Abstract:

Recently, STEM activity practices in the field of science education and the potential effects of these practices on students are among important research subjects. Therefore, this study has studied the impact of practices performed with STEM activities on the perceptions of students’ problem-solving skills. The method of research is a semi-experimental pattern with a pre-test final-test control group, and the research was carried out in 2018-2019 educational year, with 60 eighth-class students studying in a state high school (experimental group=30 students, control group=30 students) in the course of scientific practices in a total of 6 weeks, with 2 hours of lessons per week. During the application process, both the experimental group and the control group students worked in collaborative groups. In the framework of the research, the application of the specified STEM activities is carried out with the students of the experiment group, while the courses are processed as provided by the course of science application with the students of the control group. In the research, the data collection tool was used as a "problem-solving skills-oriented perception scale". Quantitative data obtained from the study were analyzed by t-test for dependent and independent groups. When the research results were studied, it was found that the perception scale for the problem-solving skills of the experimental group had a significant increase in the results compared to the control group. According to this conclusion, it can be said that the STEM activity practices performed with the experimental group students have contributed positively to the perception of the students’ problem-solving skills. Given the results of the study, it is believed that the STEM activities that will be held with students in classes will develop the students’ skills of scientific questioning and solving complex problems.

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