Research synthesis of STEM Education approach effected on students’ problem solving skills in Thailand

Abstract

STEM education integrates concepts that are usually taught as separate subjects in different classes and emphasizes the application of knowledge to real-life situations. A lesson or unit in a STEM class is typically based around finding a solution to a real-world problem and tends to emphasize problem solving abilty. So, the objective of this research is to synthesize research about STEM Education Approach effected on students’ problem solving skill in Thailand. Variables consisted of a unit of variable which included 17 variables. The collecting data tool is adjusted from the recording data form of the Office of Education Council in Thailand. Data were analyzed by frequency and percentage and were showed the result of STEM Education effected to problem solving skill analysing by one sample t- test, criterion and growth score for content analysis. The results showed that STEM Education Approach effected on students’ problem solving skills in Thailand research dated by 2009-2019 were published mostly in 2017. Naresuan University did the target research highest frequency. Researchers from Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education, Sciences Education, and Education major mostly produced the research and worked at the Office of the Basic Education Commission. Female reseachers did the more research in STEM Education than male.Thesis in Master degree was done the most comparing with dissertation in Doctoral Degree. Common research objectives mostly focused on “study”. Experimental design was found mostly especially in one group pretest-posttest design. Sampling method was found the most in Purposive sampling. Frequent sample found was students and followed by teachers and expert. Upper secondary level was mostly found in Educational level of sample. The subject area found the most was Physics and followed by Biology. Lesson plans were mostly used in research instruments and analyzing methods mostly used descriptive statistic. The result of STEM Education effected to problem solving skills using one sample t- test found that students’problem solving skills mean score in the post-test were higher than that in the pre-test after learning by STEM Education approach at both the 0.01 and 0.05 level of significance relating to the analyzing method by using mean and standard deviation and growth score.