Advancing Transformative and Sustainable STEAM Education through Bootcamps: Assessing Higher Education Students’ Knowledge of 21st-Century Competencies for Career Success

Abstract

This study sought to examine how STEAM bootcamps foster transformative and sustainable STEAM education by assessing higher education students’ general knowledge of 21st-century competencies provided through STEAM-focused bootcamps for career success. A cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. Two research questions guided the study. A 12-Bootcamps Knowledge Items (BKIs) questionnaire titled: Questionnaire on Advancing Transformative and Sustainable STEAM Education through STEAM-Focused Bootcamps (QATSSESFB) was used to elicit data from 79 tertiary students through social media and email. The instrument was subjected to face validation by three experts. Descriptive statistics (mean and SD), t-test, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data collected, with internal consistency of 0.96 (Cronbach’s alpha). Descriptive statistics were used to answer the RQ1, while t-test and ANOVA were used to answer RQ2. Results revealed strong knowledge (M = 3.96, SD = 1.14), with all BKIs scoring above the 2.50 threshold, indicating high knowledge of competencies like digital literacy, problem-solving, and communication. No significant differences were found across gender (p = 0.834), programme of study (p = 0.070), age (p = 0.360), or place of residence (p = 0.654), suggesting uniform knowledge possibly facilitated by Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These findings highlight bootcamps’ role in fostering inclusive, transformative education through innovative online and hybrid delivery. Hence, aligning with the 4th (Quality Education) and 8th (Decent Work and Economic Growth) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study concluded with the recommendation that bootcamp access should be scaled and their models integrated in formal curricula.