Abstract
STEM education is an integrated approach that combines science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines with different subjects in real life situations, together and simultaneously. The views of pre-service teachers introduced to STEM by means of workshops that presented information and scales on STEM education regarding the subject were collected in this study. The participants of the study were the senior class students at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Education, Physical Sciences (37 members) and Mathematics Education (20 members). A survey with open-ended questions was used to collect data. A descriptive content analysis was performed and the data were summarized in the tables. The results showed that the pre-service teachers have more positive views about the STEM approach, and there is not a significant difference between the views of science and mathematics teachers. Also, they reported positive views about making such applications in their future classes.
Highlights
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, one of the significant developments in the education of twenty first century, is an approach that combines engineering and mathematics content and skills [2, 5, 15, 19, 25]
Due to the fast economic, social, scientific and technological developments of our age, students need to be raised as individuals with twenty first century skills such as creative and innovative, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making skills as well acknowledge about scientific reading-writing, life and career, and sense of responsibility
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines play a significant role in developing these twenty first century skills [1, 4, 24]. Gaining these skills is important for making decisions in social, economic and political issues [24].It is noted that students trained with STEM education grow up to be problem solver, innovative, self-confident, logically thinker, science and technology author-reader individuals and those STEM programs using information technologies contribute the development of critical thinking skills of students [16]
Summary
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, one of the significant developments in the education of twenty first century, is an approach that combines engineering and mathematics content and skills [2, 5, 15, 19, 25]. It is intended to educate students in an integrated way and allow them to gain twenty first century skills through the STEM education In this regard, science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines play a significant role in developing these twenty first century skills [1, 4, 24]. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines play a significant role in developing these twenty first century skills [1, 4, 24] Gaining these skills is important for making decisions in social, economic and political issues [24].It is noted that students trained with STEM education grow up to be problem solver, innovative, self-confident, logically thinker, science and technology author-reader individuals and those STEM programs using information technologies contribute the development of critical thinking skills of students [16]. Students lacking STEM skills could not head towards science and engineering related professions or disciplines that require literacy in mathematics, science and technology [7]
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