Investigation of secondary school students’ self-efficacy for STEM activities

Öz

The STEM education approach aims to raise qualified individuals who can create global competitiveness. The high self-efficacy of the students in STEM disciplines will ensure that the goals are achieved smoothly. This research was aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale that can measure secondary school students' self-efficacy towards STEM activities. In addition, it was aimed to examine secondary school students' self-efficacy towards STEM activities in terms of different variables. The research, in which the survey design was used, was conducted with 786 (N1=445; N2=341) secondary school students. “STEM Activities Self-Efficacy Scale (STEM-ASES)” was developed, in which the χ2/df value and the model-structure fit perfectly and it fits well according to the CFI and TLI values with a reliability coefficient of (0.939). In addition, as a result of the research, it was stated that the secondary school students’ STEM activities self-efficacy scores did not show a statistically significant difference according to the variables of gender, school type, class level and frequency of technological use. However, it was stated that the students' self-efficacy in STEM activities differed statistically according to their achievement scores.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• STEM
• STEM self-efficacy
• secondary school students

Kaynakça

1. Akkoyunlu, B. & Kurbanoğlu, S. (2003). A study on teacher candidates’ perceived information lıteracy self-efficacy and perceived computer self-efficacy. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 24(24), 98-105. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/hunefd/issue/7812/102529
2. Aşılıoğlu, B. & Yaman, F. (2020). Investigation of pre-service teachers STEM awareness levels. EKEV Akademi Dergisi, 0(84), 87-100. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/sosekev/issue/71841/1152863
3. Aydın, G., Saka, M., & Guzey, S. (2017). Science, technology, engineering, mathematic (stem) attitude levels in grades 4th- 8th. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 13(2) 787-802. http://dx.doi.org/10.17860/mersinefd.29031
4. Bahçepınar, U. (2023). Investigation of secondary school students' self-efficacy for STEM activities. (Master thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr.
5. Balçın, M. D., Çavuş, R., & Topaloǧlu, M. Y. (2018). Investigation of secondary school students’ attitudes towards stem and their interest towards professions in STEM fields. Asian Journal of Instruction, 6(2), 40-62. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/aji/issue/41386/425415
6. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191- 215.
7. Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundation of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
8. Bıkmaz, H. F. (2004). The validity and reliability study of the elementary school teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs scale. National Education Journal, 31(161), 172-180.

