Implementation of STEM education in Indonesia: teachers’ perception of STEM integration into curriculum

Abstract Recently in America, Europe and Asia, STEM education has been viewed as an educational reform that answers 21st-century demands in an era of productive technology and information that trigger economic, political and demographic changes around the world. As a developing country, Indonesia is called upon to deal with these demands by developing qualified human resources through educational reform. STEM education is one of the strategies for achieving this goal. Finding possibilities for the integration of STEM in the science and math curriculum through teacher training programs is the first step in this implementation, whether or not STEM education can actually be included. This study took place in a school that uses two curricula (KTSP and the 2013 national curriculum). Results of an investigation of teachers’ perceptions showed that the 2013 national curriculum was more appropriate for the inclusion of STEM education than the KTSP curriculum. The impact of training on teachers’ perceptions was shown by significant differences before and after training.