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This study examines learners' issues in learning the preparation and qualitative analysis of salts topic from Malaysian chemistry teachers' perspectives. The researchers adopted a qualitative design and conducted semi-structured interviews with sixteen informants who have experience of teaching chemistry for more than five years. They were selected via purposive sampling. Document analysis was conducted to verify and supplement findings obtained from the interviews. The study reports five issues that emerged from the data analysis: negative perceptions, dealing with the number of information, imagining abstract concepts, mastery of basic knowledge and solving problems, and fulfilling the grading criteria. The study results confirm the unanimity of past studies on students' unfavorable views on these topics and their struggle in learning abstract concepts involved in the salts formation and analysis. Besides, students' issues are also significantly rooted in having weak prior knowledge of salts, affecting their ability to solve related problems. The study suggested that teachers must practice various approaches and strategies deemed effective in aiding learners in learning and be more selective in choosing approaches tailored to the individual students' issues in learning these topics in class.

Previous studies in STEM education's context found that many students failed to connect between the knowledge they learned in class, the skills they acquired and the applications of the knowledge to real-life situation. They also perceived STEM lessons as rigid, drab, fixed, and a limited platform because they could not see STEM as an integrated disciplines and the interconnecting concepts across the disciplines. For students' benefits, this study explores their views on STEM lessons to incorporate their needs in designing integrated STEM instructional practices through Scientist-Teacher-Students Partnership (STSP) initiative. Embracing a qualitative research design, the researchers adopted a purposive sampling strategy to select six (6) secondary school science students as informants. Semistructured interviews were used to explore the informants' insights on STEM lessons. Based on the analysis of the interviews, three (3) themes have emerged, which are (1) Instructional practices in Science Classroom, (2) Issues in STEM learning, and (3) Students' demand in STEM lessons. However, this paper will only discuss the first theme of the study with four (4) categories namely, teacher-driven, content laden, drilling and practice techniques and instructional aids. This needs analysis study concludes that STEM teachers' instructional practices still heavily focus on a teacher-centered approach and preparing students for the examination. Hence, aspects like students' involvement, engagement and meaningful learning which are lacking in practice will be considered by the researchers in designing integrated STEM instructional practices through the STSP initiative.

Regardless of students' differences, they should have opportunities to learn in a classroom environment that adequately promotes their interests and scaffolds their progress. Often, research highlights the struggles teachers face in accommodating learners' needs while ensuring effective lesson delivery at various educational levels. Although there have been a growing number of studies investigating the use of differentiated instruction in chemistry, there is a scarcity of research focusing on challenges to practice differentiated instruction in chemistry classrooms, especially in the Malaysian context. This study explored chemistry teachers' challenges to practice differentiated instruction in their classrooms. The researchers elicited sixteen chemistry teachers' experiences selected through purposive sampling in one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four major challenges that the teachers face: catering to students' needs, lesson planning and delivery, support and skill and time constraints in practising differentiation. Furthermore, it was found that teachers face more challenges on governable factors that could be rectified to help teachers successfully implement differentiated instruction. Finally, the study suggested that chemistry teachers involve in professional development training to enhance their knowledge and skills in differentiated instruction.

This qualitative study sought to explore Malaysian novice chemistry teachers' experiences in teaching mixed-ability students during their teaching practicum, focusing on their instructional strategies for dealing with those learners in the class. The researchers employed purposive sampling to select 12 trainee teachers to be involved in semi-structured interviews. The data collected were analysed using the constant comparative method. As a result, two themes emerged regarding participants' instructional strategies: the whole-class approach and adjustment to the learners' needs. This paper discusses the first theme, which consists of three sub-themes: active learning activities, the use of stimulating learning materials, and assessment practice. Even though novice chemistry teachers primarily engaged mixed-ability students through whole-class instruction, the study found they emphasised active classroom engagement and collaboration between students in their classroom. Besides, they did consider students' interests and preferences when selecting activities and materials for their lessons. However, the study found that novice teachers mainly did not utilise the data from the formative assessments to inform their decisions in differentiating instruction for mixed-ability learners in class. Though there are differences in students' ability in class, the teachers generally opted for a 'one-size-fits-all' strategy for all students in most lessons. The study recommends that teacher training institutions and related stakeholders provide adequate training for novice chemistry teachers to improve their knowledge and skills in practising differentiated instruction.

