Needs analysis of add-ons science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in public secondary schools: Basis for intervention

This chapter provides an introduction to how the inquiry-based learning (IBL) approach is being used by colleges and universities around the world to strengthen the interconnections between teaching, learning, and research within STEM programs. This chapter provides a synthesis and analysis of the chapters in the volume, which present a range of case studies and empirical research on how IBL is being used across a range of courses across a range of institutions within STEM programs. Based on these findings, this chapter argues that the IBL approach has great potential to enhance and transform teaching and learning. Given the growing demands placed on education to meet a diverse range of complex political, economic, and social problems and personal needs, this chapter argues that education should be a place where students learn “how-to-learn” – where increasingly higher levels of self-directed learning is fostered – and where students grow in the three key areas of learning: affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively. To that end, this chapter argues that IBL, if designed and implemented properly, can be an important approach to enhancing and transforming teaching and learning in higher education.

This study assesses the challenges facing teachers in the implementation of the paradigm shift towards a competence-based curriculum in public secondary schools in Iringa municipality. The study was guided by three research objectives, namely: to investigate the teachers’ understanding about the paradigm shift towards a competence-based curriculum in secondary schools; to find out the importance of the competence-based curriculum in the students’ academic performance; and to examine the challenges facing teachers in the implementation of a competence-based curriculum in public secondary schools. The study adopted case study design, whereby three public secondary schools were selected. The study involved 39 respondents, namely 24 students, 3 school heads, and 12 teachers. The study employed mainly qualitative research approach. Data was collected through interviews and focus group discussions and was analyzed through content analysis in the light of the research objectives. The findings have revealed that teachers were aware of the paradigm shift towards a competence-based curriculum; however, most of them seem not to implement it due to various factors, including: lack of teaching and learning materials, and poor or low level of language proficiency on the part of some teachers and most students. It was also found out that most teachers were not provided with in-service training as a strategy to improve their teaching-learning situation; as a result, old approaches or traditional-learning-methods were still used by most teachers. The study recommends that regular in-service training for teachers be conducted and adequate teaching and learning materials be provided, so as to enable the implementation of the competence-based curriculum.

Improving young people’s engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is being promoted worldwide as a means of addressing projected shortfalls in expertise needed to further nations’ economic, social and environmental goals. Responding to this, schools are reforming traditional discipline-based curricula into interdisciplinary approaches based on problem and project-based designs, to make STEM learning more relevant and meaningful for students. This study drew on a dataset of 449 Australian principal and teacher interviews, to identify factors influencing STEM curriculum in their schools. It utilised Ecological Systems Theory to build understanding relating to the influence of activities and outputs originating at macro, exo and meso system levels, on STEM curriculum and practices in classrooms. Results demonstrated how many innovative schools were able to successfully leverage community, business and national resources to enhance their STEM curriculum, while others struggled due to limitations imposed by geographic or socio-economic factors, or limited access to resources, expertise or advice. Central to achieving this was the powerful influence of principals’ and teachers’ proximal processes and developmental assets in establishing effective and engaging interdisciplinary STEM curricula, despite constraints imposed by, at best, ambiguous national and state curriculum and policies, rigid assessment regimes and compliance-focused reporting requirements.

This study aimed to assess the impact of principals' role on STEM teachers’ effectiveness among public senior secondary school teachers in the southern region of Nigeria. The research was guided by four key objectives: to evaluate the influence of principals' supervisory practices on teacher effectiveness, to examine the impact of principals' communication practices on teacher effectiveness, to investigate the correlation between principals' involvement of teachers in decision-making and teacher effectiveness, and to determine the overall level of teaching effectiveness among the teachers in the area. An ex-post-facto research design utilizing correlational and descriptive methods was employed, with data collected from 180 teachers selected through simple random sampling from a population of 328 teachers in public secondary schools in the southern region of Nigeria. The Principals’ Role in Teacher Effectiveness Questionnaire (PRTEQ) was used for data collection. The findings revealed a significant relationship between the quality of supervisory practices provided by principals and teacher effectiveness, a significant correlation between principals' communication practices and increased teacher effectiveness, and a significant relationship between principals' involvement of teachers in decision-making and their effectiveness. Additionally, the study found a high level of teaching effectiveness among the teachers in the area. Based on these findings, it is recommended that principals enhance their supervisory practices, communication, and involvement in decision-making to further improve teacher effectiveness in public secondary schools.

