Author Identifier (ORCID)
Marianne Knaus: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8869-9415
Abstract
The success of STEM education in early childhood education is reliant on the pedagogical practices of teachers. Effective teaching of STEM requires specific knowledge of the four disciplines of STEM, appropriate teaching and learning methods and relevant experiences. In Saudi Arabia the teaching of STEM is a relatively new field, and this paper outlines a research project to promote the teaching and learning of STEM through professional development workshops. The research is informed by Vygotsky’s cultural-historical/socio-cultural theory, acknowledging the crucial role of social interaction and cultural context in a collaborative learning environment. To evaluate the project, a mixed methods approach was used involving the collecting, analyzing, and interpreting of quantitative and qualitative data. Surveys were conducted before and after professional development as well as semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate positive shifts in attitudes and enthusiasm among early childhood educators to teach STEM following the professional development program. However, the practical implementation remains a challenge due to the perceived lack of suitable resources, support from school leadership and the need for ongoing coaching and mentoring.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
Volume
16
Issue
1
Publication Title
Behavioral Sciences
Publisher
MDPI
School
School of Education
Funders
Council of Australian Arab Relation within Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (CAAR-23-0038)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Akhlagh, S. B., Aljohani, A. H., Alharthi, M. J., Gahwaji, N. M., Albadi, N. M., & Knaus, M. (2026). Professional development to inspire, support, and extend STEM-Related learning. Behavioral Sciences, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16010127