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International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology

Volume 4, Number 1, 2016 ISSN: 2147-611X

4

1

2016

2147-611X



EDITORIAL BOARD

Editors Mack SHELLEY - Iowa State University, U.S.A. Ismail SAHIN - Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey

Section Editors Arthur POWELL - Rutgers University, U.S.A.

Utkun AYDIN - MEF University, Turkey

Chun-Yen CHANG - National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

I. Ozgur ZEMBAT - Mevlana University, Turkey

Jacqueline T. MCDONNOUGH - Virginia Commonwealth University, U.S.A.

Meric OZGELDI - Mersin University, Turkey

Lina TANKELEVICIENE - Siauliai University, Lithuania

Niyazi ERDOGAN - Balikesir University, Turkey

Sandra ABEGGLEN - London Metropolitan University, U.K.

Guest Editors Sencer CORLU - Bilkent University, Turkey Niyazi ERDOGAN - Balikesir University, Turkey

Editorial Board Ann D. THOMPSON - Iowa State University, U.S.A

Bill COBERN - Western Michigan University, U.S.A.

Douglas B. CLARK - Vanderbilt University, U.S.A.

Gokhan OZDEMIR - Nigde University, Turkey

Hakan AKCAY - Yildiz Technical University, Turkey

Huseh-Hua CHUANG - National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan

Igor M. VERNER - Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel

Ilhan VARANK - Yildiz Technical University, Turkey

James M. LAFFEY - University of Missouri, U.S.A.

Kamisah OSMAN - National University of Malaysia, Malaysia

Lynne SCHRUM - George Mason University, U.S.A.

Mary B. NAKHLEH - Purdue University, U.S.A.

Musa DIKMENLI - Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey

Muteb ALQAHTANI - Rutgers University, U.S.A.

Ok-Kyeong KIM - Western Michigan University, U.S.A.

Pasha ANTONENKO - Oklahoma State University, U.S.A.

Paul ERNEST - University of Exeter, UK

Pornrat WATTANAKASIWICH - Chiang Mai University, Thailand

Robert E. YAGER - University of Iowa, U.S.A.

Sanjay SHARMA - Roorkee E&M Technology Institute, India

Sinan ERTEN - Hacettepe University, Turkey

Tsung-Hau JEN - National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

William F. MCCOMAS - University of Arkansas, U.S.A.

Yilmaz SAGLAM - Gaziantep University, Turkey

Technical Support Selahattin ALAN - Seluk University, Turkey Ismail CELIK Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey

International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (IJEMST) The International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (IJEMST) is a peer-reviewed scholarly online journal. The IJEMST is

published quarterly in January, April, July and October. The IJEMST welcomes any papers on math education, science education and educational technology

using techniques from and applications in any technical knowledge domain: original theoretical works, literature reviews, research reports, social issues,

psychological issues, curricula, learning environments, research in an educational context, book reviews, and review articles. The articles should be original,

unpublished, and not in consideration for publication elsewhere at the time of submission to the IJEMST. Access to the Journal articles is free to individuals,

libraries and institutions through IJEMSTs website.

Abstracting/ Indexing The IJEMST are indexed by the following abstracting and indexing services: Ulrich Index, ASOS Index, Journal Seek, JournalRate, Directory of Research

Journals Indexing (DRJI), Infobase Index, ResearchBib, Index Copernicus, TUBITAK ULAKBIM Dergipark, ERIH, Scientific Indexing Service (SIS), and

Education Resources Information Center (ERIC).

Submissions All submissions should be in electronic (.Doc or .Docx) format. Submissions in PDF and other non-editable formats are not acceptable. Manuscripts can be

submitted through the journal website. All manuscripts should use the latest APA style. The manuscript template for formatting is available on the journal

website.

Contact Info International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (IJEMST)

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://www.ijemst.com



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Through Biodiversity and Multiplicative Principles Turkish Students Transform the Culture of

STEM Education

Robert M. Capraro, Mary Margaret Capraro, Luciana R. Barroso, James R. Morgan

1

Moving STEM Beyond Schools: Students Perceptions about an Out-of-School STEM

Education Program

Evrim Baran, Sedef Canbazoglu Bilici, Canan Mesutoglu, Ceren Ocak

9

Evaluation of Learning Gains through Integrated STEM Projects

Mehmet Ali Corlu, Emin Aydin

20

Lessons Learned: Authenticity, Interdisciplinarity, and Mentoring for STEM Learning