Purpose This pilot study aims to examine the prevalence of test anxiety and its interplay with attitudes, confidence, efficacy, academic performance and socio-demographic factors within the domain of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design with 549 sixth-grade students from public lower secondary schools in Prishtina, Kosovo, using the Student Attitudes Toward STEM Survey (S-STEM) for middle/high schools and the test anxiety questionnaire. Findings Over 70% of Kosovo's sixth-grade students reported moderate to severe test anxiety. The age of students was found to be inversely related to academic performance in STEM. The father's employment was associated with favorable STEM attitudes, confidence, efficacy and academic performance. Having a personal study environment was connected with favorable STEM attitudes, confidence and efficacy in STEM, whereas access to technology was associated with positive academic performance. Test anxiety, academic performance and personal study space predicted students' attitudes, confidence and efficacy in STEM and 21st-century learning. Practical implications Educational institutions should prioritize student well-being. By addressing test anxiety, these institutions can create supportive learning environments that improve attitudes, confidence and efficacy in STEM fields. These efforts are crucial for STEM career development and student success in the 21st-century workforce. Originality/value The current study findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing STEM student engagement and performance, highlighting the importance of addressing test anxiety for positive learning outcomes while emphasizing the need to consider socio-economic and contextual factors in education.

This paper focuses on students at the very top of the ability distribution and explores whether strengthening high school science curricula affects their choice of enrolling in and completing a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degree at university. The paper solves the standard endogeneity problems by exploiting the different timing in the implementation of a reform that encouraged secondary schools in the UK to offer more science to high ability 14 year-olds. Taking five more hours per week of science in secondary school increases the probability of enrolling in a STEM degree by 1.2 percentage points and the probability of graduating in these degrees by 3 percentage points. The results mask substantial gender heterogeneity: while girls are as willing as boys to take advanced science in secondary school - when offered - the results on pure STEM degrees at university are entirely driven by boys. Girls are encouraged to choose more challenging subjects, but still opt for the most female-dominated ones.

Increasing the number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) university graduates is considered a key element for long-term productivity and competitiveness in the global economy. Still, little is known about what actually drives and shapes students' choices. This paper focusses on secondary school students at the very top of the ability distribution and explores the effect of more exposure to science on enrolment and persistence in STEM degrees at the university and on the quality of the university attended. The paper overcomes the standard endogeneity problems by exploiting the different timing in the implementation of a reform that induced secondary schools in the UK to offer more science to high ability 14 year-old children. Taking more science in secondary school increases the probability of enrolling in a STEM degree by 1.5 percentage point and the probability of graduating in these degrees by 3 percentage points. The results mask substantial gender heterogeneity: while girls are as willing as boys to take advanced science in secondary school - when offered -, the effect on STEM degrees is entirely driven by boys. Girls are induced to choose more challenging subjects, but still the most female-dominated ones.

This study was conducted to assess the factors affecting the selection of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of basic science in secondary schools, Imo State Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive survey design to find out how factors affecting the selection of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of basic science in public secondary schools in Owerri Municipal Council, Imo State. Two hundred (200) respondents comprising teachers and students from seven (7) public secondary schools in the council were interviewed using a modified five-point Likert instrument (questionnaire). The data collected were coded into SPSS and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The results showed that 103 persons strongly reported they don’t have availability instructional materials, 68 persons agreed that unfavourable time allocation affects instructional materials used by teachers to develop lesson plan, 69 persons strongly agreed that lack of skills is one of the factors affect instructional materials used in the teaching and learning of basic science in secondary schools. Also, 148 persons strongly agreed that instructional materials should be made available in schools and teachers should be encouraged in using materials during teaching. Then, lack of instructional materials/facilities and non-utilization were among the major causes of poor performance of students in basic science in Owerri Municipal Council. In conclusion, it was understood that non availability of instructional materials, unfavourable time allocation, lack of skills, lack of facilities like basic science laboratory were major factors affect teachers, school administrators and government in teaching and learning of the basic science. Therefore, Government or public school authorities should help to provide instructional materials such as modern textbooks, charts, posters, computers, flip chart, and audio recordings, because basic science in secondary schools cannot be adequate learned without instructional materials.

This chapter describes the evolution of an inquiry-based activity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Ball of Fear, that was developed and used in a primary classroom setting and then further developed as an inquiry-based activity in a first-year university context with pre-service teachers enrolled in a science content unit. Inquiry-based teaching and learning in primary STEM is well aligned with modern learning theory, allowing an in-depth exploration of the nature, principles and concepts of STEM disciplines. Because cooperative groups ranging from two to five members are prevalent in primary STEM and ‘almost all inquiry-learning approaches make use of group work’, the chapter highlights cooperative inquiry-based teaching and learning in primary STEM. High-level interactions among the students in the cooperative groups occurred without explicitly teaching inquiry or cooperative skills, which supports the rationale for including inquiry-based activities in primary STEM.

