SCIENCE TEACHERS’ BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT STEAM EDUCATION IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN: THE CASE OF ATYRAU CITY

Abstract

In recent years, technological development has accelerated significantly, prompting many countries to prioritize the preparation of a workforce equipped for the demands of the future. For Kazakhstan, this objective is also highly relevant. As a result, increased attention has been given to enhancing science-related subjects within the national education system. This shift has highlighted the need for teachers to adopt and implement innovative teaching methodologies. The integration of updated curricula based on the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education framework has been initiated. However, the extent to which teachers can effectively apply these methodologies in practice depends largely on their self-efficacy in subject teaching and their beliefs toward STEAM education. These beliefs may also be influenced by various factors such as gender, subject specialization, years of teaching experience, and prior professional training. This quantitative study aimed to examine the self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes of biology, physics, chemistry, and geography teachers toward implementing STEAM education. Data were collected through an online questionnaire based on the T-STEM survey (Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, 2012) using a Likert scale. The responses were analyzed using the Jamovi statistical software. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while inferential techniques, including independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variances, were applied to identify statistically significant differences between groups. The findings indicate that teachers demonstrate high levels of confidence in their subject-matter teaching. Moreover, they frequently reported using instructional strategies aligned with STEM education in their classroom practices. A positive correlation was found between teachers’ self-efficacy in subject teaching and the use of STEM instructional methods. In conclusion, the study revealed that science teachers in Kazakhstan exhibit strong confidence in their subject knowledge and actively apply STEM-based instructional approaches in their practice. These results suggest that strengthening teachers’ subject-specific self-efficacy may further enhance the effective implementation of STEAM education in mainstream schools.