9. Brown, P. L., Concannon, J. P., Marx, D., Donaldson, C., & Black, A. (2016). An examination of middle school students' STEM self-efficacy, interests and perceptions. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 17(3), 27-38. https://www.jstem.org/jstem/index.php/JSTEM/article/view/2137/1784
10. Bulut, T. (2020). Examination of STEM attitudes of secondary school students in terms of different variables. Asian Journal of Instruction, 8(2), 17-32. https://doi.org/10.47215/aji.713778
11. Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2010). Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı[Handbook of data analysis for the social sciences (12th ed.)]. Ankara: Pegem Akademi Publishing.
12. Çakıcı, Y. (2013). A prerequisite in science education: understanding nature of science. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 29(29), 57-74.
13. Çevik, M., Danıştay, A., & Yağcı, A. (2017). Evaluation of STEM (science – technology – engineering – mathematics) awareness of secondary school teachers with various variables. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 7(3), 584- 599. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.335008
14. Dadacan, G. (2021). The research of the pre-service teachers' self sufficiency awareness and orientation in STEM education (Master's thesis), Hacettepe University.
15. Demirtas, Z., & Eksioglu, S. (2020). Prospective teachers' STEM awareness and information communication technologies usage levels. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 8(4), 67-85.
16. Duman, B. (2017). The effects of the self efficacy beliefs of high school students about English on their English performance due to gender, range and grade. (Master's thesis), Yıldız Teknik University.
17. Ekici, G. (2009). Adaptatıon of the biology self-effıcacy scale to Turkish. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 17(1), 111-124.
18. Eroğlu, S., & Bektaş, O. (2016). Ideas of science teachers took STEM education about STEM based activities. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi - Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 4(3), 43-67. https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.4c3s3m
19. Evasns, E. M. (2015). Preparing elementary pre-service teachers to integrate STEM: A mixedmethods study. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), Northern Illinois University, Illinois.
20. Gonzalez, H. B., & Kuenzi, J. J. (2012). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: A primer. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
21. Gök, N. (2022). Middle school students' attitudes towards STEM and their views on the nature of engineering. (Master's thesis), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University.
22. Hacıömeroğlu, G. (2020). Turkish adaptation study of the ınstrument of self-efficacy and concerns about STEM education for pre-service teachers. Eğitimde Kuram ve Uygulama, 16(2), 165-177. http://dx.doi.org/10.17244/eku.788985
23. Holden, H., & Rada, R. (2011). Understanding the influence of perceived usability and technology self-efficacy on teachers’ technology acceptance. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43(4), 343-367.
24. Hsu, M. C., Purzer, S., & Cardella, M. E. (2011). Elementary teachers’ views about teaching design, engineering, and technology. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research, 1(2), 31-39.
25. Karakaya, F., & Avgın, S.S. (2016). Effect of demographic features to middle school students’ attitude towards FeTeMM (STEM). Journal of Human Sciences, 13(3), 4188-4198. https://doi.org/10.14687/jhs.v13i3.4104
26. Karakaya (2021). Investigating science high school students' STEM integration processes. (Doctoral thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr.
27. Karakaya, F., & Yılmaz, M. (2022). Developing the STEM activities self-efficacy perception scale: validity and reliability study. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 20(2), 610-629. https://doi.org/10.37217/tebd.1095954
28. Karakaya, F., Ünal, A., Çimen, O., & Yılmaz, M. (2018). STEM awareness levels of science teachers. Eğitim ve Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi, 5(1), 124-138.
29. Karasar, N. (2006). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemi [Scientific research method]. Ankara: Nobel Pub.
30. Katehi, L., Pearson, G., & Feder, M. (2009). Engineering in K-12 education: Understanding the status and improving the prospects. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
31. Kennedy, T. J., & Odell, M. R. (2014). Engaging students in STEM education. Science Education International, 25(3), 246-258.
32. Koonce, D. A., Zhou, J., Anderson, C.D., Hening, D.A., & Conley, V.M. (2011). What is STEM? Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2—18582.
33. Korkmaz, Ö. (2011). Öğretmen adaylarının öğretim materyallerinden yararlanmaya dönük özyeterlilik algıları [Self-efficacy perceptions of teacher candidates towards benefiting from teaching materials]. Eğitim Teknolojileri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2(4), 319-333.
34. Leech, N.L., Barrett, K. C., & Morgan, G. A. (2005). SPSS for intermediate statistics: Use and interpretation (2nd ed.). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
35. Luo, T., So, W. W. M., Li, W. C., & Yao, J. (2021). The development and validation of a survey for evaluating primary students’ self-efficacy in STEM activities. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 30, 408-419.
36. Ministry of National Education [MoNE] (2018). 2023 Education Vision. http://2023vizyonu.meb.gov.tr/doc/2023_EGITIM_VIZYONU.pdf
37. Özdemir, A. U., & Cappellaro, E. (2020). Elementary school teachers’ STEM awareness and their opinions towards stem education practices. Fen Bilimleri Öğretimi Dergisi, 8(1), 46-75. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/fbod/issue/71986/1157994
38. Özdemir, A., Yaman, C. & Vural, R. A. (2018). Development of the teacher self-efficacy scale for STEM practices: A validity and reliability study. Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 5(2), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.30803/adusobed.427718
39. Öztürk, F. Ö. (2019). Views on STEM applications and their impact on scientific attitude and self-efficacy belief in science teaching. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 52, 01-38. https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.409368
40. Özyurt, M., Kayiran, B. K., & Başaran, M. (2018). Analysis of primary school students’ attitudes towards STEM in terms of various variables. Turkish Studies, 13(4), 65-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.12700
41. Sanders, M.E. (2009). STEM, STEMeducation, STEMmania. The Technology Teacher, 1, 20–26. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51616
42. Savran Gencer, A., Doğan, H., Bilen, K., & Can, B. (2019). Integrated STEM education models. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 45(45), 38-55. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/pauefd/issue/41649/433453
43. Selçuk, E. (2019). Development of a likert type attitude scale of teachers toward school principals: reliability and validity study. Ihlara Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 4(1), 112-132.
44. Senemoğlu, N. (2007). Gelişim Öğrenme ve Öğretim: Kuramdan Uygulamaya. Ankara: Gönül Yayıncılık.
45. Sheu, H.B., Lent, R.W., Brown, S.D., Miller, M.J., Hennessy, K.D., & Duggy, R.D. (2010). Testing the choice model of social cognitive career theory across Holland themes: a meta-analytic path analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 252 –264.
46. Sungur Gül, K., Saylan Kırmızıgül, A., & Ateş, H. (2022). Review of STEM Education in Primary and Secondary Education in Turkey. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 13(1), 544-568. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.931501
47. Şahin, E. (2019). Determination of professional competence of teachers on the STEM education. (Master's thesis), Gazi University.
48. Tabachnick, B.G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics. USA: Pearson Education Limited.
49. Tavşancıl, E. (2006). Tutumların ölçülmesi ve spss ile veri analizi [Measurement of attitudes and data analysis with SPSS]. Ankara: Nobel
50. Tekerek, B., & Karakaya, F. (2018). STEM education awareness of pre-service science teachers. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 5(2), 348-359. http://iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/310/239
51. Timur, B., & Belek, F. (2020). Investigation of the effects of STEM activities on pre-service teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and their STEM intention levels. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 50, 315-332. https://doi.org/10.9779/pauefd.465824
52. Uğraş, M. (2019). An investigation of the relationship between middle school students’ STEM attitudes and science self-efficacy beliefs with STEM career interest. Akademik Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 7(89), 279-292. http://dx.doi.org/10.16992/ASOS.14905
53. Uluyol, Ç. & Eryılmaz, S. (2015). Evaluation of FATIH project in the consideration of 21st century skills. Gazi Üniversitesi Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 35(2), 209-229. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/gefad/issue/6772/91207
54. Unfried, A., Faber, M., & Wiebe, E. (2014). Gender and student attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University, 51, 1-26.
55. Wang, H. (2012). A new era of science education: Science teachers' perceptions and classroom practices of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) integration (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), Minnesota University.
56. Yıldırım, B. (2013, Kasım). STEM eğitimi ve Türkiye. IV. Ulusal İlköğretim Bölümleri Öğrenci Kongresi’nde sunulmuş bildiri, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaşi Veli Üniversitesi, Nevşehir.
57. Yıldırım, B., & Altun, Y. (2015). Investigating the effect of STEM education and engineering applications on science laboratory lectures. El-Cezeri, 2(2), 28-40. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ecjse/issue/4899/67132.
58. Yılmaz, H., Koyunkaya, M. Y., Güler, F., & Güzey, S. (2017). Turkish adaptation of the attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education scale. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 25(5), 1787-1800. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/kefdergi/issue/31226/342740