Teachers’ basic knowledge level of STEM education

Özlem Gökçe Tekin and İsmail Şan

African Educational Research Journal
Published: October 26 2023
Volume 11, Issue 4
Pages 580-587
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.114.23.092

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a transdisciplinary approach. It aims to bring 21st-century skills to students. It is important whether teachers, who have an important place in the development of students, have knowledge that will affect students' STEM teaching. This study aims to examine the basic knowledge level of the teachers on STEM education. The descriptive method was used in the research. The study was conducted with 319 science, mathematics and information technologies teachers in the public middle schools in Turkey. “The STEM Basic Knowledge Test” was used to collect data. The first seven items of the STEM Basic Knowledge Test consist of demographic information and twenty-eight items. These items measure the basic knowledge level of STEM education. The statistical package program was used to analyze the collected data. In the study, it was determined that the STEM basic knowledge level of the teachers was 66%. Moreover, the basic knowledge level of the teachers in STEM showed a significant difference in terms of gender, teaching experience, technology use, and participation in a program such as a STEM seminar. However, there was no significant difference in terms of discipline and highest qualification of the teachers. Recommendations include encouraging teachers to participate in STEM training programs and giving courses on STEM education at the postgraduate level.

Keywords: STEM, technology, teacher, STEM basic knowledge test.

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