Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Keywords
STEM education; 21st-Century Learner Skills; Primary education teachers
Abstract
STEM awareness and 21st-century skills are recognized as two interrelated dimensions critical for the modern pedagogical competencies of pre-service teachers. This study examines how STEM learning experiences affect pre-service primary school teachers’ STEM semantic awareness and 21st-century learner skills. STEM activities were implemented for six weeks with pre-service primary school teachers. The research was designed using a convergent mixed-methods approach. The study included 21 prospective primary school teachers who volunteered to participate. The “STEM Semantic Awareness Scale,” “21st-Century Learner Skills Use Scale,” participant journals, and semi-structured interviews were used as data collection tools. The findings show that the total score on the “STEM Semantic Awareness Scale” and the science sub-dimension scores increased significantly following STEM implementations. Similarly, the total score and collaboration sub-dimension of the 21st-century skills scale increased significantly, with qualitative data supporting these gains through improvements in science concepts and team-based problem-solving. It was also concluded that participants’ semantic awareness and 21st-century learner skills improved with STEM education. Overall, the study offers practical pedagogical insights for strengthening STEM-related competencies in pre-service teacher education.
Was this research funded?
No, research was not funded
Recommended Citation
Akçay, A. O., Bozan, M., & Karahan, E. (2026). The Effect of STEM Learning Experiences on STEM Semantic Awareness and 21st-Century Learner Skills of Prospective Primary School Teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 51(3). https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6820