Empowering Early Childhood Educators to Plug the Leaky STEM Pipeline A Case Study from a Rural Indonesian Elementary School

The underrepresentation of women in STEM fields remains a global concern, often conceptualized as a "leaky pipeline" that begins in early childhood. This study explores the potential of early childhood educators in a rural Indonesian elementary school (SD Negeri 327 Sinunukan, Mandailing Natal, North Sumatra) to act as catalysts for change, despite being part of the predominantly female workforce that has historically leaked from the pipeline. Employing a qualitative case study approach, this research investigated the perceptions, self-efficacy, and practices of five early-grade teachers following their participation in a targeted professional development workshop on STEM and Makerspace pedagogy. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The findings reveal that while teachers initially exhibited low STEM self-efficacy and limited content knowledge, the intervention significantly enhanced their confidence, understanding of STEM as both a discipline and an instructional approach, and their awareness of gendered stereotypes in education. However, significant barriers to implementation persist, including a lack of resources, limited support from school leadership, and deeply ingrained societal gender norms. This study concludes that empowering early childhood educators through contextualized professional learning is a critical, yet insufficient, step in circumventing the leaky pipeline. A holistic approach involving school-wide support and community engagement is imperative for fostering sustainable and equitable STEM engagement from the earliest years.