Abstract:

In this study, it was aimed at eliciting the trends in STEM education research performed in Turkey. As a qualitative research method, content analysis was a means to examine the studies. STEM education studies in Turkey were analyzed regarding distribution by year, research methods, data collection and analysis techniques, research subject, and research findings. In this context, 50 studies published in the last decade has been reached. We found that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of studies conducted in Turkey. The studies focused mostly on teachers, who have served and were prepared to serve in the field of science. A case study as a research method was preferred to investigate in STEM education studies. Interview as a data collection method was performed in the studies. The main purpose of STEM education studies during the course of our inquiry was to elicit the opinions of students, teachers, and experts about STEM education and its practices. In this study, our findings were synthesized within the framework of six different themes in the field of STEM education; skill development, learning activities, attitude, career choices, problems associated with STEM implementations, and others. It was concluded that STEM education researchers mostly tended to elicit the opinions and suggestions of stakeholders about STEM education. Besides, they tended to explore the effect of STEM education on the 21st-century skills, STEM disciplines integrations, career choices of students, the misconceptions about STEM professions, and stakeholders' attitudes towards STEM education. It is suggested to conduct more research on STEM content production, engineering, and design skills, and STEMrelated textbooks.

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