Designing an Inquiry-based STEM Learning strategy as a Powerful Alternative Solution to Enhance Students’ 21st-century Skills: A Preliminary Research

Abstract

In response to pedagogical challenges in 21st-century education, embedded STEM across the primary-secondary school transition had been widely investigated. However, integrated-STEM implementation had not shown practical packaging and could not reach all the skills needed in the 21st century. We proposed an inquiry-based STEM learning strategy to fostering student inquiry skills through investigation. The purpose of this study was to design a hypothetical model of an inquiry-based STEM learning strategy design that could systematically guide instructors or designers in creating an appropriate learning activities oriented to 21st-century skills. Before conducting the strategy design, we do need assessment survey teacher in Lampung Indonesia to describe teachers’ perceptions about STEM education and career as a starting point for designing a strategy that could follow up the 21st-century learning framework. We conduct a cross-sectional non-experimental descriptive survey approach using questionnaire to 75 teachers in Lampung, Indonesia. Based on data analysis, it indicated that all of the teachers realized about the importance of STEM in education and career dimension and they should take a part in overcoming the 21st-century challenges.