This study was conducted to find out the perceptions of Science and Mathematics trainee teachers on STEM Facilitator Training Program (SFTP) and to examine the impacts of SFTP on their personal growth as future teachers. The study employed a mixed-method design in which the data of the study were gathered through a short survey and group interview. The number of samples used for each method was dissimilar. 125 samples were selected by using stratified random sampling to answer the survey. The reliability of instruments used was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.944 > 0.6. indicating that the items used are highly reliable. Additionally, the researchers selected 6 preservice teachers (3 respondents represented Science and Mathematics programmes respectively) to be involved in a semi-structured group interview. The study noted that they had high positive perception towards the programme. The design training programmes were suitable for the pre-service teachers as there is no significant difference in the respondents' perceptions. Irrespective of the semesters, the results specify that there is no difference in terms of their perception after participating in the programme. The pre-service teachers joined the program as most of them saw SFTP as a good platform to expand their ability as future teachers and to have a real experience dealing with school students. The study also reported that there were several skills and knowledge that the respondents gained throughout their involvement in SFTP. It is clear that SFTP has impacted the personal growth of the respondents as future teachers as they claimed to be more confident in delivering Science and Mathematics content, were able to speak with more control and order, found that their instruction had improved and knew the important aspects needed to give an effective delivery in class. Overall, they believed SFTP had helped them improve their skills as future Science and Mathematics teachers.

Learning is a process of acquiring knowledge and forming identities. The process empowers individuals by providing a meaningful and engaging context in which they can make sense of their entire experience. Previous research found that students failed to make connections between what they learned in class, the skills they learned, and the applications of the knowledge and skills in real life when learning STEM subjects. Interest and motivation are two major components that have been determined to contribute to these problems. Furthermore, STEM subjects are perceived by students as rigid, drab, fixed, and a limited platform for realising their desired identities. The declining trend of students choosing STEM-related subjects at the upper secondary school level and also the shortage of STEM workforce in the country has indirectly proven the problems the nation is currently facing. This study explores students' views on STEM lessons to incorporate their needs in designing integrated STEM instructional practices through Scientist-Teacher-Students Partnership (STSP) initiative. Scientist-Teacher-Student Partnership (STSP) in this study refers to collaboration among upper secondary science teachers and university scientists which involves mutual learning and collaboration via a partnership. Through this partnership, it hoped that meaningful STEM lessons could be designed and implemented in the science classroom. By embracing a qualitative research design, the researchers adopted a purposive sampling strategy to select six (6) secondary school science students, aged sixteen to seventeen (16-17) years old who are studying within the Klang Valley area as informants. This sampling technique is really important for qualitative researchers since it provides participants who can give in-depth and detailed information about the phenomenon under investigation. Besides that, the researchers also used semi-structured interviews to explore the informants' insights on the current STEM lessons that they experience. The semi-structured interview was served as the primary means of data collection whereby a basic interpretive qualitative design was employed. Based on the analysis of the interviews, three (3) themes have emerged to indicate the current STEM lessons that they experience during Physics, Biology, and Chemistry lessons in the classrooms. The three themes are; (1) instructional practices during the science lessons, (2) issues in STEM learning, and (3) students' demand for effective STEM lessons. For the first theme, there are four (4) categories that have been determined to explain the current instructional practices that students experience which are; (a) teacher-driven, (b) lack of instructional aids, (c) content laden, and (4) use of drilling techniques. For the second theme, the many issues highlighted by the students were further placed under three (3) main categories which are related to; (a) learning engagement, (b) use of practical activities and, (c) application of STEM knowledge. For the third theme, there are also three (3) additional categories determined to indicate students' demands in order to have effective STEM lessons. They demanded to have an environment of (a) active learning, (b) contextual learning, and also (b) exposure to mastery STEM skills through meaningful STEM activities during the instructional practices. The study concludes that teachers' instructional practices for STEM lessons still heavily focus on preparing students for examinations. Hence, aspects like students' involvement, practical knowledge, and meaningful learning which are lacking in practice, need to be considered by the researchers in designing integrated STEM instructional practices through STSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]