The Availability and Utilization of Mathematics-Focused STEM Resources in Secondary School

Abstract

Mathematics education is essential for advancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), yet disparities in instructional resources persist in secondary schools across Pakistan. This study investigates the availability and utilization of mathematics-focused STEM resources in government and private, as well as urban and rural, secondary schools. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected from 116 secondary mathematics teachers using a structured survey instrument, and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Regression analysis was used to examine relationships among resource availability, institutional support, and instructional utilization. The quantitative results reveal significant disparities between urban private and rural public schools regarding both resource availability and pedagogical utilization. A strong positive association was found between resource availability and utilization, while contextual institutional factors also shaped implementation patterns. Qualitative case studies from five purposively selected schools, incorporating classroom observations and open-ended responses, provided further explanation and context for the statistical findings. The results are interpreted using Resource-Based Theory, emphasizing the influence of internal resource configurations on instructional practices. The study contributes to theory by extending ResourceBased Theory to secondary mathematics education and to methodology by integrating confirmatory factor analysis within a mixed-methods framework. Implications are discussed with careful consideration of educational equity in Pakistan.