) through self-directed learning for it to be on par with their TPK. A linear relationship in the development of PSTs’ TCK and TPK would ensure improved instructional quality in science classrooms. This paper suggests different strategies to build PSTs’ independency in the use of ICTs to teach sciences.

The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service teachers’ knowledge of content and students vis-à-vis their ability to anticipate, identify and clear high school students’ misconceptions about inverse and composite functions. To accomplish this goal a case study research design was used to examine one fourth year mathematics education pre-service teacher from one of Zambia’s public universities. A case study strategy was preferred for this study because it enables the researcher to focus and have an in-depth investigation of an individual subject in a natural setting. As a data collection tool, the study used a questionnaire containing 7 vignettes comprising 4 inverse function vignettes and 3 composite function vignettes. Data were analyzed based on Ebert’s framework for characterizing the level of proficiency of functions and graphs. Findings revealed that the pre-service teacher’s level of proficiency of identifying and clearing students’ misconceptions was mostly good. Results suggest that vignettes might be useful in mathematical pedagogical courses in teacher education.

Schools in Zambia partner with students’ families and communities through the Parents Teachers Association to promote community participation in the academic and social welfare of students. However, this partnership is sometimes weakened by unexpected external factors to the detriment of the students’ educational development. This study used the theoretical lens of Epstein’s School-Family-Community partnership model to examine the role of parents in the home environment in creating a supportive technological environment for school children in response to the effects of COVID-19 on education. To accomplish the purpose of the study, twenty parents responded to open-ended written interviews. Data were qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. Results revealed inadequate preparation of parents to respond to the academic needs of their school children. Households were facing numerous challenges in procuring curriculum materials like prescribed textbooks. Further, it was revealed that electricity load shading negatively affected students’ access to the educational content on television and e-learning facilities aimed at supplementing school classroom instruction. The study concluded that there were limited or no technology resources in Zambian homes to support students’ access to education during the COVID-19 period.

Pre-service teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and values about mathematics have a significant influence on their self-concept about mathematics as a subject and determine how confident they are to teach it. The purpose of this study was to examine Zambian pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge self-concept about the function concept in relation to their knowledge of content and students. Data was collected from 150 pre-service teachers using a sequential approach in two phases. The first, quantitative phase, involved 150 pre-service teachers who responded to a functions survey and a mathematical pedagogical content knowledge survey. The second, qualitative phase, involved two pre-service teachers who were purposively selected from phase one to respond to vignettes and interviews for an in-depth understanding of their knowledge. Results of the study revealed that pre-service teachers’ level of their pedagogical content knowledge self-concept was low. They would not be confident enough to teach the function concept in secondary school. Results further revealed that their knowledge of content and students was weak. A weak correlative relationship between pre-service teachers’ KMLS and KM was revealed whereas a moderate correlative relationship of their KL and KC was revealed. It was further revealed that there was no significant correlative relationship between KTS and their knowledge of the function concept Thus, pre-service teachers needed to improve before leaving university for them to effectively teach secondary school concepts.

The emergence of coronavirus (COVID-19) and its rapid spread across Asia, Europe, United States of America and parts of Africa led to many republics implementing partial and complete lockdowns of their countries as part of the many solutions to curbing the pandemic. Internal measures included closure of all learning institutions and restricted mobility of citizens. Zambia responded by closure of schools and institutions of higher learning, and a partial lockdown. As an alternative to on-campus learning, some higher learning institutions in Zambia introduced E-learning for their students. This was not the case for primary and secondary schools until mid- Aprils 2020 when educational responses started being implemented. This paper highlights the E-learning and smart revision facility, a virtual classroom for Zambian primary and secondary schools.