Environments

Mehmet C. Ayar , Bugrahan Yalvac

30

Mathematical Modeling: A Bridge to STEM Education

Mahmut Kertil , Cem Gurel

44

STEM Images Revealing STEM Conceptions of Pre-Service Chemistry and Mathematics

Teachers

Sevil Akaygun, Fatma Aslan-Tutak

56


Volume 4, Number 1, 2016 DOI:10.18404/ijemst.26478

Through Biodiversity and Multiplicative Principles Turkish Students

Transform the Culture of STEM Education

Robert M. Capraro, Mary Margaret Capraro, Luciana R. Barroso, James R. Morgan

Article Info Abstract Article History

Received:

27 July 2015

In this article the principle investigators of the various projects that comprise

Aggie STEM at Texas A&M University discuss the impact and cross pollination

of having graduate students from Turkey working and conducting their research

as part of the multi-college Aggie STEM project. Turkish students have been

engaged in instrumental roles since the inception of Aggie STEM and its growth

as a tightly intertwined multi-national and ubiquitous STEM entity. The

influence of Turkish students has spanned the entire gamut, from app

development, which preceded the trend at the beginning of the new millennium,

to innovative curricula and pedagogies that became enculturated into everyday

life. Perhaps the greatest contribution offered by the scholars is that, as students,

they engaged broadly in research, published prolifically and continue in these

activities as they assumed the mantle of leadership as tenure track professors,

administrators, policy makers, and program officers in the U.S. and throughout

the world.

Accepted:

11 October 2015

Keywords

STEM education

STEM education culture

Biodiversity

Multiplicative principles

Introduction

Myriad challenges lurk for the four disciplines of mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. Some

may argue that only one is really a discipline and the others combine and reorganize information from one to

form the other disciplines, where varying other skills become more or less emphasized depending on which

other subject one is interested in. For example, science can be viewed as the messier and more natural

exemplification of the precise mathematical world. Science would then be described as making observations of

messy real world events in the attempt to quantify, generalize, and eventually assign a mathematical model that

accurately describes observations. The reality is that each field builds on, relies on, and inter-reacts with the

others more or less given some set of conditions, expectations, and potential outcomes.

There are many challenges facing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and

its successful implementation, none of which is greater than the ill-informed and self-proclaimed STEM

educator or STEM education specialist. When the National Science Foundation transformed the arrangement of

the starting letters for mathematics, engineering, technology, and science into the ubiquitous STEM, it created a

void. What we know from science is that nature abhors a void. While the void concept works, consider

evolution and the work of Darwin species voids are filled, unfortunately not always as elegantly as the now

extinct specie that vacated it. Perhaps the more prominent void filler was Homo Sapiens. Many species have

gone extinct since our arrival on the scene with about seven new extinctions every 24 hours (Vidal, 2011).

We rushed into the ecological landscape and quickly put our thumbprint on all other species and ecosystems on

the planet and since then humans have become quite comfortable rushing into voids even when that help is often

misguided and premature. That void created by the new term STEM became the destination into which many

sprinted. Some transferred from business, some from law, and some from various education disciplines. The

influx of non-subject matter specialists was potentially damaging to the STEM education mission. There were

no credentials required to proclaim ones expertise in STEM other than to add four simple letters arranged into a

now meaningful and pronounceable acronym, STEM, to ones business card.

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Capraro, Capraro, Barroso & Morgan

Multiplying Success

The idea of filling voids with STEM generalists is as repugnant as the potential loss of the Humpback whale, the

platypus, or the mudskipper. The response to filling voids with STEM generalists is to train diverse people in

ways that allow them to be aware of, responsible to, and tolerant of curricular diversity where groups of

individuals work collaboratively to address STEM needs. Each person pursuing a STEM degree beyond the

baccalaureate does so with the hope of deepening and enriching his or her knowledge of that subject. If that

person persists in higher education, eventually she or he becomes an expert in that particular STEM discipline

and earns a terminal degree (i.e, Phd or EdD). It is that terminal degree that signifies that expertise.

How do the ideas of disciplines and voids account for changes in the educational landscape that are influenced

by STEM? The answer can be as convoluted as the problem. First, does the problem really exist? Is there

really a thing called STEM education? If there is such a thing as STEM, how can it be described so that

everyone who sees it knows that it is STEM? How is STEM different from what has always been done?

Finally, what are the anticipated outcomes of STEM done well? While the answer is trite train diverse

people in ways that allow them to be aware of, responsible to, and tolerant of curricular diversity where groups

of individuals work collaboratively to address STEM needs it is not simplistic in implementation. It requires

new and expanding collaboration, diversity, and dedication to change, or we are constrained to doing what has

always been done and reaping the same outcomes we have seen historically.