As the world is moving towards Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0), the need to develop creative thinking is demonstrated in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Students are prepared to nurture the problem-solving skills which are vital in their future STEM career. As this field is needed globally, communication skills are as important as content knowledge. Generally known as lingua franca, acquiring English enables people to communicate globally, hence broadening their chance of having their career. Thus, developing critical thinking should be in line with developing the language skills especially for the English as second language (ESL) learners. This paper views the interdisciplinary learning and multiple learning approaches that could help student’s attainment in STEM and ESL. This paper proposes the collaboration among ESL and STEM teachers to conduct interdisciplinary learning experience by the application of student-centred learning approaches such as inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, blended learning and problem-based learning. The proposed learning approaches are the bridge to integrate ESL and STEM disciplines in interdisciplinary learning and it provides advantages for teachers and learners. Hence, it is accepted to promote and implement interdisciplinary learning in the current curriculum environment.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education is a field in which schools invest considerable resources and time to bring innovative solutions within their curricula. At the same time, Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology in the Immersive Learning Landscape. The EU-funded Erasmus + project Enlivened Laboratories in STEM (EL-STEM) aims to introduce a new approach, through the provision of integrated inquiry-based STEM learning approaches supported by Augmented Reality in school classrooms and laboratories. A multifaceted Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program has been designed within EL-STEM to familiarize teachers with the potential of AR technology for enhancing the teaching and learning processes in secondary STEM education. Teachers can, therefore, employ this technology, to further encourage student’s engagement and strengthen their twenty-first-century skills. This chapter highlights the necessity of designing and implementing such a TPD program, provides an overview of the pedagogical framework underlying the current state of the suggested EL-STEM TPD program and outlines its content and structure.

This qualitative descriptive research explored the perspectives of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) senior high school students in a public secondary school in Zambales, Philippines on their reasons why they enrolled in STEM and their intent to pursue relevant career. A total of 20 Grade 12 students were purposively selected as participants of the research. The participants were interviewed using a validated structured interview guide. The recorded interviews were individually transcribed to arrive at an extended text. The extended texts were reviewed to generate themes and significant statements. The paper found out that senior high school students are generally interested in the field related to biology. The alignment to the preferred course in college is the primary reason of the participants for enrolling in STEM. Almost all the students wanted to pursue STEM-related careers after their university graduation. Further, personal aspiration is the main reason for the participants to pursue STEM-related professions. The study recommends that senior high schools may design various activities during the career week. These activities may include possible career paths in STEM-related courses, students' career and motivation, and their career aptitude. Teachers may also infuse innovative pedagogies for better STEM instruction. For the students to have more interest in science, it is recommended that STEM teachers undergo retooling or pursue advanced studies. Senior high schools may conduct career guidance seminars for the students to guide them on what strands they should take. The Department of Education (DepEd) may support the implementation of different programs regarding students’ career preparation. This program will help the students to be more aware on what career path they wanted to pursue, and to avoid pressures from peers. Schools may advocate a collaborative, authentic and goal-oriented learning environment with respect to the demand of Industrial Revolution 4.0.

