Developing Global Competency Skills Among Preservice Childhood Educators Using Diverse Children’s Storybooks

The findings suggest that integrating global competency development within undergraduate STEM methods courses using accessible tools like diverse children’s storybooks can effectively inform global dispositions and competencies among future teachers.

The cultural and linguistic diversity of PreK–6 students in the regional school districts surrounding our universities has been increasing over the years, yet existing teacher education programs often address global competency in elementary STEM contexts only at surface levels or as isolated add-ons. This action research study targets the development of global competency skills among undergraduate preservice teachers through redesigned STEM education methods courses. Global competency skills encompass the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values needed to understand and engage with a diverse and interconnected world, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and effective communication across cultures. Preservice teachers (N=111) participated in modeled inquiry-based STEM lessons integrating children’s storybooks with diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic, or ability-diverse representation. These storybooks served as vehicles for exploring science concepts while broadening teachers’ understanding of global diversity. Each lesson aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, encouraging consideration of values, beliefs, resources, and practices from different cultural contexts. Data were collected through pre- and post-surveys across two semesters. Quantitative analysis revealed significant findings for four of five questions, showing growth in self-analysis of global competency skills. Qualitative analysis revealed shifts from surface-level cultural awareness to deeper pedagogical understanding, increased family and community engagement considerations, and movement toward lifelong learning orientations. The findings suggest that integrating global competency development within undergraduate STEM methods courses using accessible tools like diverse children’s storybooks can effectively inform global dispositions and competencies among future teachers.

How does participation in the ISE intervention influence elementary preservice teachers’:
a) Global competencies (knowledge, skills, and dispositions), b) Future classroom environment design, and c) Instructional design choices.

Existing research establishes that global competency skills—including cultural awareness, empathy, communication, and appreciation of diverse perspectives—are essential for preparing preservice teachers to educate students in increasingly diverse classrooms. Previous studies have demonstrated that experiences such as study abroad, cross-cultural engagement, and culturally diverse children’s literature can foster global competencies, while inquiry-based STEM instruction supports critical thinking and meaningful learning. However, global competency development in teacher preparation programs is often addressed superficially or through isolated experiences, and opportunities such as study abroad can be financially inaccessible. Although diverse storybooks have shown promise for integrating cultural perspectives into STEM instruction, limited research has examined how these resources can be systematically embedded within required elementary STEM methods courses to develop preservice teachers’ global competencies.

This study builds upon existing research by introducing and empirically examining an accessible, replicable model for integrating global competency development directly into required elementary STEM methods courses. Through the Internationalization of Science Education (ISE) intervention, the study combines culturally diverse children’s storybooks, inquiry-based STEM lessons, and intentional discussions of global perspectives to move beyond surface-level cultural awareness. Using a mixed-methods approach across two universities, the study provides evidence of significant growth in preservice teachers’ self-reported global competencies, alongside deeper understanding of culturally responsive instructional practices, inclusive classroom environments, and family and community engagement. Ultimately, the study extends prior research by demonstrating how global competency development can be meaningfully embedded into existing STEM teacher preparation coursework without requiring costly international experiences or extensive curricular redesign.

Existing research highlights the importance of developing global competencies among preservice teachers, yet accessible approaches for integrating these skills into elementary STEM methods courses remain limited. Methods: This action research study introduced an Internationalization of Science Education (ISE) intervention that combined inquiry-based STEM lessons, culturally diverse children’s storybooks, and intentional discussions of global perspectives and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, researchers collected pre- and post-survey data from 111 preservice teachers across two universities to examine changes in global competencies, classroom environment design, and instructional practices. Results: Quantitative findings revealed statistically significant improvements in four of five global competency measures, while qualitative findings demonstrated shifts toward culturally responsive pedagogy, inclusive classroom environments, family and community engagement, and lifelong professional learning. Conclusions: The study provides an empirically examined, accessible, and replicable model for embedding global competency development into existing STEM teacher preparation courses without requiring expensive international experiences or extensive curricular redesign.

This study highlights the potential for teacher preparation programs to foster a more inclusive, empathetic, and globally aware society by equipping future educators with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach increasingly diverse student populations. By integrating global perspectives into inquiry-based STEM instruction, educators can help young learners appreciate cultural differences, recognize global interconnectedness, and engage with challenges such as environmental sustainability and social inequities. The study also demonstrates an accessible, low-cost approach to global competency development, reducing reliance on expensive international experiences and expanding opportunities for preservice teachers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Ultimately, this approach has the potential to prepare future generations of students to become informed, culturally responsive, and socially responsible global citizens.

This study establishes a foundation for future research examining how global competency development can be systematically integrated into elementary STEM teacher preparation through accessible, inquiry-based instructional approaches. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of these interventions on preservice teachers’ instructional practices, including whether increased global competencies translate into culturally responsive teaching in PreK–6 classrooms. Additional research should examine the effectiveness of this model across more diverse institutions, geographic regions, and student populations, while incorporating more rigorous assessment tools and longitudinal data collection. Finally, researchers should explore how explicitly integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into preservice teachers’ lesson planning influences their global competencies, instructional decisions, and students’ learning experiences.

This study has implications for educational policy by supporting the intentional integration of global competency development into teacher preparation curricula, particularly within required STEM methods courses. Findings may inform teacher education accreditation standards, program approval requirements, and professional teaching standards by emphasizing culturally responsive pedagogy, global perspectives, and inclusive instructional practices. Additionally, the study demonstrates a low-cost, accessible approach that could encourage policymakers and institutions to prioritize equitable opportunities for global competency development without relying on expensive study abroad experiences. While additional research is needed, these findings could inform state and institutional policies that embed global competencies across teacher preparation programs rather than treating them as isolated coursework or optional experiences.

Kalenda, P., & Asim, S. (2026). Developing global competency skills among preservice childhood educators using diverse children’s storybooks. Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education, 30(3), 1–27.