Eğitimcilerin STEM Uygulamalarına ilişkin Görüşlerinin Belirlenmesi

Öz

STEM eğitimi, öğrencileri 21. yüzyıl iş gücü gereksinimlerine hazırlamada önemli bir yere sahiptir. Bu çalışma, öğretmenlerin STEM eğitimi konusundaki görüşlerini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu hedefe ulaşmak için, çalışmada betimsel nitel yaklaşım benimsemiş olup, nitel içerik analizi ve tematik analiz yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Çalışma verileri yarı yapılandırılmış birebir görüşmeler yoluyla elde edilmiştir. Araştırma soruları, STEM uygulamaları ve uygulayıcıların özellikleri, STEM uygulamalarının eğitimsel değeri ve STEM uygulamalarını değerlendirme sürecine odaklanmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar dört tema ve 52 alt tema ortaya çıkarmış ve bu temalar STEM öğretmeninin alan bilgisi, pedagoji, mühendislik ve entegrasyon konularındaki bilgisinin önemine işaret etmektedir. Bulgular incelendiğinde, STEM uygulamaları esnasında teknoloji kullanımının önemi, iş birliğinin teşvik edilmesi ve sürdürülmesi, eleştirel düşünmenin teşvik edilmesi, üretkenliğin artırılması, disiplinler arası dayanışmanın sağlanması, yaratıcılığın artırılması, iletişimin güçlendirilmesi, akran onayının sağlanması ve güncel sorunları çözmeye katkı sağlaması gibi kavramlar STEM eğitimi açısından öne çıkan kavramlardır. Araştırma bulgularının, STEM eğitimi çalışmalarına katkı sağlaması ve STEM uygulayıcılarına ışık tutması beklenmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• STEM
• STEM eğitimi
• nitel araştırma
• öğretmen görüşleri.

Uncovering the Perspectives of Educators Regarding the STEM Practices in Schools

Abstract

STEM education is a crucial aspect of preparing students for the demands of the 21st century workforce. The present study aims to explore the perspectives of STEM practitioners on their teaching practices. To achieve this aim, we employed a descriptive qualitative approach, utilizing both qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. The study involved eight STEM practitioners who participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The research questions posed in the study focused on the features of STEM practices and practitioners, the educational value of STEM practices, and the evaluation process of STEM practices. The results revealed four themes and 52 subthemes, highlighting the importance of a STEM teacher's knowledge of the field, pedagogy, engineering, and integration. The study emphasizes the significance of using technology during STEM practices, encouraging collaborative work, ensuring cooperation, providing critical thinking, increasing productivity, ensuring interdisciplinary solidarity, increasing creativity, strengthening communication, providing peer agreement, providing cognitive thinking, and attempting to solve contemporary problems. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing discourse on STEM education and provide insights into the perspectives of STEM practitioners.

Keywords

• STEM
• STEM education
• qualitative research
• teacher views

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