System thinking as a sustainable competency in facilitating conceptual change through STEM based learning in biology

Abstract

Pro-contra about concept mastery in STEM learning inspired this study to encounter conceptual change and STEM-project at the same time using R and D at different educational (junior, senior, university) levels. System thinking was chosen as medium to combine conceptual change and STEM learning, as it was found as part of Scientific Literacy in PISA and STEM approach, and as a UNESCO competency for Education for Sustainable Development. Groups of students from different levels of education were involved as research subjects. Certain consideration in choosing the biology topics and pre-posttests (concept mastery and system thinking skills) was administered for all level. Using system thinking oriented learning material it was reported that 7th graders can understand (plant & animal) cells structure well, no misconception for new concepts (prokaryote, plant tissue system), as they experience EDP in STEM-project and produce cell models. Conceptual change in high schools still resulted in misconception when the pre-post tests were taken once, but not for pre-post tests taken in each meeting. Topic choice and specific learning material for STEM based learning with system thinking oriented are very important to have complex system topic that enable to develop three types of system thinking.