Collaboration

Using the ideas from broad contexts explored through multiple lenses can provide insights to problems that

would otherwise go unexplored or seemingly unanswered. What we learn from the multiplicative identity

property is that the number of problems multiplied by one person exploring the problem results in the exact

same number of problems. But the nature of STEM work is that we need to be able to explore more problems

effectively, so we need to think about another property of multiplication that can afford greater success. The

commutative property is one that can be made analogous to developing partnerships to solve problems, that is,

multiple people working on multiple problems resulting in the same exact same number of solutions regardless

of where we start, either with the number of problems or the number of people. The importance here is that

while we have a fixed approach, the product or the solutions are greater than the identity condition given the

same sample set. For example, from the identity property we had eight problems, and at the end we still had

eight problems (8 1) because one person cannot really address them adequately. At best, we might actually

find eight solutions. However, from the commutative property we started with eight problems and now have

two people, so the potential solutions increase to 16.

The Origin of Aggie STEM

The collaborations began when Semsettin Beser, a very bright and talented young man from Ankara, arrived to

contribute to the STEM transformation. His interests moved the entire mathematics education program into the

idea of technology mediated instruction and assessment. He developed a very adaptable and secure testing and

analysis system as part of his work towards his Masters of Science degree. The foundational impact of this

work was that it lived well beyond his time at A&M. Six doctoral students and three masters students used that

system after he graduated. But most importantly, the data gathered through that system gave rise to the first

awarded grant that led to the inception of Aggie STEM. The multiplicative property gave way to the

Associative property with another student a top student Tufan Adiguzel. He assured that we understood the

power of handheld computing technology and its impact on mathematics learning. While he performed his

work in Educational Psychology, his work was groundbreaking, showing that personal handheld devices were

acceptable both to students and teachers for just in time data collection (Adiguzel, Capraro, & Willson, 2011).

However, the versatility of his work was not fully understood until it was broadly applied across all STEM

disciplines. The work of Aggie STEM branched out to include clicker technology, iPads, and Moodle as an

online course delivery model. Aggie STEM now reaches more than 300 teachers per year across the United

States thanks to his contributions and the acceptability of on-line learning.

Another contributor, unique in many ways, in this era was Hamza Anderoglu. His major was counseling with a

broad interest in psycho-social influences on learning. Through his interests, we explored the impact of Project-

based learning on students attitudes and interests to learn STEM subjects. His influence in this area was not

fully realized until nearly four years after his graduation, when Aggie STEM earned its first grant award to

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Int J Educ Math Sci Technol

explore and understand how students feelings about STEM PBL influenced their achievement and desire to

pursue post secondary STEM education. His perspective on and concern for the individual provided a catalyst

that moved the research team to explore new inquiry methods and the courage to explore the more affective side

of STEM teaching and learning (e.g., Corlu, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014).

Aggie STEM Reaches Critical Mass

As Aggie STEM grew, its work attracted a student, Sencer Corlu, whose interests would prove transformational

in a very translational way. The foresight of the Ottoman Empire to build a system that accelerated the sciences

and mathematics through an interconnected and multidisciplinary approach showed that our STEM problem was

deeply rooted in the human condition. The Ottoman Empire had designed schools of choice with different foci

to achieve different purposes and to meet the needs of its ever-expanding society. The mechanical designs that

originated from the Matrakc era in the Ottoman Empire were a precursor to engineering as a discipline and an

early-integrated subject into science and mathematics. Sencer made the very important connection to these

early foundations of STEM education that were laid circa 1299 (e.g., Corlu, Burlbaw, Capraro, Corlu, & Han,

2010). His work, based on early translated works, also demonstrated how schools of choice gave rise to in-

depth study and had the potential to achieve greater gains than those possible in comparable schools of that era.

His groundwork established a foundation on which subsequent students have built what has become a

productive line of inquiry, that is, examining how modern day charter schools, STEM schools, and other

incarnations of schools of choice influence the educational landscape and pockets of phenomenal success.

The nexus of science with the other subjects in STEM has been lacking, but the next transformational

contribution came from an unlikely source. The science perspective was and remains orthogonal to some

mathematical ideas. The conflict in these perspectives stems from using different sources of primary

information about similar constructs, dependence on research methods that are distinct by discipline, and core

differences in paradigm that permeate the subject to manifest as a unique culture. Niyazi Erdogan joined Aggie

STEM on a trial basis to see how his research interests would intersect those of the group and to determine the

potential for deep catalyzing change. The challenge would be not just accommodating his perspectives but

integrating them into the core essence of what Aggie STEM would someday grow to be. His research built on

the historical contributions of those who came before but grew into a multifaceted approach laden with policy

implications related to the creation of schools of choice focused around the STEM concept (Erdogan, Corlu, &

Capraro, 2013). The contribution opened the door to the finding that designated STEM schools, while

implementing a specific program or guidelines, were not uniformly better than any other public school. This

was not to say that STEM schools did not have bright spots, but they were univocal and tended to be most

beneficial for traditionally underserved populations. Therefore, these schools of choice were not necessarily

worth the added monetary investment it required to become a designated STEM school and with regard to

science achievement were not hitting their mark.

