Maya Umi Hajar, Erni Yulianti, Ibrohim, Hadi Nur
This study aimed to develop a contextual STEM learning framework through a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach framed by a Socio-Transformative Constructivist (STC) lens, in order to bridge the persistent quality gap in rural STEM education. A qualitative design was employed involving five biology teachers as co-researchers and 480 students across three rural schools through a co-construction process. Data were collected across sequential research phases using focus group discussions, classroom enactment observations, and in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis revealed three key findings: (1) the diagnostic phase revealed that teachers' needs and challenges in STEM learning were closely linked to existing inquiry practices, limited facilities and instructional time, students' conceptual readiness, and teachers' pedagogical capacity, with STEM conceptualized as a gradual rather than immediate full integration of disciplines; (2) through collaborative dialogue and iterative enactment, a contextual STEM framework was reconstructed in the form of an operational sequence of interconnected learning activities, in which science and mathematics were positioned as an initial analytical foundation and progressively extended toward engineering and technology through contextually grounded design activities; and (3) the enactment of framework-informed learning activities was associated with pedagogical changes and student learning experiences, including shifts in teachers’ roles toward reflective facilitation and increased student participation, agency, and metacognitive awareness within project-based and culturally contextualized learning. These findings highlight that STEM learning in rural contexts must be designed around socio-cultural realities to ensure inclusivity, adaptability, and sustainability. The study provides critical implications for teachers and policymakers in accelerating educational equity in rural regions. Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Biology Education Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Science Education Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia
