Outcomes of a year 3 and year 4 STEM professional development program: teachers’ successes, challenges, and insights

Amid growing pressure for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) integration in primary education, many classroom teachers continue to face uncertainty in teaching STEM with confidence. Traditional Professional Development (PD) models often fall short in translating new knowledge into sustainable practice. This study responds to these challenges by investigating a contextually embedded community “outreach” STEM PD program, situated, facilitated, and designed in a university, by university STEM facilitators, to support regional teachers. Uniquely positioned in a regional setting, the PD supported Year 3 and Year 4 teachers through collaborative learning, reflective dialogue, and context-aligned resources. Drawing on focus group interviews with participating teachers, thematic analysis revealed three key themes: the teacher’s successes, challenges, and insights. Teachers also shared critical insights about the need for contextual relevance, time to experiment, and ongoing support. Challenges identified included limited access to resources, curriculum constraints, and systemic barriers to innovation. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, this study presents a model of outreach PD that is adaptive, collaborative, and responsive to local, regional classroom needs. The findings contribute to current debates on how to design equitable, meaningful STEM PD, particularly in regional areas. By centring teacher voice and pedagogical practice, this research offers a replicable and scalable model for advancing STEM capacity for teachers in primary schools.