An Analysis of STEM Education Competencies: Assessing Knowledge and Attitudes among Teacher Trainers and Teacher Trainees

Abstract

The world is frequently facing major economic and environmental crises. It is the need of the hour to develop the right skills in the 21st century by bringing technology in the schooling landscape right from early childhood education through various pedagogical frameworks. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is the pedagogical approach used across the globe to transform nations towards innovation-led entrepreneurial economy. The present study was conducted to analyze the knowledge and attitude of teacher trainer and trainees in the context of STEM education. The study was based on quantitative research and the data were collected using validated instruments: STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge (STEM-PCK) and Attitude Towards STEM (AT-STEM) questionnaires, with reliability scores (α = 0.92 and α = 0.82, respectively). The sample included 75 teacher trainers and 172 trainees selected through simple random sampling. Data analysis was done using SPSS 21, employing descriptive statistics; mean and SD to analyze knowledge and attitudes. Results indicated that both trainers and trainees possessed moderate knowledge in most STEM domains, though mathematics knowledge was notably low in both groups. Trainees showed slightly higher pedagogical knowledge and 21st-century skills compared to trainers. Attitudinally, both groups expressed positive dispositions towards STEM education. Based on the findings, it is recommended that STEM teacher training programs may incorporate context-based, interdisciplinary content with a special focus on mathematics and engineering, alongside the integration of digital tools and flexible, differentiated learning strategies. Professional development may be ongoing, inclusive, and contextual to teachers' backgrounds, promoting conceptual clarity, confidence, and real-world application.