STEMulating Engagement in ActiveFlex Courses.

Technology and globalization in education have dramatically changed the landscape for teachers. New roles for teachers include resource providers, content specialists, learning facilitators, and lifelong learners. This is especially true in the ever-changing fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Therefore, colleges must prepare pre-service teachers to use 21st-century skills to apply and solve complex problems in the real world. With new Alabama initiatives and science training, such as the Literacy Act, the Numeracy Act, Alabama Math, science, and Technology (AMSTI), and Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM), science and STEM activities were pushed to the forefront. To fully prepare teachers in this area, Athens State University emphasized inquiry lessons through hands-on STEM training, partnered with a STEM school, created a STEM lab, and shared experiences using the ActiveFlex model. This environment allowed pre-service teachers to learn, unlearn, and relearn valuable strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]