STEM talent in k-10: a systematic review

STEM talent (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is a current research topic both for the renewed understanding of giftedness in specific talent domains and the recent interest in STEM education. This research conducts a systematic review to delve into a specific talent, STEM talent. It intends to illustrate the trajectory of STEM talent during the stage of compulsory education. In particular, it aims to explore the state of the art of this field of research, the set of personal and contextual variables, which affect the trajectory of STEM talent during compulsory education, the most relevant methodologies for the advancement of STEM talent, and the milestones/stages that students go through during this developmental stage. To this end, a protocol for this review of research was developed based on the guidelines of the PRISMA declaration (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and the Campbell collaboration. Following the application of said protocol, a total of 225 studies were obtained, of which 108 were finally included after reviewing the eligibility criteria. The results not only show the state of the field of research, but also a set of dispositional (cognitive, psychosocial, and sociodemographic) and contextual variables (in formal, non-formal, and other scenarios) that interact with each other to advance or hinder the course of the trajectory; that hands-on methodologies are the most implemented to promote STEM talent and finally, brief guidelines regarding the stages and milestones that take place during the STEM talent trajectory, which offer new lines of research. These results contribute to understanding the most relevant educational policies and practices for the advancement of STEM talent during compulsory education, so some guidelines are given.