Teachers’ and Students’ Needs for Supporting Digital Research Skills in Secondary STEM Education

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the support needed for the acquisition of digital research skills (DRS) in secondary STEM education. We approached this from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives, based on semi-structured focus group interviews. The findings reveal a strong consensus among participants on the importance of incorporating DRS into regular lessons. Teachers emphasize the need for better curriculum integration and specific support structures, while students primarily seek practical, step-by-step guidance for applying DRS. After combining these findings with a literature search, we propose ten suggestions to enhance support for guiding and developing DRS in secondary (STEM) education. These ten suggestions initiate concrete steps to bridge the gap between secondary and higher education in DRS. In doing so, we contribute to the ongoing discussion on strengthening essential skills in education and provide actionable insights for curriculum developers, educational institutions, publishers, tool developers, and teachers.