Factors influencing Chinese kindergarten teachers’ intention to implement early STEM activities

In recent years, much attention has been paid to early STEM education, and its benefits for children are widely recognized. Although there is a growing body of research on STEM education in China, relatively little attention has been paid to kindergarten teachers’ intention to implement early STEM activities. Considering that kindergarten teachers in China are responsible for designing classroom activities for promoting young children’s early math and science learning, this study aims to explore Chinese kindergarten teachers’ level of intention to implement early STEM activities in their classrooms and its influencing factors. Thirty kindergarten teachers in Shenzhen, China would be recruited as participants, and semi-structured interviews would be conducted with them individually. The entire interview would be audio-recorded for transcription and thematic analysis. It is expected that the kindergarten teachers in general would recognize the importance of STEM, but vary in their level of intention to implement early STEM activities. Some potential factors influencing kindergarten teachers’ behavioral intention include teachers’ attitudes towards early STEM education, perceived external pressure (e.g., their supervisors’ expectations, and the societal demands), confidence in designing and implementing early STEM activities, knowledge of STEM and early STEM education, as well as own dispositions (e.g., level of creativity). The findings of this study can help school administrators and teacher educators adopt more effective strategies to increase kindergarten teachers’ intention to implement early STEM activities, and support kindergarten teachers to overcome the barriers hindering the implementation of early STEM education in their classrooms. Copyright © 2023 HKERA-APERA.