Principals as STEM leaders: Insights from Qatar’s government schools using Q methodology research

This study aimed to explore the key dimensions of school principals’ science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leadership capabilities in Qatari government schools. The study employed Q methodology research guided by a theoretical framework that identifies five critical dimensions of STEM leadership, namely STEM knowledge and practices, contexts, dispositions, tools and critical orientation. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 26 principals. Data collection was conducted between November 2024 and February 2025 from principals in government schools across Qatar. Ensuring diversity in terms of school level, experience, gender and geographic location. Data was collected through Q sorting activities, where participants rank-ordered a set of 40 statements representing STEM leadership capabilities, followed by post-sorting interviews to gather qualitative insights. Q factor analysis identified 3 viewpoints among participants, namely assessment innovation through collaborative learning, contextually grounded student-centered leadership, and resource-enabled STEM implementation.<b> </b>This study is limited to government schools in Qatar and reflects principals’ self-reported perspectives at one point in time. The study contributes to existing knowledge on effective STEM education leadership and provides valuable insights,<b> </b>with implications for future research, policy development and leadership preparation programs.