https://hdl.handle.net/10259/4145 2026-05-14T08:56:01Z 2026-05-14T08:56:01Z Toma, Radu Bogdan García Carmona, Antonio Quílez, Juan García‐Carmona, Antonio https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11611 2026-05-14T06:39:15Z 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z

Are Integrated STEM Educational Reforms at Risk? Teachers' Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Integration Toma, Radu Bogdan; García Carmona, Antonio; Quílez, Juan; García‐Carmona, Antonio Integrated STEM education (iSTEMe) is increasingly emphasized in educational reforms around the world. These reformsprompted curricular changes in many countries, including Spain. In the Autonomous Community of Valencia, a new curriculummodel was introduced that organized both STEM and non-STEM subjects into broader interdisciplinary domains, designed to betaught through an integrated approach. However, the success of such reforms largely depends on teachers, who are the primaryagents of educational change. This underscores the importance of understanding their motivation and intention to implementiSTEMe. Drawing on the expectancy-value-cost model, this study examined secondary education teachers' motivations towardiSTEMe, with a particular focus on STEM teachers, who comprised 70.2% of the total sample (N = 439). The research addressedfour key questions: RQ1. What are secondary school teachers' expectancies for success, values, perceived costs, and intentions toimplement iSTEMe?; RQ2. How do secondary school teachers' expectancies for success, values, perceived costs, and intentionsto implement iSTEMe vary according to sociodemographic characteristics?; RQ3. To what extent are secondary school teachers'expectancies for success, values, and perceived costs related to their intentions to implement iSTEMe?; and RQ4. To what extentdo sociodemographic characteristics mediate the relationship between teachers' expectancies for success, values, and costs andtheir intention to implement iSTEMe? Multivariate analysis and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling revealedthat teachers generally feel unprepared to implement iSTEMe, perceive limited pedagogical value in it, and associate it with sig-nificant instructional and learning challenges. Consequently, their intention to adopt iSTEMe was low, and this was associatedwith the perceived lack of pedagogical value. These findings raise concerns about the feasibility of iSTEMe reforms, which maystruggle to succeed without stronger support and greater teacher engagement.

2025-12-01T00:00:00Z Calheiro, Lisiane Barcellos Greca Dufranc, Ileana María https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11604 2026-05-13T10:46:12Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Which Maker and STEAM integration styles stand out in education? A systematic review of pedagogical practices in teacher education Calheiro, Lisiane Barcellos; Greca Dufranc, Ileana María The growing demand to prepare teachers to face 21st-century educational challenges has driven the adoption of active methodologies, including the integration of STE(A)M education and the Maker model. These approaches foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration through practical skills and interdisciplinary experimentation. This study systematically reviews the literature to identify styles of Maker model integration in science teacher education at the basic education level, as well as challenges and strategies for its implementation. The analysis revealed a predominance of the collaborative style, followed by subordinate and peripheral approaches. Most studies reported positive impacts on teaching confidence, technical skills, and interest in innovative pedagogical practices. However, challenges such as limited curriculum time, restricted access to resources, and the need for continuous training hinder effective implementation. Additionally, the Maker model remains underrepresented in developing countries, highlighting the need for further research across diverse cultural and economic contexts. Integrating the Maker model with STE(A)M education significantly enhances teacher training, fostering a more dynamic and innovative learning environment. However, successful implementation requires institutional support, curriculum alignment, and ongoing professional development. The study underscores that different integration styles—collaborative, peripheral, and subordinate—must be adapted to teachers’ needs and educational systems. While findings are promising, broader analyses are needed to strengthen the empirical foundation on the impact of these methodologies in basic education.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Martínez Martínez, Víctor Ortiz Revilla, Jairo Greca Dufranc, Ileana María https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11595 2026-05-13T10:34:36Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Rethinking Nature of STEM: Theoretical Insights and the Development of EPISTEMIK-Fire as an Assessment Tool Martínez Martínez, Víctor; Ortiz Revilla, Jairo; Greca Dufranc, Ileana María Nature of STEM (NoSTEM) encompasses epistemological, social, and ethical dimensions underlying STEM disciplines, emphasizing their interdependence rather than treating them as isolated domains. This perspective challenges reductionist and technocentric views, fostering a holistic understanding of science and technology in society. Nevertheless, currently, no validated instruments specifically evaluate NoSTEM, making the development of such instruments essential for advancing interdisciplinary STEM education. Thus, we present Evaluating Performance in STEM Integrated Knowledge (EPISTEMIK), a roadmap for developing instruments to assess NoSTEM in educational contexts grounded in a solid theoretical-philosophical framework. Based on this, we introduce a mixed-method instrument, combining statistical validation with qualitative analysis to ensure instrument robustness, focused on fire ecology (EPISTEMIK-Fire), consisting of 11 closed-ended and 2 open-ended items. EPISTEMIK-Fire uses fire ecology to explore interdisciplinary integration and critical reflection. However, while we introduce both EPISTEMIK and EPISTEMIK-Fire, the results primarily focus on validating the latter. Findings highlight EPISTEMIK-Fire’s potential to provide a comprehensive understanding of NoSTEM, addressing gaps in existing evaluation tools by capturing interdisciplinary knowledge and socio-ethical implications. Beyond this application, our study contributes to STEM education by offering a rigorous framework for assessing interdisciplinary integration. Future applications aim to extend this instrument to diverse STEM fields and educational levels, fostering critical scientific literacy.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Quílez Cervero, César Toma, Radu Bogdan Queiruga Dios, Miguel Ángel https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11591 2026-05-13T10:31:04Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Spanish-Speaking Children’s Attitudes Toward School Science: Instrument Development and Psychometric Analysis Quílez Cervero, César; Toma, Radu Bogdan; Queiruga Dios, Miguel Ángel The current research evaluated the psychometric properties of a questionnaire measuring 1st and 2nd grad- ers’ attitudes toward school science (CASS). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor struc- ture, consisting of the ’enjoyableness’ and ’self-efficacy’ dimensions of school science. This analysis also provided initial evidence of satisfactory internal consistency reli- ability. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis showed that the two-factor model provided a better fit than a uni- dimensional structure and further supported the internal consistency reliability of the instrument. Study 3 provided strong evidence for test–retest reliability. Study 4 offered promising evidence of construct validity by identifying a positive and significant relationship between the ’enjoya- bleness’ and ’perceived self-efficacy’ in school science and leisure interest in science-related activities. Finally, Study 5 assessed the instrument’s responsiveness to an inquiry-based intervention, showing that it can effectively detect changes over time. Taken together, these findings suggest that the proposed instrument, CASS, yields scores with adequate validity and reliability, making it a reliable tool for assessing young students’ attitudes toward school science and evaluat- ing the effectiveness of educational interventions in the early elementary school years.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z