Abstract

This study examines the views of female pre-service science teachers with invisible disabilities regarding STEAM and its practices. The study included four female students currently enrolled in science education at a faculty of education and one female student with a degree in science education who is enrolled in a master’s program. Research data were collected through semi-structured interview questions developed by the researchers. The data obtained were analyzed using the Nvivo 12 analysis program. The analysis of the data shows that female students with invisible disabilities experience both physical and cognitive negative reflections in their learning processes. While they reported encountering barriers such as material access, laboratory inadequacy, and the perception of STEAM as a male-dominated field, they also stated that in their future teaching practices, they aim to support the self-confidence, sense of belonging, and academic development of disadvantaged students through gamification, individualized instruction, and role models. Based on the research findings, it is recommended that educational environments should be arranged to be sensitive to invisible disabilities. Furthermore, it is thought that relevant institutions should implement necessary practices to increase the awareness of all components of educational environments.

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