Global Journal of Human Social Science, G: Linguistics and Education, Volume 23 Issue 8

Table 1: Demographic Information Male Govt. teachers: 06 Female Govt. Teachers: 06 Rural Govt. Teachers: 06 (Code: TR) Urban Govt. Teachers: 06 (Code: TU) Trained Govt. Teachers: 08 Untrained Govt. Teachers: 04 STEM Teachers: 04 (Code: ST) Curriculum Experts: 02 (Code: CE) Head Teachers: 04 (Code HT) STEM Experts: 03(Code: SE) a) Perception of teachers regarding integrated STEM education Table-2 summarizes the findings of the perceptions of primary school teachers about STEM education. Table 2: Teacher’s Perception of Integrated STEM Education Theme Male Female Male Female PERCEPTION Before briefing session Familiar with STEM √ Familiar with the integration approach After briefing session Familiar with STEM √ √ √ √ Understand the STEM approach √ √ √ √ √ √ √ STEM approach is interesting √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Familiar with the integration approach Multidisciplinary √ √ Trans-disciplinary Interdisciplinary √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ STEM approach applied without intention √ √ √ √ √ √ To integrate the STEM approach- Knowledge of various disciplines √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Necessity of ICT skill √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ STEM helps teachers to become more skilled √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ STEM approach will prepare students for- 21st-century skilled citizen √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ To become a skilled workforce √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Concerning issue to fulfill academic expectation through STEM education- Parent Teacher √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Students √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Aged teachers prefer to teach- Conventional/traditional √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Without technology √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ b) Teacher’s knowledge about STEM Education and its integration into disciplines The findings of our study show that STEM education is very unfamiliar to teachers at the primary level. Most of the teachers have not heard about STEM education previously. The only teacher who had heard about it was from an urban area but did not know it in detail. After briefing about STEM to them, a few of the teachers expressed their familiarity with the STEM approach and some of the teachers were able to understand the STEM approach eventually. One of them said, So, STEM can be said as an integrated learning process including two or more components: Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, where students will learn through activities and problem-solving. (TU- 2) Volume XXIII Issue VIII Version I 42 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 G © 2023 Global Journals Integrating STEM Approach at Primary Education in Bangladesh: Perception and Challenges of the Teachers TU- 1 TU-2 TU-3 TU-4 TU-5 TU-6 TR-1 TR-2 TR-3 TR-4 TR-5 TR-6 To change traditional mindset