STEM Education Effect on Inquiry Perception and Engineering Knowledge

Abstract

Despite the adoption of modern educational approaches such as activity-based, laboratory-based, technology enhanced science education, it is known that in most cases, students have difficulties in achieving desired learning goals such as developing inquiry skills and engineering knowledge. The efforts of science educators to ensure that students reach the desired learning goals have led to the development of new educational approaches. It is then necessary to put the emerging educational approaches into practice, to determine their effects in practice, and to determine the level of achieved learning goals. Therefore, the study intends to examine the effect of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) supported science teaching on the perception of inquiry learning skills and engineering knowledge level of 8th graders regarding Basic Machines unit. Quasi experimental research design was adopted. The study was conducted with 8th grade students. The participant students were recruited through easily accessible sampling method. This study was implemented during five weeks. The Inquiry Learning Level Perception Scale (ILSPS) and the Engineering Knowledge Level Scale (EKLS) were data collection tools. The data obtained revealed that STEM supported science teaching was effective on 8th graders inquiry learning skill perception and engineering knowledge levels. It is recommended to carry out comprehensive studies to reveal the effect of STEM-supported science teaching on students’ design skills in the 21st century.