전세계의 교육공동체들은 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) 과목들을 통합하려는 노력에 주목해오고 있다. 우리나라에서도 또한 과학기술 인재 양성을 위해 초 중등학교에서 과학기술학, 예술, 수학교육(STEAM)을 융합형으로 가르치는 교육을 강조하고 있다. 이 연구의 목적은 과학, 기술, 수학교사를 대상으로 하여 중등학교에서 이루어지고 있는 통합교육의 현황과 통합 STEM 교육(Integrative STEM Education)에 대한 교사들의 인식과 요구를 분석하는 것이다. 전국 중등교사 중 과학, 수학, 기술 교과를 담당하는 251명을 대상으로 설문조사를 하였으며, 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 교사들은 통합 교육의 필요성에 대하여 긍정적인 생각을 가지고 있는 반면 실제 교육현장에서는 통합 교육 준비에 대한 불충분한 시간과 통합 교육에 대한 전문성, 교수경험 그리고 교수-학습 자료의 부족으로 통합 교육을 실시해 본 횟수는 적었다. 둘째, 그들은 통합 교육을 활성화하기 위하여 다양한 프로그램 개발, 통합 교육 준비를 위한 학교의 행 재정적 지원, 그리고 교사들을 위한 연수 실시 등을 요구하였다. 셋째, 통합 STEM 교육에 대한 인식은 전반적으로 불충분하지만 교사들은 학생들의 창의력, 사고력과 실생활에서의 적용 및 응용력을 기르기 위해 통합 STEM 교육이 필요하다고 인식하였다. 넷째, 교사들은 통합 STEM 교육 프로그램 개발, 교수-학습 자료의 보급을 시급한 과제로 생각하고 있다. 다섯째, 교사들은 통합 STEM 교육 프로그램에 적합한 통합 방식은 문제해결중심의 통합 방식으로 나타났다. 아울러, 통합 STEM 교육이 통합적 문제 해결과 담당 교과의 소양 함양에 효과적이라고 생각하며, 과학기술 인재 양성에 영향을 많이 줄 것이라고 생각하고 있었다. STEM 관련 중등교사들의 통합 STEM 교육에 대한 인식을 높이고, 통합 STEM 교육을 활성화하기 위해서 학교 현장을 중심으로 교사의 요구가 반영된 프로그램, 다양한 교수 학습 자료의 보급, 그리고 관련 연수들이 필요하다. Educational communities around the world have concentrated on integrative efforts among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEM) subjects. Korea has focused on integrative education among STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school subjects to raise talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary school science, technology, and mathematics teacher's perceptions and needs toward integrated education and integrative STEM education. A total of 251 secondary school teachers from all areas of the country who have taught science, mathematics, and technology were surveyed by using a self-reported instrument. The findings were as follows: First, teachers have used little integrated education in their classes due to insufficient time in the actual preparation of the integrated education and the lack of expertise, teaching experience, and teaching-learning materials for the integrated education, while they have positive thoughts about the need of integrated education. Second, they presented several needs to facilitate the integrated education: development of a variety of integrated programs, school administrative and financial support, and in-service teachers' training. Third, overall perception toward integrated STEM education was not sufficient, but most teachers perceived the need toward integrated STEM education due to students' development in their creativity, thinking skills, and adaptability. Fourth, they perceived that it was imperative to develop the various integrated STEM education programs, distribute the materials, and help STEM teachers' understanding toward integrated STEM education. Fifth, they perceived that the most relevant method to integrate STEM subjects was the problem solving approach. In addition, they appreciate that the integrated STEM education is highly efficient in not only developing integrated problem solving skills and STEM related literacy, but also in positively impacting the rise of talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. In order to increase the awareness of STEM-related secondary school teachers and vitalize the integrated STEM education, it is necessary to develop and spread a variety of programs, effective teaching and learning materials, and teachers' training programs.

Student engagement and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in primary and secondary schools is increasingly being emphasized as the importance of STEM skills for future careers is realized. Localized learning has been identified as a group of pedagogical approaches that may enhance learning in STEM by making the relevance of STEM clear to students and providing stronger connections to students’ lives and contexts. This paper reports on a scoping review that was conducted to identify the benefits and limitations of localized learning in primary and secondary school STEM disciplines. A secondary aim of the review was to identify strategies that increase the effectiveness of localized learning these disciplines. Following literature searches of four databases, 1923 articles were identified. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Potential benefits of localized learning included increases in enjoyment of STEM, improvements in learning, more positive STEM career aspirations, and development of transferable skills. The main challenges of these pedagogical approaches were time restrictions and lack of community involvement. Strategies for enhancing the impact of localized pedagogy included professional development for teachers (in STEM content knowledge, integration of localized pedagogy, and capacity to address socio-scientific issues), integration of technology, whole-school implementation of the pedagogical approach, and integration of the wider community into STEM education. These findings provide support for localized learning as an effective pedagogical approach to enhance STEM learning in schools, while emphasizing the critical roles of teachers and communities in supporting students to realize the relevance of STEM in their lives.

Background and Purpose: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the formal school curriculum can be described as a STEM-related individual subject; as a learning package offering learning pathway for STEM elective subjects and as an integrated STEM learning approach. This study focuses on the needs assessment of STEM education as a learning approach among lower secondary school teachers in a local district in Malaysia. The current and desired situations were analysed as well as the causal factors which guide the choice of any intervention programs to address the actual needs.
 
 Methodology: Three schools were selected through heterogenous purposive sampling. The teachers from each school were selected through criterion sampling based on predetermined criteria. 31 teachers from the lower secondary level who teach STEM related subjects as well as the head of panel and departments of the STEM subjects, were selected as the participants. Focus group and one-to-one interviews were conducted with the participants after receiving their consent.
 
 Findings: There is a gap between the desired situation and the current situation in the implementation of integrated STEM education. The implementation of STEM education at the lower secondary level can be facilitated through various means such as a comprehensive STEM education professional development or training for teachers, collaborations between STEM subjects teachers through lesson studies or professional learning community, and working together with local STEM expertise or community of practice.
 
 Contributions: The findings provide relevant information and guidance on the selection of intervention for the integrated STEM education in addressing the needs. It also initiates the planning of the integrated STEM education programs which focuses on the gaps as the means to achieve the desired results.
 
 Keywords: STEM education, needs assessment, case study, gap, interventions
 
 Cite as: Loh, S. L., Pang, V., & Lajium, D. (2021). A case study of needs assessment of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in lower secondary schools. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(1), 242-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss1pp242-264