Determination of STEM Product-Performance Levels and Opinions of Seventh Grade Students

Abstract

This study aimed to determine science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) product performance levels andSTEM education views of seventh-grade-level secondary school students during implementation of the activities involvingintegration of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering prepared for secondary school students. This was a case study,and the activities involving integration of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering were executed with seventh gradesecondary school students in a public school in the Aydın province over a 10-week period during the spring semester of the2016–2017 academic year. The study group consisted of 16 girls and 6 boys. To gather the students’ views on STEM education,semi-structured interviews were conducted with students after the implementation of the activities. Moreover, the processand product of the students’ designs during activities were evaluated with product-oriented performance rubric. Consequently,the students developed positive views toward interdisciplinary education and science-engineering integration; 21st centuryskills such as design skills, creativity, collaborative work, critical thinking, and problem solving; and handcraft. According tothe observation data, students were working as a group, taking responsibility, and using design process, using science andengineering together, and having the ability to design creative products. However, the students also had problems using timeeffectively, lacked the ability to share work, handcrafts, disagreements, and competitive pressure during STEM activities.