Pedagogical Readiness of Chemistry Teachers in Implementing Ethno-STEM Learning

Ethno-STEM learning can connect chemistry concepts with local cultural knowledge and students’ everyday experiences. However, its implementation depends on teachers’ pedagogical readiness to understand the approach, design contextual learning, and translate local knowledge into classroom practice. This study aimed to analyze the pedagogical readiness of chemistry teachers in implementing Ethno-STEM learning in Gorontalo. A qualitative descriptive-exploratory approach was employed with 13 chemistry teachers from public senior high schools in Gorontalo, selected purposively. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and documentation and analyzed thematically. The findings show that teachers’ pedagogical readiness remains transitional. Most teachers had not developed a comprehensive understanding of Ethno-STEM, although they demonstrated awareness of local cultural potential and the relevance of contextual chemistry learning. Teachers were generally willing to implement Ethno-STEM, but their ability to translate contextual ideas into systematic instructional plans remained limited. The study concludes that teachers possess positive contextual and affective foundations but require targeted professional development to strengthen the operational competence needed for systematic Ethno-STEM implementation. The findings imply that future research should develop practical professional development and teaching tools that help teachers translate local cultural knowledge into chemistry learning.