Investigating perceptions of primary and preschool educators regarding incorporation of educational robotics into STEM education
Leonidas Gavrilas, Konstantinos Τ. Kotsis
Abstract
STEM education integrates an interdisciplinary pedagogical model that includes rigorous scientific principles across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into realistic problem-solving exercises oriented toward real-world challenges, incorporating educational robotics. For the successful integration of quality STEM education, it is crucial to comprehend the perceptions of educators. This study aims to investigate the perception of primary and preschool educators regarding the incorporation of educational robotics into STEM education and the factors that influence their convictions.<b> </b>The research involved 307 (n=307) pre-service teachers. Data collection was carried out using a closed-ended questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of Cronbach’s alpha=.885. It was observed that the respondents largely hold a highly positive attitude regarding the incorporation of educational robotics into STEM, recognizing its fundamental principles while simultaneously acknowledging the need for professional development in this domain. STEM-related courses attended by educators influence their perspectives to a certain degree, while no correlation was found with gender or specialization.