ICT in STEM Education in Bulgaria

Abstract

Contemporary information and communication technology (ICT) and its applications are not only becoming an integral part of the everyday life of our society but also standard in most of the schools across the globe. Furthermore, the technology integration offers a qualitative transformation of all components of educational process. As innovative tools are getting an important requisite for all kind of educational institutions, the researchers should be aware of their influence on teaching and learning processes. This paper presents parts of the outcomes from a massive survey aimed at investigation of ICT integration in Bulgarian schools. In order to assess the acceptance of technology resources and their institution-wide adoption, it is important to understand teachers and students’ perceptions on the technology-enhanced teaching. It is essential to find out to what extent the teachers’ practice is in line with the expectations of the students. The research of dynamics of this issue helps to better understand the processes and provide valuable guidance for the effective use of innovative tools in a learning context. Here we focus especially on the teaching practice in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in secondary education, where many different innovative tools are widely implemented.