As Aggie STEM added foci and integrated content greater diversity new paradigms arose. As part of those

paradigms new and innovative quantitative designs. This earlier work has grown in scope and perspective with

iterations from Ayse Tugba Oner and Ali Bicer. Each expanded on the prior contributions of their predecessors

to build a more comprehensive view of charter schools, STEM schools, and STEM charter schools relative to

comparable groups (Bicer, Navruz, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014; Bicer, Navruz, Capraro, Capraro, Oner, &

Boedeker, 2015; Navruz, Erdogan, Bicer, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014). The sociological aspects of their work

provide contexts by which there is a deeper understanding of the characteristics of successful schools and for

which student subgroups those schools best serve. Another unique aspect of their work is the marked change in

the research paradigm toward more rigorous research designs that make use of large datasets and careful

selection of comparison groups through propensity score matching (e.g., Capraro, Capraro, Morgan, Scheurich,

Jones, Huggins, Corlu, & Younes, (2015, In Press; Oner, Navruz, Bicer, Peterson, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014).

The legacy of the forward thinking research designs has brought new expertise to Aggie STEM and provides

benchmarks for subsequent students to follow.

Contributions to Aggie STEM are complex. Several others have contributed to Aggie STEMs gradual

transformation. From work that examines mathematics in light of science achievement (e.g., Cetin, Corlu,

Capraro, & Capraro 2015), to Bilgin Navruzs practical application of higher order factor analysis (Navruz,

Capraro, Capraro, & Bicer, 2015 in press). Alpaslan Sahins work shed light on high school course taking and

SAT scores effect on college major selection (Sahin, Erdogan, Morgan, Capraro, & Capraro, 2012) and chapter

on inquiry in the STEM PBL book (Sahin, 2013).

4


The idea of legacy lives on at Aggie STEM. Sencer Corlu provided a legacy that subsequent PhD students will

benefit from. He was the first PhD student director and modernized the curriculum and deliver. That was refined

and expanded by Rayya Younes and the Aggie STEM camp for secondary students became a popular event.

Niyazi Erdogan expanded the legacy of STEM Camp to attract students from around the world to learn STEM

content in authentic project based lessons. Under Niyazis leadership, the camp grew from a few students in

2003 to over 100 spread across two camps; Ayse Tugba Oner expanded it to three camps and more than 170

students exploring life as a future undergraduate while learning STEM content from university professors and

graduate students. Their legacy in leadership, hard work and dedication provide employment to 15 other

graduate and undergraduate students who work with the middle and high school students each year. This offers

a lasting testament, that a group of focused individuals can come together to influence the lives of secondary

students while providing organizational structure so future Aggie STEM graduate and undergraduate students,

and faculty can apply their research in practical-applied settings.

Visiting Scholars Add Cultural Capital

Visiting scholars from some of the best Turkish universities have contributed to the development of Aggie

STEM. Scholars like Drs. Ozcan Erkan, Nesrin Ozsoy, and doctoral students like Zeynep Gecu, and Sabhia

Yeni represent perspectives from Sakarya University, Adnan Menderes University, and Middle East Technical

University. Their contribution brought perspectives that added to the revised edition of Project-based learning:

An integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) approach, (Akgun, 2013)

understanding of how elementary teachers are prepared in Turkey, and knowledge of using iPads to teach

coding to preschool children. It is the ability of scholars who possess deep understandings of their content from

various backgrounds and come together to build a program with longevity. The continued flow of ideas and

opportunities provide a symbiotic environment for growth and idea expansion.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity, in a not so pure a science interpretation, is the greatest contribution of graduate students and

visiting scholars. It is difficult to look at things from outside the box when one cannot physically get outside

their own box without help. What is meant is that, with few exceptions, without those who challenge our ideas,

we cannot even find the perimeter of our boxes. So in developing a chapter on Turkish education, two doctoral

students provided insights into what is likely the most thorough and detailed treatise on the Turkish middle level

education system (zel, Yetkiner, Capraro, & Kp, 2009), with all its achievements and challenges, published

in English. It is in this document that we framed many underlying ideas that have guided Aggie STEM and its

development into a comprehensive research entity.

The biodiversity contributes to deep conversations among students from Africa, China, India, Italy, Japan,

Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, South Korea, and United States. The magnification of regional diversity and

resulting conversations can demonstrate how similar we are as a people. Problems faced in one region of the

world are actually common across the world, and the solutions are applicable and plausible in multiple regions.

We, as a one-world community, learn from and through the lens from which the solution was applied regardless

of the region of the world from which it emanates.

