Kindergarten Teachers’ Attitudes toward and Confidence for Integrated STEM Education

Abstract

This study examined kindergarten teachers’ attitudes toward and confidence with implementing integrated STEM education in early childhood classroom settings. Data were collected through a self-report survey completed by 430 kindergarten teachers across China, as well as face-to-face interviews with 14 teachers from six provinces. The results revealed that the participating kindergarten teachers tended to have positive attitudes toward early childhood STEM education. However, the majority of the kindergarten teachers were not confident with implementing STEM education in their classroom settings. Regional differences were evident in the data: Kindergarten teachers from eastern region of China reported a higher level of confidence than teachers from central and western regions. Moreover, kindergarten teachers’ years of teaching experience and level of education were not found to be associated with their attitudes toward or confidence with STEM education. This paper concludes with a discussion of the potential challenges for STEM education in Chinese kindergartens based on the findings from this study. Implications and suggestions for future research are proposed.