Perceptions of Teaching and Learning of STEM Revealed in University Academics’ Drawings

<p><em>As part of a larger study investigating the perceptions of university academics about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); STEM learning environments; and necessary capabilities for STEM educators at a university, this article reports a sample of academics’ perceptions of STEM and its teaching and learning, as gleaned from their Draw a STEM Learning Environment (D-STEM) depictions and associated texts. The analysis of participants’ perceptions of STEM—conducted both deductively, using research-informed understandings of STEM education, and inductively, through the identification of emerging ideas—indicated that most participants displayed quite limited understandings of STEM education, with few having an awareness of its power for enabling transdisciplinary learning. Both informed representations of STEM and evidence of STEM pedagogical competence were rare. The fact that engaging with the D-STEM instrument was perceived positively by many participants highlights its potential for inclusion in professional learning experiences for academics</em>.</p>