Readiness of Future Primary School Teachers to Foster Pupils’ Creativity through STEM Technologies

Abstract

The objective of the article is to define the essence of the concept of “readiness of future primary school teachers to foster pupils’ creativity through STEM technologies” and to characterise its structural components. Methods. The study employs a set of theoretical research methods, including: analysis of scholarly literature on the issues of professional training of future teachers, implementation of STEM education, and development of creativity; systematisation of scientific and pedagogical approaches to interpreting the concept of teacher readiness; generalisation and synthesis of scientific findings regarding the structural components of readiness; and comparison of different approaches to identifying the components of future teachers’ professional readiness. Results. Based on the analysis of contemporary scientific approaches, it is determined that the readiness of future primary school teachers to foster pupils’ creativity through STEM technologies is a holistic and stable personal formation that encompasses a system of interrelated professional, psychological-pedagogical, and didactic-methodological knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for organising the educational activities of primary school pupils. This readiness is aimed at creating a creative educational environment and at the purposeful development of each pupil’s creative potential through the application of an integrated STEM approach. The structure of readiness is substantiated and includes three interrelated components: value-motivational; cognitive-activity-based; and reflective-evaluative. Conclusions. The formation of future primary school teachers’ readiness to foster pupils’ creativity through STEM technologies is a relevant task of contemporary педагогical education, as the development of primary school pupils’ creativity through an interdisciplinary approach corresponds to the priorities of the New Ukrainian School and to the requirements of the information society. The successful implementation of STEM technologies in primary education directly depends on the quality of future teachers’ professional training, their motivation for innovative activity, their mastery of modern teaching methods, and their capacity for professional reflection. The identification of the value-motivational, cognitive-activity-based, and reflective-evaluative components makes it possible to comprehensively cover all aspects of future teachers’ professional preparation for innovative activity in the field of STEM education.