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Teachers’ conceptions of the role of mathematics in STEM higher education

I tiakina i:
I whakaputaina i:Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research vol. 7, no. 1 (Dec 2025), p. 15
Kaituhi matua: Koerfer, Ebba
Ētahi atu kaituhi: Polverini, Giulia, Elmgren, Maja, Eriksson, Lars-Henrik, Freyhult, Lisa, Herbert, Roger B., Ho, Felix M., Solders, Andreas, Eckerdal, Anna
I whakaputaina:
Springer Nature B.V.
Ngā marau:
Problem solving
Teaching
Higher education
Students
Computer science
Success
Curricula
Mathematics education
Chemistry
University faculty
STEM education
Influence
Teachers
Cognition & reasoning
Physics
Science education
Earth science
Learning
Literacy
Educational Practices
Educational Research
Educational Methods
Computer Science Education
Mathematics Achievement
Numeracy
Mathematics Teachers
Beliefs
Fundamental Concepts
Science Curriculum
Mathematical Models
Engineering Education
Cognitive Structures
Mathematical Concepts
College Science
Educational Strategies
Programming
Calculus
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Whakarāpopotonga:This empirical study investigates university teachers’ conceptions of the role of mathematics within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education disciplines, employing a phenomenographic approach to capture variation among perspectives of educators in chemistry, computer science, geoscience, and physics. Despite the significant reliance on mathematics across these disciplines, little is known about how educators conceptualise its role. Our study aims to contribute to this research by performing a phenomenographic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers at a Swedish university. Through our analysis, we identified five hierarchically inclusive categories that represent increasingly sophisticated conceptions of the role of mathematics: as a computational tool, a language for communication, a key to understanding, an agent for development, and a philosophical foundation. These categories reflect both the instrumental and intrinsic roles that mathematics plays within other STEM disciplines, extending previous empirical findings that predominantly focus on students’ conceptions. We aim to raise awareness among educators, encouraging reflection on how their conceptions influence teaching and fostering a deliberate consideration of mathematics’ role in instruction. By understanding these varied conceptions, STEM educators can enhance instructional strategies and support student engagement with mathematics in a more meaningful way.
ISSN:2662-2300
DOI:10.1186/s43031-025-00135-x
Puna:Science Database