Examining the influencing factors of elementary and high school STEM teachers’ self-efficacy: a meta-analysis

The meta-analysis study aimed to investigate the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education on the elementary and high school teachers’ self-efficacy. By analyzing 20 studies (N = 1,964) published between 2007 and 2022, we explored the effect size of STEM education on teachers’ self-efficacy and examined the potential moderating variables. The results of the study indicate that compared to non-STEM education and other educational models, STEM education has a significantly positive impact on the self-efficacy of elementary and high school teachers. This means that through receiving STEM education, teachers become more confident and capable in teaching STEM subjects. This finding is of great importance in improving teachers’ instructional effectiveness and students’ learning outcomes. Additionally, we examined several moderating variables, including sample size, control treatments, subject, educational levels, countries, and questionnaire measurements. The analysis of these moderating variables revealed differences in their impact on the relationship between STEM education and teachers’ self-efficacy. This provides valuable information for future research and offers guidance for designing and implementing STEM education programs and interventions. Therefore, the findings of this meta-analysis study emphasize the positive impact of STEM education on the elementary and high school teachers’ self-efficacy. It provides important guidance for educational policymakers and practitioners to promote the development of STEM education and enhance teachers’ instructional abilities and students’ learning outcomes.