Abstract

STEM teaching is a key strategy in Vietnam’s 2018 General Education Curriculum. Drawing on the STEM- TPACK framework, contextual knowledge, and an approach to developing mathematics teaching competence, this study examines the competence of preservice primary teachers at Tay Nguyen University in organizing STEM-integrated mathematics lessons. Data were collected from 170 preservice teachers and 40 mentor teachers through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Welch’s t-test, and Hedges’ g as a measure of effect size. The findings indicate that preservice teachers have a sound understanding of STEM but limited practical competence, particularly in interdisciplinary integration, engineering design, and the assessment of student-created products. Mentor teachers rated preservice teachers’ competence significantly higher than the preservice teachers rated their own competence (p < 0.001). The study recommends restructuring the teacher education curriculum, expanding opportunities for teaching practice, and using specialized assessment rubrics.

Keywords: Competence in organizing STEM lessons, mathematics teaching, preservice primary teachers, STEM education.