2024 Okul Öncesi Eğitim Programında STEM: Program Hazır, Okullar ve Öğretmenler Hazır Mı?

This study aims to examine the features of the updated preschool education curriculum related to the STEM approach and to explore teachers' views on this subject. This study, conducted as an instrumental case study with a qualitative research design, collected data through documents and semi-structured interview forms. The document analyzed in this research is the 2024 Preschool Education Curriculum. The participants are seven preschool teachers working in public kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. In the document analysis, a framework guide from the literature was used to examine the inclusion of STEM components in the curriculum. The findings reveal that the curriculum mostly incorporates the fundamental components of STEM. The curriculum includes achievements and activities that support scientific thinking skills such as observation, questioning, data collection, and analytical thinking. Additionally, the curriculum clearly outlines achievements related to mathematical reasoning and problem-solving processes. However, aspects such as engineering and engineering design processes are more limited. The findings obtained from teachers indicates that limitations in STEM implementations are attributed to factors such as insufficient resources, inadequate teacher training, and suboptimal physical conditions. Furthermore, it was observed that teachers have expectations for training and guidance support, providing necessary materials to schools, and increasing parental involvement. These findings underscore the necessity of enhancing STEM practices in early childhood education and providing more comprehensive support for teachers.