STEM education for Industry 4.0 in technical and vocational high schools: Investigation of teacher professional development

Abstract

The goals of the study were to investigate technical and vocational education (TVET) teachers’ progress in their knowledge, perceptions, and competencies related to Industry 4.0 components and STEM within the context of a professional development program. A case study design was followed to reveal in-depth information on teacher improvement. Data sources included the Teacher Knowledge Survey, Teacher Perceptions Survey, and Industry 4.0, and STEM Competencies Survey. Results indicated significant improvement in teachers’ Industry 4.0 competencies and their content knowledge of Industry 4.0 components and STEM. Teachers indicated that they perceived culture of collaboration in their school, increased teacher and student motivation, and positive attitudes towards TVET with implementation of the STEM PD program.