Greek primary teachers’ views about STEM education

Abstract

In this paper, primary teachers’ views about STEM education and the conditions of its introduction to primary education are investigated. The results came from 114 questionnaires and 27 structured primary teachers’ interviews. STEM is clearly perceived as an interdisciplinary subject with many advantages, related to the cultivation of students’ scientific thinking and their social skills. Primary teachers support its introduction to primary education, but they believe that it needs better preparation and design. For the successful introduction of the STEM in primary education teachers’ training, the provision of infrastructure and equipment and more time in the timetable is needed. Finally, teachers raise the issue of the need for increased accessibility to STEM education as a means of facing gender, racial and social inequalities. In this line, they demand financial support from the state, to strengthen STEM education in all public schools and not only in well-paid schools.