Evaluation of a stem-based didactic model for the development of scientific competences in high school students: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study evaluates the effectiveness of a didactic model specifically designed under the STEM approach to enhance the development of scientific competencies in the Unified General High School in Science in Ecuador. A pretest-posttest design with control and experimental groups was used to investigate how the implementation of this model affects the acquisition and improvement of competencies in the areas of Chemistry, Physics and Biology. The methodology incorporated the application of expert-validated questionnaires to measure these competencies before and after the STEM educational intervention. Preliminary results show a significant improvement in the experimental group, indicating that the integration of the STEM approach is highly promising for the specific teaching of natural sciences at the baccalaureate level. This work enriches the understanding of the impact of innovative educational methodologies on science education and underlines the relevance of didactic strategies that incorporate technology, engineering and mathematics in an integrated way for the development of scientific competencies at the baccalaureate level. The research stresses the importance of continuing the exploration of the STEM approach in varied educational contexts in order to validate and extend the initial findings.