Determinants of Students’ STEM Attitudes in Primary School: Reading Experience, Preschool Education and Career Choice

Year 2025, Issue: 56

Duygu Sarı , Mehmet Katrancı , Uğur Sarı

https://doi.org/10.33418/education.1510178

Abstract

This study aims to examine primary school students’ STEM attitudes in terms of some demographic characteristics and to reveal their determinants. 616 students who are in the fourth grade of primary school in a province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey participated in the study. The descriptive survey model was used in the study. The data of the study were collected through a personal information form and a STEM attitude scale. In the analysis of the data, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests were used together with the descriptive statistics results. In addition, the effect size value was calculated for all the obtained results. As a result of the study, it was determined that STEM attitudes differed significantly according to whether the students received preschool education, whether they followed science-themed children's magazines, the number of books they read per month, the type of book they liked to read and the profession they chose; however, the gender variable did not have a significant effect. According to the results, it was suggested that students should gain reading habits, follow science-themed magazines and be supported in reading science fiction books. In addition, the importance of educational policies aimed at expanding preschool education in order to increase interest in STEM fields was emphasized.

Keywords

Primary school, STEM attitude, reading experience, career choice

Ethical Statement

Kırıkkale University Social and Humanities Research Ethics Committee Date: 18.02.2021, Number: 2021-02/02)

İlkokulda öğrencilerin STEM tutumlarının belirleyicileri: okuma kültürü, okul öncesi eğitim ve kariyer seçimi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı ilkokul öğrencilerinin STEM tutumlarını bazı demografik özellikler açısından incelemek ve belirleyicilerini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Türkiye'nin İç Anadolu Bölgesi'ndeki bir ilde ilkokul dördüncü sınıfta öğrenim gören 616 öğrenci araştırmaya katıldı. Betimsel tarama modelinde tasarlanan araştırmada veriler, kişisel bilgi formu ve STEM tutum ölçeği aracılığıyla toplandı. Verilerin analizinde tanımlayıcı istatistik sonuçlarıyla birlikte Mann-Whitney U ve Kruskal Wallis H testleri kullanıldı. Ayrıca elde edilen tüm sonuçlar için etki büyüklüğü değeri hesaplandı. Araştırma sonucunda öğrencilerin STEM tutumunun yüksek düzeyde olduğu belirlendi. STEM tutumun okul öncesi eğitim alma ve bilim temalı çocuk dergisi takip etme durumuna, bir aylık sürede okuduğu kitap sayısına, okumaktan hoşlandığı kitap türüne, gelecekte yapmayı düşündüğü mesleğe göre anlamlı düzeyde farklılık gösterdiği, cinsiyet değişkeninin ise anlamlı düzeyde bir etkisinin olmadığı belirlendi.

Keywords

İlkokul, STEM tutum, Kariyer seçimi, Okuma deneyimi

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