ABSTRACT Integration is a key element in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Connecting domain‐specific or shared knowledge and skills within a course, unit or curriculum based on real‐life contexts is crucial for STEM integration. The success of STEM education depends on teachers' perceptions of the integration. This study used Q methodology to determine perceptions of primary school teachers about STEM integration. The study group comprised primary school teachers ( n = 28) who had completed in‐service training programmes for STEM education in Turkey. The Q‐set—a data collection tool comprising 23 items—was applied to the study group. Teachers' perceptions were categorised as interrelated STEM integration for real‐life contexts, merging content knowledge focused STEM integration, science and mathematics focused interrelated STEM integration and interdisciplinary STEM integration. The participants showed a tendency to integrate real‐life contexts and interrelated STEM knowledge in classrooms and did not adopt a single discipline‐oriented teaching approach. They were limited in their efforts toward engineering‐oriented/supported integration.
Okulu et al. (Sat,) studied this question.