Abstract:

A netnographic analysis of online materials related to STEM education in Poland reveals a recurring pattern: in the dominant public discourse, STEM is most often represented through images of robotics, programming and advanced laboratories rather than through the learning processes taking place in ordinary classrooms. At the same time, many teachers experience a clear gap between these visions of innovation and the realities of everyday school practice. This presentation examines this tension and explores why STEM – despite its growing visibility in educational discourse – often remains the initiative of individual enthusiasts rather than a widespread element of classroom practice.

The aim of the presentation is to analyse experiences related to the implementation of STEM-oriented teaching in Polish schools and to identify factors limiting its broader adoption. The analysis draws on a review of STEM education literature, observations of school practice, and reflections of teachers involved in educational innovation projects. The Polish case illustrates a broader phenomenon present in many education systems: the tension between innovation-oriented narratives and everyday teaching practice.

The presentation identifies three groups of barriers that hinder the development of STEM education. The first is a narrative barrier, where STEM is reduced to technology, robotics or programming, overshadowing its core dimension – working with authentic problems through inquiry, experimentation and iterative learning. The second involves systemic barriers, including limited methodological support for teachers and the dominance of short, one-off training formats that rarely lead to lasting changes in classroom practice. The third consists of structural factors related to education systems strongly oriented toward standardized examinations, which reward predictability and knowledge reproduction, whereas STEM approaches rely on uncertainty, iterative problem solving and collaboration.

The second part of the presentation introduces practical strategies for integrating STEM elements into typical school contexts without requiring advanced technological infrastructure. The analysis suggests that the key factor lies in redesigning classroom activities: introducing authentic problems, organising learning around cycles of hypothesis–testing–reflection, and creating space for reasoning under conditions of uncertainty.

The findings suggest that the main challenge for STEM education is not access to technology but the transformation of teaching and learning cultures within schools. In this sense, the Polish experience offers a valuable case for broader discussions on the conditions necessary for effective STEM implementation across education systems.

Keywords:

STEM, Education, teacher practice, netnography, educational discourse, barriers to innovation, Poland.