The biodiversity is a double-edged sword in that the U.S. obtains the best deal while Turkeys potential gains

can turn into the same invisible entitlements that weigh so heavily on U.S. society. The U.S. receives an

infusion of new ideas, hard work, and indelible marks on those who are touched by visitors. Turkish students,

now colleagues and scholars in their own right and visiting scholars who return to their home countries, take

western experiences that have the potential to enrich their society and build new and very powerful knowledge

structures. The benefit to the home country is that it receives new knowledge, leaders with broad experiences

and new ideas coupled with the U.S. sense of research excellence, and better access to and experience with

research organizations and journals. However, with knowledge comes power, and power can be distributed

unevenly and wielded along a continuum that can end with negative implications. The problem with exporting

so many former PhD students, now STEM professional educators, back to Turkey is that they have the potential

to develop into a tightly knit group that fosters a sense of over-reliance on who they have become and not on

what they have to offer. The benefit of a U.S. STEM doctorate can be overshadowed by the same potential

pitfalls that plague the U.S.

5


Equity, Entitlement, and Legacy

The ideas of equity, entitlement, and legacy are paramount issues for STEM education researchers. Once one

earns a PhD in mathematics education or any STEM related field, one is bestowed with the greatest of benefits

and endowed with a mystique that can be greater than the sum of all the parts that helped forge that terminal

education. Earning a degree in any STEM field receives the same level of prominence. However, this awesome

power should not ever devolve into a program of systemic entitlement and legacy. It is the responsibility of the

smallest person who might be blessed with great power and influence to use that power to confront entitlement

and legacy, providing a consequence of equity that transcends socio-political structures, cultural and religious

lines, and languages.

Entitlement is one of those things that we cannot often recognize when we possess it. It does not come on a

card you can put in your wallet or purse and is not a piece of jewelry you can wear, or an article of clothing that

can be computer selected for you. However, we can be doggedly protective of it and not even know we have it.

We can wield it with laser like precision or like a nuclear weapon and create broad and irreparable devastation.

Entitlement structures come in many forms - they can be the color of our skin, the language we speak, our

gender, our religion or sect within our religion, the university we graduated from, or our field of education.

Perhaps the most damaging entitlement is entitlement based on invisible structures. Knowledge was intended to

be the great equalizer that would transcend all superficial entitlement structures. However, we are still slaves to

base instincts to differentiate, to seek out the miniscule uniqueness that exists within subgroups and then attach

artificial distinctions on those that create a legacy that leads to privilege for one group and that leads to neglect,

at best, and failure, at worst, for the other. The distinctions are either good or bad - to which one we subscribe

depends on how we interpret the distinctions effect on our standing within a community. As more of the world

seeks equity through education, discourse around traditional differences is lost. It is substituted for more

insidious and vile forms of transparent entitlement and legacy. These can be so ingrained that those who may

feel that they challenge the construction of these structures fail to recognize them or, even worse, provide the

raw materials for their construction.

Being a STEM educator or STEM professional comes with lucrative capital. This truly intoxicating

concoction of recognition for what one knows and intimidation for what others do not is potentially a very

dangerous condition. Therefore, one must surround oneself with others who are immune to this concoction to

ensure measures are in place to keep those privileges in check. While Aggie STEM and countless other

organizations within top U.S. universities have benefitted from exemplary Turkish students attending our

universities, the merit of what they have been taught both intentionally and inadvertently has yet to be written.

The quality of their mettle is indisputable; the forging of them into professionals who will assume the mantel of

leadership as department heads, deans, provosts, and directors at Tbitak, Turkeys main science-funding

agency analogous to the National Science Foundation in the U.S., and in prominent positions in the Ministry of

Education is what has yet to be determined.

Turkey struggles with important global issues, and its governmental organizations are not immune to the socio-

political whims of the day. For example, Tbitak rejected a workshop grant on the grounds that evolution is a

controversial subject. The workshop was to expose Turkish biology students to population genetics, game

theory, and evolutionary modeling. It was reported in Science that the workshop would continue with private

donors contributing the money (Bohannon, 2013, July 5). Will events like this be diminished as more U.S.

trained PhDs assume leadership roles? How will research conducted in Turkey be reported and inform the

world community? How will general research topics evolve as the PhDs influence and power increases? Rest

assured the world is watching and judging the quality of the professionals forged at top U.S. institutions.

