Exploring the balance between theory and practice of transformative science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics teacher education: a systematic literature review

Transformative STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education has the potential to bridge the theory-practice gap, cultivating critically aware, responsible, and creative individuals who can enhance educational practices across various levels, from kindergarten to university. However, some research evidence suggests that a gap exists between the progress researchers have made in advocating for and writing about transformative STEAM education and the personal and professional practices of teachers and teacher educators both within and outside STEM/STEAM communities. This systematic review explores the dynamic shifts that have occurred within transformative STEAM education, focusing on two critical dimensions: theory and practice. A systematic literature review approach was utilized to purposefully select 87 sources published between 2007 and 2025 in the Scopus, DOAJ, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to collect and synthesize data from the reports. Despite a reduction in the disparity between the progress researchers have made in writing about transformative STEAM education and the actual practices, a gap remains in the geographical and spatial distribution of the enacted projects. Further findings also indicate a persistent gap between the theory and practice of transformative STEAM teacher education, which could be bridged by implementing interdisciplinary curricula and project-based learning, empowering teachers, prioritizing transformative STEAM education policies, engaging in holistic assessment, and pursuing collaborative community engagements. Overall, the literature synthesis underscores the need for support for STEAM training and pre- and in-service teacher professional development.