Promoting STEM Teacher Candidates' Views and Understandings of Differentiated Instruction

To promote inclusive practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms, this research explores teacher candidates' (TCs') views and understandings of differentiated instruction (DI). The article addresses the following research questions: (1) What are intermediate-senior STEM TCs' initial views and understandings of DI? (2) What is the impact of a curriculum and pedagogy course enriched with DI practices, on TCs' views and understandings of DI? The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, in which data sources include pre-post surveys and semistructured interviews. Participants are 19 TCs enrolled in the teacher education program at a Canadian university. Findings suggest that the course resulted in a notable improvement in TCs' DI views and a deeper understanding of DI strategies. The article highlights the importance of contextualizing practical applications of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles in teacher education courses.