Preliminary Research: SDGs-Based STEM Approach for Middle School Students

This preliminary study investigates the perceptions and readiness of junior high school teachers and students regarding the integration of STEM-based learning aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in science education. The study aims to explore their understanding of STEM-SDGs, confidence levels, and perceived challenges. A descriptive, quantitative method was employed, with questionnaires distributed to 15 science teachers and 124 students at a public junior high school. The results show that 100% of teachers were unfamiliar with the term SDGs, although 70% had implicitly applied STEM elements to develop students' critical thinking. Furthermore, 90% of teachers rarely linked science concepts to socio-environmental contexts, while 75–80% acknowledged the potential of STEM-SDGs to foster critical thinking and environmental awareness. On the student side, 70% had never heard of SDGs, and 60% had never been involved in environmental projects. However, both groups showed high confidence in the relevance of implementing SDGs-based STEM learning. The main barriers identified were a lack of teaching materials, limited time, and inadequate teacher competence. This suggests a strong psychological readiness but a gap in technical support. Recommendations include developing STEM-SDGs teaching guidelines, conducting structured teacher training, and improving laboratory infrastructure with accessible tools to support contextual science learning.