Examining the STEM Awareness and Entrepreneurship Levels of Pre-Service Science Teachers

Abstract

The scientific and technological developments in today's world require countries to raise entrepreneurial, productive, critical, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial individuals. Therefore, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has gained importance today. STEM education is defined as an approach that takes an interdisciplinary relationship and takes a holistic approach to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM education includes the activities that will increase the students' interest and orientations towards science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields using the skills that should be possessed today. The aim of this study was to examine the STEM awareness and entrepreneurship levels of pre-service science teachers. The sample of the study consisted of 93 female and 20 male students studying in the Science Education Department at Afyon Kocatepe University. As a quantitative research type, survey method was used in this study. “STEM Awareness Scale” (SAS) developed by Buyruk and Korkmaz (2016) and “Entrepreneurship Scale for Teacher Candidates” developed by Deveci and Cepni (2015) were used as data collection tools. As a result of analyses, it was seen that science teachers' attitudes towards STEM education were positive. Females’ STEM awareness was significantly higher than males’ in both positive and negative sub-factors. STEM awareness of the first grade students was significantly lower than the other classes in the positive sub-factor, and significant differences were found between the first grade and second grade, and the second grade and the fourth grade in the negative sub-factor. There were no significant differences of entrepreneurship levels in terms of gender. Also, the entrepreneurship characteristics of the second grade were significantly higher than the other grade levels.