ENRICHMENT OF NATURE AND SCIENCE CAMPS: INVESTIGATION OF A STEM CAMP DESIGNED FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

Abstract

Enrichment models for the education of gifted students have a wide transferability potential for the activities in out-of-school learning environments. This study aims to investigate how nature and science camp designed based on the Maker enrichment model for gifted students in STEM education enriches the contexts of learning environment, content, process, and product. STEM education-themed nature and science camp, which is supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), has offered an intensive seven-day program for the participants. The study group of this case study research consists of 29 (n = 15 boys, n = 14 girls) gifted students who attended the Science and Art Centers from 13 different cities of Turkey and 14 camp instructors. The data were collected using activity, camp and instructor evaluation forms, and researcher observation notes. Findings indicate that the camp has been enriched with the features of being a complex structure especially for the learning environment, emphasizing complexity in the context of the content, highlighting higher levels of thinking based on the process, and creating designs for the solutions of real problems in the theme of the product. The results revealed that nature and science camp supported STEM education of gifted students by being unique based on learning environment, content, process, and product.

Keywords

• nature and science camp
• gifted students
• STEM education
• Maker enrichment model

DOĞA VE BİLİM KAMPLARININ ZENGİNLEŞTİRİLMESİ: ÖZEL YETENEKLİ ÖĞRENCİLERE YÖNELİK TASARLANAN BİR STEM KAMPININ İNCELENMESİ

Abstract

Özel yeteneklilerin eğitiminde zenginleştirme modelleri okul dışı öğrenme ortamlardaki etkinlikler için geniş bir uygulama potansiyeline sahiptir. Mevcut araştırma, STEM eğitimi kapsamında özel yetenekli öğrenciler için Maker zenginleştirme modeline dayalı olarak tasarlanan bir doğa ve bilim kampının öğrenme ortamı, içerik, süreç ve ürün bağlamlarında nasıl zenginleştirdiğini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. STEM eğitimi temalı doğa ve bilim kampı, Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu (TÜBİTAK) tarafından desteklenen yedi günlük yoğunlaştırılmış bir programı içermektedir. Durum çalışmasına dayalı araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Türkiye’nin 13 farklı şehrinde yer alan Bilim ve Sanat Merkezlerine devam eden 29 (n = 15 kız ve n = 14 erkek) özel yetenekli öğrenci ve 14 kamp eğitmeni oluşmaktadır. Araştırma verileri etkinlik, kamp ve eğitmen değerlendirme formları ve araştırmacı gözlem notları ile toplanmıştır. Araştırma bulguları doğa ve bilim kampının özellikle öğrenme ortamı için bütünleşik bir yapıda olma, içerik bağlamında karmaşıklığa vurgu yapma, süreç temelinde üst düzey düşünmeyi öne çıkarma ve ürün temasında gerçek sorunların çözümüne yönelik tasarımlar oluşturma özelikleri ile zenginleştirildiğine işaret etmektedir. Bu sonuçlar doğa ve bilim kampının öğrenme ortamı, içerik, süreç ve ürün temelinde özgünleşerek özel yetenekli öğrencilerin STEM eğitimini desteklediğini ortaya koymuştur.

Keywords

• özel yetenekli öğrenciler
• STEM eğitimi
• Maker zenginleştirme modeli
• doğa ve bilim kampı

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