Is the STEM Approach Useful in Teaching Mathematics? Evaluating the Views of Mathematics Teachers

Eyüp Sevimli,Emin Ünal

doi:10.20897/ejsteme/11775

Abstract

The STEM approach, which has been included in the education literature with increasing value in the last decade, has also drawn researchers’ attention to the process of learning and teaching mathematics. In this study, the views of mathematics teachers, who were involved in in-services STEM-training, were evaluated under the themes of integration with the curriculum, limitations in implementation, and attitude development. A qualitative case study was carried out with 36 secondary school mathematics teachers. Data were collected with a questionnaire form two different types of STEM tasks (engineering design sets and coding) and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The results of the study showed that the participants’ views on the usefulness of STEM tasks in mathematics teaching are positive, but they have difficulties with linking the tasks to the mathematics curriculum. Participants find coding tasks more applicable than the engineering design and building tasks. Suggestions are made for teacher education and textbook development.

Highlights

One of the goals of education is to prepare individuals for the competencies needed in the 21st century and to train them well-equipped in this sense
When the responses to the first and second item in the STEM-Usefulness Form are examined, a majority of participants stated that both Engineering Design and Building (EDB) and coding are suitable, but EDB tasks are considered to be more compatible with the mathematical skills in the secondary school curriculum compared to coding tasks
The data show that the STEM tasks that include coding are more likely to be integrate into the mathematics curriculum than the EDB tasks

Summary

Introduction

One of the goals of education is to prepare individuals for the competencies needed in the 21st century and to train them well-equipped in this sense. The STEM-based curriculum aims to lead students to solve real-world problems but, thanks to their sufficient education and equipment in the field of STEM, makes them future implementers of such curricula (Wang, 2013). Unlike the learning outcomes-based perspective of the traditional curriculum, the STEM education approach has an integrated skills-based philosophy in mathematics education (Bybee, 2010; NRC, 2011). Another key component that makes an educational approach or curriculum useful is how effectively this approach is used by teachers in their teaching practice. Various studies in the related literature mainly consist of the developed scales and Sevimli and Ünal / Is the STEM Approach Useful in Teaching Mathematics?

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