Conclusion

In STEM education the consumer must be careful, as in any environment ones behavior should be caveat

emptor. However, differentiating among and between charlatans, snake oils salesmen, and empirically derived

programs that yield positive results can be difficult at best. There are criteria by which to judge the merit of any

intervention and paramount to that set is the depth of the research base that underlies it. Today, everyone claims

his or her program is research proven. The first indication of frailties of any program is the claim of proof

without qualifiers. No program is without qualifiers that the purveyors can clearly speak about for whom the

program works and how long it takes to get results. One should know for whom any program works. The

answer to this question should not be everyone. In the word everyone is hidden I do not know. For every

program the consumer must know how limited language proficiency, gifted, at-risk, minority groups, and

6


international students, as well as students in special education, perform when using it. No program is without

costs, both monetary and personal. Some programs are exorbitantly priced while others are more modest.

Personal costs are especially pricey. Personal costs are the costs of reaching pedagogical proficiency for

teachers, learning for students, and understanding for parents. Commonly, a careful customer would ask how

long does it take for teachers to learn to use a specific program, and the response that should raise concern is,

teachers can take this program and run with it immediately. The truth in this statement is that the teachers are

likely to run from the program. It is important for the customer to understand how long it takes for teachers to

be trained to use a specific program, how the fidelity of implementation is being monitored, and how long will it

take for it to raise student outcomes that matter. Research indicates that teachers need at least 90 hours of

professional development to successfully implement any new program, no matter how teacher proof anyone

claims the program to be. It takes time for students to respond and parents to understand that their child will

have new or expanded expectations. Follow-up and careful guidance are needed to ensure that teachers are

implementing the program as designed and not in combination with many other components cherry picked from

across discarded programs.

The reality is that the research base for most STEM programs is paper-thin at best, with mediocre sampling

techniques. Often, reports of research are written based on convenience sampling, the lowest bar of research

rigor (e.g., Shadish, Cook, & Campbell, 2002). The obtained results lack robustness, and effect size estimates

are tenuous. It is more important to ask to see the research article that was published about the program and

avoid making decisions based on glossy brochures, textbooks, manuals, or other sources that are not peer

reviewed. The former Turkish students, now STEM content and pedagogical experts, are well-positioned to

explore these issues, investigate claims, and to deepen our knowledge of what works, for whom, and under what

circumstances.

The students from Turkey enriched the educational experiences in the U.S. by their presence, and they continue

to contribute to the program through a multifaceted and complex but sometimes highly nuanced way. What

they contribute is the sharing of educational ideas and deep reflection on what happens in the U.S. K-12

program. While our system is undergoing dramatic and sometimes detrimental change, Turkey is experiencing

almost parallel situations. These student ambassadors reflect on their experiences, use knowledge of how their

national education program is enacted, and draw parallels to trends and changes in the U.S. In the book Die

Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day, Todd Henry espouses a philosophy that the most valuable land in

the world is the cemetery because it is where all the unrealized hopes, dreams, and good intentions are buried. It

contains all the greatest dreams that were never enacted, the apologies never given, and the regrets never

redressed. It is the repository of friendships lost and the greatest discoveries forgone that Turkish Scholars must

avoid.

At some time, all scholars come to the conclusion that they have come to a place in life where they understand

their time on this planet is all too short and that what little effort they have left and whatever time they have - -

MUST be spent in ways that allow them to DIE EMPTY. If you do not fully understand what is meant here,

consider reading the book. The professoriate should gravitate toward more liberal ideas and more liberal

interpretations. This group should play a role in abolishing practices, whether readily apparent or inadvertently

hidden, that provide for entitlements and legacy. Not that the road is easy or that there is not a great deal of

stress and distress. It can be very lonely. The core of this belief system is that STEM education in the U. S.

produces highly qualified teachers and researchers who are ready to assume the mantel of leadership in schools

and universities. Perhaps some still need mentorship, but professors should love their students and colleagues

and believe they embody the best there is to offer. We are a community of informed people with skills and

talents that cannot be matched by any single country regardless of nationally comparative or internationally

administered tests that might indicate differently. We cannot succumb to political rhetoric that says our teachers

are the problem or that universities are inadequate. Politics and politicians need controversy and sometimes we

(educators and others) inadvertently provide the platform. We must remember that our particular STEM field

has given us so very much. The entitlement of being a STEM educator is truly an intoxicating and potentially

dangerous one, so it is important to put checks in place to measure ones own privileges to ensure one is staying

in check and that one is serving the greater community, whether that community is across the street or around

the world.

References

Adiguzel, T., Capraro, R. M., & Willson, V. L. (2011). An examination of teacher acceptance of handheld

computers. International Journal of Special Education, 26(3), 12-27.

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Akgun, O. E. (2013). Technology in STEM project-based learning. In R. M. Capraro, M. M. Capraro, & J.

Morgan (Eds.) Project-based learning: An integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

(STEM) approach (2nd Ed., pp. 65-75). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense.

