Mobile Planetarium as a Means for Popularization of STEM Education

Modern society is increasingly dependent on technological progress, driven by specialists in IT, natural and mathematical sciences. The declining interest of young people in mastering these fields raises concerns among educators and highlights the importance of STEM education popularization. STEM integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, focusing on the practical application of knowledge and the development of critical thinking in youth. This article summarizes approaches to STEM education popularization and analyzes the experience of using a mobile planetarium at Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko (Ukraine) as a tool for STEM popularization. The research findings confirm that using a mobile planetarium significantly enhances students' interest in STEM education, demonstrates the importance of interactive and visual teaching approaches, helps overcome stereotypes about the difficulty of STEM subjects, and makes learning more engaging and effective.