An international perspective on STEM education: private school teachers’ conceptualization – a descriptive survey study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36681/Keywords:
STEM education, private school teachers, international comparisonAbstract
This study explores private school teachers' interpretations of STEM and their awareness of its distinctive features, considering regional differences. The research is descriptive, aiming to outline the general definition and characteristics of STEM education. Of 533 survey respondents, 249 teachers who were familiar with STEM and taught STEM-related subjects in different regions of the world were included. The data were collected through an online survey consisting of two sections: an open-ended question regarding the definition of STEM, and a question asking participants to select from a list of characteristics that are distinctive and non-distinctive of STEM. The results underscore the need for targeted STEM education programmes and teacher training that fit regional and local contexts while upholding global core values. The crucial point of this research is that the geographical variety and private-school teachers’ differing perspectives shape conceptualisations of STEM education’s nature and characteristics.
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