Bicer, A., Navruz, B., Capraro, R. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2014). STEM schools vs. non-STEM schools:

Comparing students mathematics state based test performance. International Journal of Global

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px

Author Information Robert M. Capraro Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture

Aggie STEM and Texas A&M University

4232 TAMU, College Station, TX, USA 77843

Contact e-mail: [email protected]

Mary Margaret Capraro Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture



8


Luciana R. Barroso

Zachry Department of Civil Engineering



James R. Morgan

Department of Engineering

Aggie STEM and Charles Sturt University

Albury NSW 2640, Australia


Volume 4, Number 1, 2016 DOI:10.18404/ijemst.71338

Moving STEM Beyond Schools: Students Perceptions about an Out-of-

School STEM Education Program

Evrim Baran, Sedef Canbazoglu Bilici, Canan Mesutoglu, Ceren Ocak

Article Info Abstract Article History

Received:

2 August 2015

Recent reports call for reformed education policies in Turkey in accordance with

the need to develop students knowledge and skills about STEM education and

improving STEM workforce in the country. This research implemented an

integrated out-of-school STEM education program for 6th grade students who

come from disadvantaged areas in a large urban city in Turkey. The study

investigated students perceptions about the STEM activities implemented in the

program. Forty 6th grade students (15 female) studying in public schools

participated in the study. The data source used in this study was the activity

evaluation forms completed by the students at the end of each activity. The

evaluation forms were qualitatively analyzed to identify students perceptions on

the content and skills gained, the challenges and limitations faced and

suggestions for improvement. The results present recommendations on the

implementation of integrated out-of-school STEM education programs.

Accepted:

11 October 2015

Keywords

STEM education

STEM activities

Out-of-school learning

Education in Turkey

Introduction

Countries look for strategies to develop young generations knowledge and skills for designing and developing

innovation, technology, and scientific literacy in order to confirm their place in the global economy. Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) has become a government policy in countries such as

United States (National Academy of Sciences [NAS], 2006; National Academy of Engineering [NAE], 2009;

National Research Council [NRC], 2012). Australia, China, Korea, and Taiwan have been working to develop

K-12 STEM curriculum designed as integrative cross-disciplinary approaches within each of the STEM

subjects (Fan & Ritz, 2014, p. 8). Increasing attention is given to STEM disciplines and STEM teaching across

Europe (Corlu, Capraro & Capraro, 2014). Recent reports call for reformed education policies in Turkey to

develop students knowledge and skills about STEM and improving STEM workforce in the country. The

Turkish Ministry of Education strategic plan (Ministry of National Education of Turkey [MoNE], 2009), 2015

STEM Education Turkey Report (Akgndz et al., 2015) and the Turkish Industry and Business Associations

recent report on STEM (TUSIAD, 2014) highlighted the urgent need for preparing Turkish students with STEM

competencies.

Research on STEM education has focused on designing STEM training programs and STEM after school clubs

to increase students interest and attitudes, and developing surveys to accurately measure their attitudes towards

STEM. Studies investigating the impact of STEM trainings and STEM after school clubs revealed improvement

in students attitudes towards STEM fields and STEM careers (Mohr-Schroeder et al., 2014; Shahali et al.,

2015; Tseng, Chang, Lou, & Chen, 2013). Identifying the goals and the content are noted as two critical steps in

the design of STEM education programs. Building the programs on students early interest and experiences, and

engaging them in the practices of STEM education are noted as crucial factors in developing and sustaining their

motivation and engagement with STEM education (National Research Council, 2011).

STEM Projects and Education Programs in Turkey

The implementation of STEM education activities varies to the school type in Turkey. Only a very small

percentage of students having education in specialized schools have access to STEM education at international

standards (Corlu, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014). Other opportunities include education projects supported by the

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) that aim to empower STEM education

10 Baran, Canbazoglu Bilici, Mesutoglu & Ocak

with activities for students and teachers. For example, in a project funded by TUBITAK, 5th grade students (n =

20) used design-based methodology for STEM education, designed solar robots and kaleidoscopes, and created

graphs with motion detectors. These activities helped develop positive attitudes towards science (Yamak, Bulut,

& Dndar, 2014). In the engineer project students were encouraged to think like engineers by using simple and

inexpensive materials (avas, Bulut, Holbrook, & Rannikmae, 2013).

STEM projects also focused on training preservice and in-service teachers. Sungur Gl and Marulcu (2014)

focused on the engineering discipline, worked with preservice and in-service science teachers on engineering

design processes and activities using robots and Legos. Researchers found that preservice and in-service

teachers, who were not familiar with the engineering design processes, had improvement in their perceptions of

engineering processes. They gained a broader perspective in terms of the significance of engineering, features of

engineering and engineers, and the use of Legos. Bozkurt (2014) also revealed that preservice science teachers

decision-making skills and science process skills improved with engineering design based laboratory activities.

