Beyond teacher perceptions: Classroom evidence of STEM integration in Saudi mathematics education

Source abstract

STEM education has become central to fostering the problem-solving and innovation capacities required in knowledge-based societies, prompting global reforms that seek to connect science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through authentic classroom learning. In Saudi Arabia, national initiatives, notably Vision 2030, reflect this momentum toward innovation and interdisciplinary integration. Yet how these ambitions translate into day-to-day mathematics instruction remains insufficiently understood. This qualitative-dominant mixed-methods study investigated how middle-school mathematics teachers in Al-Ahsa incorporate STEM principles into their teaching and the challenges they encounter. Twenty-five teachers were observed across fifty lessons using an observation checklist derived from the STEM integration in K–12 Education framework, and fifteen teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics captured patterns of practice, while thematic analysis provided deeper interpretive insight. Findings revealed modest levels of STEM integration: interdisciplinary links emerged occasionally, whereas inquiry-based and project-based learning appeared only sporadically. Four interrelated constraints were identified: limited professional preparation, insufficient technological resources, curriculum rigidity, and resistance to pedagogical change. Together, these factors help explain why STEM implementation in the observed context appears more aspirational than routine. The study highlights the need for context-sensitive professional-development models, reliable technological support, and greater curricular flexibility to make integrated STEM pedagogy a sustainable component of mathematics education.