STEM-Based Course Design: A Way to Develop Attitudes towards STEM and Science Course

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of a STEM-based course design on students’ attitudes towards STEM and a science course. STEM activities were prepared per learning outcomes relating to the ‘illumination and sound technologies’ learning domain in the grade 4 science course. The study was carried out based on an experiment and control group quasi-experimental design. The study was carried out at a state school in Mersin in 2021. The experimental group of the study consisted of 32 and the control group consisted of 32 grade 4 students. STEM-based activities were performed in the experimental group. However, non-STEM activities were performed based on usual experimental setups in the control group. At the end of the study, the experimental and control group students’ attitudes towards STEM and science course were examined to determine whether there were statistically significant differences. As part of this study, student opinions on STEM were examined. A STEM Attitude Test and open-ended opinion form were used as data collection tools. Normality tests were conducted, and the homogeneity of variances was examined. Dependent and independent t-tests were conducted in quantitative data analysis and content analysis in the qualitative data analysis. The results suggested that STEM-based course design significantly increased students’ STEM attitudes and their attitudes towards science course more than the attitudes of students not exposed to STEM-based course design. In addition, students considered STEM practices fun and informative. Accordingly preparing STEM based course design for science course has been suggested.