Towards an integrated model of STEM education in secondary schools: perspectives of practicing teachers in Ireland

STEM Education is a highly topical area, receiving increased attention worldwide. In Ireland, the STEM Education Policy Statement describes the value of interdisciplinary teaching of STEM subjects. This is a transition from traditional STEM Education in which Technology and Engineering have typically been taught in isolation from Science and Mathematics. It represents a complex challenge for STEM teachers who are tasked with implementing the goals of the policy. The single school study presented in this paper was conducted to explore teachers’ perceptions of the reality of STEM Education on the ground. The qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews involving eight practicing teachers. The findings highlight inconsistent understandings of STEM, limited knowledge of interdisciplinary content and low levels of self-efficacy for teaching an integrated version of STEM. Barriers around the teaching of an integrated version of STEM included curriculum delivery pressures and expectations around exam performance. This study helps in contributing valuable knowledge to a limited literature base about practicing teachers perspectives and experiences in relation to the realities of STEM Education in secondary schools.