STEM education in early primary years: Teachers’ views and confidence

Abstract

Pre-school and first years of primary school provide the basis for future learning in STEM, and teachers’ views-confidence are important for effective classroom practices. This study investigated teachers’ views and confidence in implementing STEM education in early primary years. The participants were 140 Greek teachers who completed an online 35-item questionnaire. Teachers expressed positive-strong perceptions and confidence in implementing STEM education in early primary years. Over 80% of the sample expressed agreement in that they feel comfortable-confident when they facilitate inquiry-based learning activities within mathematics or science topics. The practical obstacles of resources-material and time to explore STEM topics and implement learning activities were reported. The findings have implications for educational policy and practice.