The role of libraries of schools for excellence in science and technology in Egypt (STEM Egypt) in supporting ideas creativity for students and encouraging innovative industries

Abstract

Libraries of STEM Schools in Egypt support creative ideas and invest the potential capabilities of students. Therefore, this study seeks to achieve a main goal, which is to study the role of STEM school libraries in Egypt in supporting the creative ideas of students and encouraging innovative industries. The analytical descriptive approach is used, and the research sample included 254 (12 specialists, 242 students) in 12 schools. The sample was randomly selected, and the research methods included personal interviews with some officials in the General Administration of STEM Schools and some teachers at those schools, a questionnaire that explains the role of library and information specialists in STEM schools in Egypt through three main elements : a) general roles of library and information specialists in STEM schools, b)the role of the specialist in supporting creative ideas, c) the role of the specialist in implementing creative ideas and transforming them into innovative industries, and a questionnaire that demonstrates the creative thinking skills of students of STEM schools in Egypt, through three dimensions (fluency , flexibility and originality). The data has been collected, classified and tabulated using the appropriate statistical methods through the SPSS program. Results reveal a statistically significant positive relationship at p ≤ 0.01 between the role of library and information specialists in STEM schools in supporting creative ideas and its main elements, and a statistically significant positive relationship at p ≤ 0.01 between the creative thinking skills of students and its dimensions. In addition, there are statistically significant differences at p ≤ 0.001 between library and information specialists in STEM schools according to the number of experience years in favor of the most experienced, and statistically significant differences at p ≤ 0.001 between male and female students in creative thinking skills in favor of males. Finally there are statistically significant differences at p ≤ 0.001 among the students of STEM schools in creative thinking skills in favor of Obour STEM School students, followed by Alexandria STEM School students. The study concluded with a proposal for developing STEM school libraries in Egypt to support innovative industries.