ASSESSING STEM TEACHING CAPABILITIES IN LAHORE: CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE PATH FORWARD

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to measure the secondary school teachers’ ability to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) concepts in Lahore, Pakistan, by using the STEM-PCK Scale. Considering the increasing demand for STEM professionals in the international workplace, it is essential to consider how prepared teachers are to include STEM disciplines in their work. Teacher pedagogical knowledge, STEM content knowledge and their use of Technology in the classroom: A causal comparative study on teachers (n = 536) of public and private schools, in Lahore, filled out the survey. Results reveal that techno-pedagogical knowledge directly predicts technology use in STEM teaching (b = .36) while the effective integration of Technology is significantly related to the acquisition of 21^st century skills by students. However, a key issue identified was the lack of integration of Science and Technology, which suggests that teachers need additional support to use technological resources in their teaching. It also identifies variations in technology access between private and public schools, with the former institution being better prepared and equipped to teach STEM. The findings of the study imply a need for immediate development of professional and career programs, creating fair access to technology resources and government assistance to build up a coherent STEM-based education system in Pakistan.