STEM, Programming and Inquiry in Pre-Service Teachers. Evaluation of the iSTEMduino Project

Abstract

The STEM approach is difficult to apply in Primary Education due to its interdisciplinary nature and the lack of teacher training, especially in engineering and technology. Therefore, iSTEMduino, a university project, is proposed. Based on a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, an instrument was prepared (αCronbach = 0.68; KMO: 0.71) to evaluate its effectiveness in pre-service teachers. As a result, an increased interest in and identity with STEM, particularly in programming skills and the use of sensors (Arduino), was achieved through a design-based inquiry methodology. Women's involvement was encouraged, unhindered by previous studies, a balance between experimentation and modelling was chosen, resulting in an effective and feasible proposal.