Investigation of the relationship between teachers' inquiry-based teaching self-efficiency for STEM+S and teaching 21st century skills

This study aims to investigate the relationship between teachers' inquiry-based teaching self-efficacy for STEM+S education and 21st-century skills teaching. The research was designed with a relational design in the quantitative research model. The universe of the study consists of the teachers working in public and private schools in Gaziantep in the 2021-2022 academic year, and the sample of 407 teachers was determined by the random sampling method from the universe. The Inquiry-Based Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale for STEM+S and 21st-Century Skills Teaching Scale were used as data collection tools. Independent groups t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis were applied to the scales' data using the SPSS 22 Package Program.Teachers' scores of inquiry-based teaching self-efficacy and sub-dimensions for STEM+S showed a statistically significant difference in the status of receiving 21st Century skills training. According to the status of receiving STEM education, there is a significant difference, except for the association sub-dimension. When examined according to 21st-century skills training, the scores of 21st-century skills and sub-dimensions show a significant difference. The scores of the sub-dimensions of collaboration of the 21st-century skills teaching scale do not differ according to the gender of the teachers but the scores of other sub-dimensions make a significant difference. Inquiry-based teaching for STEM+S has been found to have a statistically significant effect on 21st-century skills teaching. It has been revealed that approximately 46% of the variance explained for 21st-century skills teaching is due to inquiry for STEM+S. When this situation is examined, it can be stated that self-efficacy in inquiry for STEM+S significantly affects predicting teachers' teaching of 21st-century skills.