2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Deep Dive in Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy Development for Teaching Robotics (RTP)

Nationwide K–6 engineering and coding standards have made it increasingly important to prepare elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach these subjects confidently and effectively. Robotics, which combines coding and engineering, provides a rich context for developing PSTs’ expertise and self-efficacy. This study builds on prior work in which PSTs in an instructional technology course collaborated with undergraduate engineering students to co-teach robotics lessons to fifth graders. Using a multiple-embedded case study approach, we examine how the interactions and teaching roles within these partnerships influenced PSTs’ teaching self-efficacy. Drawing on reflections, lesson recordings, surveys, and interviews, we present the cases of three PSTs—Lisa, Madison, and Kayla—who experienced varying levels of partner support and student engagement. Lisa and Madison were both compelled to lead robotics instruction due to perceived lack of support from their engineering partners, yet they experienced contrasting outcomes: Lisa struggled with disengaged students and malfunctioning robots, which diminished her self-efficacy, while Madison's success with highly engaged students bolstered hers. Kayla, in contrast, developed self-efficacy over time through a productive partnership with a supportive engineering student. These cases highlight the complex relationship between partner dynamics, teaching roles, perceived success, and self-efficacy development. Implications for supporting PSTs in engineering-integrated experiences are discussed.

Authors

Dr. Jennifer Jill Kidd http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9800-1690 Old Dominion University [biography]

Dr. Jennifer Kidd is a Master Lecturer in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Old Dominion University. Her research interests include preservice teachers, engineering education, and educational technology.
Dr. Kristie Gutierrez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9339-7574 Old Dominion University [biography]

Dr. Gutierrez received her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001, M.Ed. in Secondary Science Education in 2005 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Ph.D. in Science Education in 2016 from North Ca
Min Jung Lee University of North Dakota
Danielle Marie Rhemer Old Dominion University
Dr. Krishnanand Kaipa http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8095-938X Old Dominion University [biography]

Dr. Krishnanand Kaipa is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Old Dominion University. Dr. Kaipa received his BE in Electrical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani and his master’s and PhD degrees from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Vermont and the University of Maryland, where he was also a research assistant professor. Dr. Kaipa directs the Collaborative Robotics & Adaptive Machines (CRAM) Laboratory where his group actively conducts research in diverse fields including swarm intelligence, autonomous systems, human-robot collaboration, bio-inspired robotics, surgical robotics, and robotics in education. His research has received federal funding from the National Science Foundation and Office of Naval Research. He has published one book and more than eighty papers in journals, book chapters, and refereed conference proceedings and has been awarded one US patent. He received best master thesis and best PhD thesis awards, best paper awards in international conferences, outstanding book chapter award, and outstanding teaching award for a graduate course at University of Maryland. Dr. Kaipa currently serves as the Associate Editor for IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Frontiers in Robotics & Artificial Intelligence, and ASME Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering.
Dr. Pilar Pazos http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4348-7798 Old Dominion University [biography]

Pilar Pazos is a Professor in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA. Her main areas of research interest are collaborative work-structures, virtual teams and team decision-
Dr. Stacie I Ringleb Old Dominion University [biography]

Stacie Ringleb is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Old Dominion University and a fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics. Dr. Ringleb received a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, a M.S.E in mechanical engineering from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University. She completed a post-doctoral fellow in orthopedic biomechanics at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Ringleb conducts research in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics in vivo, in vitro, and in silica, human factors, and engineering education. She also serves as the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology.
Dr. Orlando M Ayala http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0604-8606 Old Dominion University [biography]

Dr. Ayala received his BS in Mechanical Engineering with honors (Cum Laude) from Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela) in 1995, MS in Mechanical Engineering in 2001 and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2005, both from University of Delaware (USA).
Mr. Francisco Cima [biography]

Francisco Cima is a PhD student of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at Old Dominion University. He obtained his Masters in Business Planning and Regional Development from the Technological Institute of Merida. His areas of interest are innov
Isaac Koduah Kumi Old Dominion University [biography]

Isaac K. Kumi is a Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. student at Old Dominion University. He has a B.Sc in Biomedical Engineering and an M.E. in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests are in biomechanics and biomechanical modeling and simulation.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025