Scaffolding and Questioning in Engineering Design-Oriented STEM: A Qualitative Analysis of High School Technology Teachers’ Pedagogical Strategies and Perspectives

Abstract

Engineering design-oriented STEM courses have been recognized as important approaches for cultivating students’ problem-solving and integrative thinking skills. Such instruction requires students to engage in challenging phases of the engineering design process, while teachers coordinate pedagogical actions such as curriculum unit design, scaffolding, and purposeful questioning to support iterative problem-solving. However, teachers’ pedagogical perspectives and instructional decision-making in these contexts remain insufficiently examined. This qualitative study investigates high school Technology teachers’ educational beliefs, curriculum design models, and the scaffolding and questioning strategies they employ to guide student engagement in engineering design-oriented STEM courses. Fourteen teachers from diverse regions in Taiwan participated in semi-structured online interviews (approximately 60–90 minutes each). The interview protocol, grounded in prior literature, addressed three dimensions: (1) educational beliefs, (2) curriculum design models, and (3) learning scaffolds and questioning strategies. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through iterative coding and thematic analysis aligned with these dimensions. Triangulation was conducted through comparison with relevant literature and course documents provided by some participants. The findings reveal a strong consensus among teachers on the importance of systematically guiding students through the engineering design process to develop their ability to apply interdisciplinary knowledge for solving complex problems. Teachers commonly adopt phased curriculum structures, supported by learning portfolios and instructional exemplars, progressing from foundational skill development to student-centered engineering design projects. Instructional emphasis is placed on problem scoping and noticing, as well as predictive analysis, modeling, and evidence-based testing using interdisciplinary knowledge. Throughout the design process, teachers strategically employ diverse and interactive questioning to support students’ reasoning and decision making without providing direct solutions, thereby promoting reflective learning and student autonomy. This study offers implications for curriculum design and instructional strategies in engineering design-oriented STEM education.