PARENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE STEM CONCEPT OF LEARNING WITH STUDENTS OF THE FIRST CYCLE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION

Abstract

This empirical research aims to examine parents’ opinions on the STEM concept of learning. The sample included 125 parents of students in the first cycle of primary education. A descriptive method and surveying and scaling techniques were applied. A survey questionnaire with a five-point Likert-type rating scale was used. According to the majority of the parents surveyed, they do not use STEM activities with children and they have never attended any activity or workshop on that topic, because the school has not organized this type of activity; however, they will be happy to participate in these activities if the school organizes them. A large number of surveyed parents believe that it is necessary to take children to science museums, aquariums, workshops on the use of digital tools, or other events related to mathematics, the World Around Us/Nature and Society, and the Digital World since this would be one of the effective ways of encouraging children to develop a positive attitude toward the subjects encompassed by the STEM concept. The results indicate the need to support parents in understanding and applying the STEM learning concept with children, with a focus on the benefits that the application of this learning concept has on children’s development, as well as the fact that schools and teachers do not deal, to a sufficient extent, with STEM activities by cooperating with parents. This opens up opportunities for future research on this problem within the first cycle of compulsory education.