Professionalization in STEAM career change

There is a particularly shortage of teachers in STEAM subjects. The qualification of unqualified and career changers is a good way to close this gap in a timely manner. ProQ-STEAM examines how the early entry or transition into the teaching profession in science subjects, technology & design and art & design succeeds and how professional identity is formed.

ProQ-STEAM is dedicated to the professionalization of teachers in out-of-field teaching. It examines the biographies, personalities, teacher identities and professional competence of non-specialist and career changers in science, technology and art. The aim is to derive evidence-based recommendations for practice and educational policy through quantitative and qualitative research - in conjunction with subject-specific didactic research and educational research.

"We suspect that the shortage of teaching staff in STEAM subjects and the resulting use of teachers who are teaching out-of-field and who are entering from other disciplines can lead to a loss of teaching quality. On the other hand, authentic, professionally experienced career changers with their different educational biographies could increase the interest of learners. We are looking forward to scientifically accompanying career movers and out-of-field teachers in the "small" STEAM subjects, namely art & design, science subjects and technology & design, and thus exploring their motivation, their identity as a teacher and their knowledge and skills." 

Thematic focus: out-of-field teaching

Participating institutions:

• University of Graz
• University of Innsbruck
• Mozarteum University Salzburg
• University College of Teacher Education Tyrol
• University College of Teacher Education Styria
• Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Consortium members: HS-Prof. Dr. Sebastian Goreth, PH Tirol | Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jan Grünwald, Uni Mozarteum Salzburg | Univ.-Prof. Dr. Suzanne Kapelari, Uni Innsbruck | Univ.Prof. Elke Krasny, PhD, Academy of Fine Arts | HS-Prof. Dr. Ingrid Krumphals, PH Steiermark| Univ.-Prof. Dr. Kathrin Otrel-Cass, Uni Graz | Ass.-Prof. Thomas Schubatzky PhD, Uni Innsbruck