Teachers as Designers: Case Study of Early Adopters Integrating STEM Systemically into their K-12 School

Abstract

This case study explored the efforts of a group of early adopter teachers at a private K–12 school in the Mid-Atlantic region who initiated a grassroots, teacher-led effort to integrate STEM systemically across their school. While most STEM school reform is typically driven top-down by district or administrative mandates, this study documents how five experienced teachers collaboratively envisioned and designed school-wide STEM programming grounded in student-centered learning and self-regulated learning (SRL). Guided by inventories of critical components from effective STEM schools and a conceptual framework emphasizing SRL as a key habit of mind, the teachers engaged in professional development, examined school-wide needs, and implemented pilot initiatives within their own classrooms. Data sources included interviews, field notes, classroom observations, and validated STEM component inventories. Findings reveal that while teachers across the school expressed confidence in implementing STEM within their individual classrooms, systemic challenges such as limited community partnerships and cross-disciplinary coordination hindered broader integration. The early adopters identified student agency and SRL as central to effective STEM learning and developed tools and strategies to foster these skills. Their actions illustrate a promising pathway for teacher-led STEM reform and offer practical insights for schools seeking to expand equitable and authentic STEM experiences.