Understanding Science Teachers’ Implementations of Integrated STEM: Teacher Perceptions and Practice

Sara Hamad, Hassan Tairab, Yousef Wardat, Lutfieh Rabbani, Khaleel AlArabi, Mohammed Yousif, Ahmad Abu-Al-Aish and George Stoica
Additional contact information
Sara Hamad: College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Hassan Tairab: College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Lutfieh Rabbani: College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Khaleel AlArabi: College of Education, Al Ain University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Mohammed Yousif: College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Ahmad Abu-Al-Aish: Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Jerash University, Jerash 26150, Jordan
George Stoica: Independent Researcher, Saint John, NB E2K 2B5, Canada

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: This study examines how science teachers experience integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) approaches into their teaching. In addition, it further examines the encountered challenges in this regard to shed light on STEM current practices within the context of United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study consists of two stages; the first involved collecting qualitative data using semi-structured interviews to explore three science teachers’ perceptions and lived experiences having infused STEM into their regular teaching in cycle 2 for more than two years. Quantitative data were collected and analyzed in the second phase via the developed closed-ended questionnaire to examine teachers’ perceptions across a larger sample regarding “challenges encountered by teachers when implementing STEM teaching”. Research findings showed that science teachers generally have a positive attitude towards using STEM-based activities. In addition, data revealed that participants implement integrated STEM into their teaching frequently and regularly. Results also indicated teachers encounter challenges while implementing STEM: documentation, the vast curriculum content, and lack of time. Moreover, external challenges (i.e., the lack of supportive guidelines) rather than teachers’ competency (i.e., having sufficient knowledge and skills for implementing STEM teaching) appeared to have the highest impending impact. Finally, we discuss findings and presented implications for teachers, educators, and policymakers.

Keywords: science; science teacher; STEM education; attitudes; phenomenology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/6/3594/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/6/3594/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:3594-:d:774428

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().