Elena Paunova-Hubenova

STEM education increasingly relies on technology-enhanced environments that utilize data-driven strategies, digital tools, and adaptable learning models. To support the evaluation of contemporary STEM teaching methods, this study proposes a multi-criteria analytical framework based on expert assessment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 experienced teachers from Bulgarian schools (N = 41), who evaluated six key indicators (m = 6) of STEM integration: Effectiveness, Engagement, Applicability, Flexibility, Validity, and Accessibility. The qualitative data were transformed into numerical values and analyzed using the Target Parameter Ranking method. The degree of expert agreement was assessed through the Morris–Kendall coefficient, yielding a statistically significant moderate agreement (w_k = 0.137; χ² = 28.085, df = 5, p = 3.50 × 10⁻⁵ (p < 0.001)). The results indicate that Engagement (W_j = 0.206), Flexibility (W_j = 0.188), and Effectiveness (W_j = 0.186) are the most highly weighted criteria, reflecting teachers’ prioritization of active participation, learning outcomes, and adaptability in technology-rich STEM environments. In comparison, Applicability and Accessibility show higher variability, highlighting their dependence on contextual factors such as infrastructure and resource availability. The proposed framework provides a structured, data-driven basis for evaluating and refining STEM teaching practices and can be integrated into educational decision-support systems.

With the development of electronic and computer games, and also the virtual reality in the modern world, the role of games in the learning process is significantly expanding. Educational games have a number of positive effects, such as increasing student motivation, perceptual learning, and longer-term retention of knowledge. In recent years, the concept of escape rooms has gained popularity in pedagogical fields, especially in the context of STEM disciplines. They contain multiple puzzles, and the game structure is adapted to the specific needs of students and is linked to STEM content and specific competencies corresponding to the learning objectives. This overview study aims to analyze the following questions: What STEM mini puzzles are used most often? Which types of mini games and puzzles are most effective in different subjects? What skills do different puzzles develop? What technologies are used in the development of this type of games?

Modern technologies, tools, and services are rapidly penetrating life, requiring a radical shift in traditional education and the rapid implementation of interdisciplinary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning approaches. Hence, numerous studies have been initiated to explore key aspects of modern STEM methods and existing opportunities for their evaluation, personalization, and optimization. The article presents results from qualitative research conducted through semi-structured interviews with schoolteachers who have experience in implementing innovative STEM methods in their educational practice. The focus of the study is on the qualitative analysis of modern methods and good practices applied in teaching STEM subjects in Bulgaria. The formulated research questions address the readiness to apply STEM educational methods in Bulgarian schools, focusing on prerequisites such as institutional support, availability of technology infrastructure and resources, and teachers’ competencies. Additionally, these research questions aim to explore teachers’ views on modern teaching methods and approaches currently utilized in STEM education, as well as their perceived effectiveness, engagement, and applicability. The key themes and insights that emerged from the interviews also shed light on the state-of-the-art of STEM education in Bulgarian schools and the current use of teaching methods and techniques for STEM education. The findings revealed that teachers miss time in the curriculum dedicated to STEM lessons and need more integrated learning resources and additional qualifications to apply STEM methods effectively. The interpretation of results analyzes the significance of the findings and their implications for teaching practices and policies in STEM education.

Personalized learning has gained in popularity over the past decade. It provides learners with learning resources that comply with their characteristics and preferences or offers them tasks and quizzes adapted to their performance. This research presents how we apply this concept to an educational video maze game created and generated on the APOGEE platform. In particular, this article explores the following three research questions: (1) Which characteristics in the student’s model should be considered for the personalization of educational video games? (2) What are the student’s preferences regarding the personalization of educational video games? (3) How should the process of personalization of educational video games be organized? The answers to these questions are found by conducting practical experiments concerning user experience with the educational maze video game. The article also describes the model of students comprising user’s, learner’s, and player’s aspects with both static and dynamic features. Further, the personalization process of educational games based on this model is described. The results showing the student’s preferences are presented and critically examined. The provided discussion involves the disparities in the preferences of different groups of students concerning the amounts of play of learning games, preferred mini-games, and parameters to which educational materials should be tailored.