Teachers’ perceptions and design of small-scale chemistry driven STEM learning activities

Abstract This qualitative study investigates how teachers perceive and design Small-Scale Chemistry driven STEM Learning Activities (SSC-STEM) in their teaching practice. While small-scale chemistry experiments offer numerous advantages for chemistry education, there is limited research on their integration into STEM education frameworks. This study examined teachers’ understanding, perceptions, and lesson design practices when implementing SSC-STEM activities. Fifty teachers from Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines participated in SSC-STEM training. Data were collected through questionnaires that explored teachers’ perceptions and analyzed their STEM lesson designs. The findings reveal that teachers demonstrate positive perceptions of SSC-STEM, particularly regarding its potential to foster STEM literacy and environmental consciousness. The analysis of lesson designs showed the successful integration of small-scale chemistry experiments with real-world environmental challenges, although teachers faced challenges in certain implementation aspects. High scores in teamwork (4.63) and self-directed learning (4.73) contrasted with lower scores in teaching performance (2.88) and teaching strategies (2.94), indicating areas needing professional development support. This study contributes to the understanding of how small-scale chemistry can be effectively integrated into STEM education while promoting sustainable development practices. These findings provide insights for teacher preparation programs and curriculum development for implementing integrated STEM approaches using small-scale chemistry experiments.