Corlu (2013) developed an analytic rubric to evaluate STEM teaching practices in terms of STEM community,

STEM integration, and STEM assessment through course syllabi. By assessing the course syllabi, this analytical

rubric aimed to present teaching practices in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Results showed

significant difference between externally accredited STEM programs and non-accredited STEM programs

(Corlu, 2013). The interest on developing STEM training programs in Turkey is revealed by the increasing

number of projects implemented in school and out-of-school contexts. Yet, there is still limited research on how

students perceive the activities implemented in these programs and their impact on their learning.

The Conceptualization of STEM education in the Turkish Context

STEM education is defined as an approach for developing knowledge, skills, and beliefs about STEM subjects

with an interdisciplinary approach (Corlu, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014). The intersection of the disciplines is

important for emphasizing the interconnected nature of STEM areas. Bybee (2010) reported that STEM

education is mostly interpreted as science and mathematics and that technology and engineering disciplines are

not emphasized. However, engineering generally takes a central role in the projects implemented in Turkey. The

projects mainly aim at improving engineering knowledge and skills by using science concepts. For example,

studies conducted in the Turkish context revealed that activities that stressed engineering design processes

helped teachers and students improve engineering and science processes and skills (Bozkurt, 2014; avas,

Bulut, Holbrook, & Rannikmae, 2013; Ercan & Bozkurt, 2013; Yamak, Bulut, & Dndar, 2014).

As for the conceptualization of STEM, the literature revealed two categories appeared as the components of an

exemplary STEM integration curriculum model: (a) content integration, merging of different STEM content

areas in an activity, and (b) context integration, use of different STEM contexts to make the content more

meaningful (Moore, Stohlmann, Wang, Tank, & Roehrig, 2014). The review of the STEM studies conducted in

Turkey revealed that the studies mainly emphasized the context integration model (avas, Bulut, Holbrook, &

Rannikmae, 2013; Sungur Gl & Marulcu, 2014). There is a need to practice content integration model that

brings STEM education disciplines together in a unit or within an activity. This study followed the integrated

STEM education approach which was an effort by educators to have students participate in engineering design

as a means to develop technologies that require meaningful learning and an application of mathematics and/or

science (Moore et al., 2014, p.38). In Turkey, raising science and mathematics literate students are the main

concerns of the national curricula. Integrated STEM education programs are needed to train students as STEM

literate individuals who can solve real life problems. According to PISA results, 68.7% of the students in Turkey

belonging to low socio-economic and cultural group have limited access to quality educational resources and

programs (OECD, 2013). There is a need to provide STEM education opportunities to disadvantaged students

who have limited access to such programs in their formal education programs. To address this need, this

research implemented an integrated out-of-school STEM education program for 6th grade students who come

from disadvantaged areas in a large urban city in Turkey. This study aimed to investigate students perceptions

about the STEM activities implemented in the program.

Method

The Study

The study was conducted in the context of a STEM education program implemented at a large public university

in Turkey. The project, funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkeys Science and

11


Society Innovative Educational Applications grant, aimed to improve 6th grade students perceptions towards

STEM fields and careers. The purpose was also to provide learning activities to students from the disadvantaged

areas of Ankara who had limited opportunities to attend such activities and education in their schools and

communities.

The STEM education program lasted 40 hours during three weekends in March 2015. Thirteen faculty members

from different universities in Turkey who had expertise in science, math and technology disciplines

implemented 13 modules. Nine graduate students helped faculty members during the STEM education program

modules that lasted between 90-180 minutes. Each day between two to four modules were implemented with

two groups of students (20 students each) in parallel sessions. During this 5-day intensive STEM training,

students attended to the modules from 9:00am till 5:00pm every day. 15 minutes after each STEM module was

reserved to the activity evaluation.

The modules followed hands-on and collaborative engagement within variety of STEM activities, including: (1)

Egg-drop, (2) Scaled model of the solar system, (3) Application Inventor, (4) Designing a vacuum cleaner, (5)

Designing enduring buildings, (6) Pot-Kin Car design, (7) Time to investigate-calculate-build and test, (8)

Design of a wind turbine, (9) We are building our own structures, (10) Interrogate and learn: Force and motion

with probes, (11) Cryptology and Egyptian number systems, (12) Design of a Kaleidoscope, (13) STEM

Commercial Video.

Participants

Forty 6th grade students (25 male, 15 female) studying in public schools participated to the study. Students

ages ranged between 10 and 12. Project invitations were sent to the schools and science centers in Ankara. Out

of 70 students who applied to the program online, 40 of them were selected following the criteria of being (1) in

different schools, (2) having interest in STEM, (3) and not attending to a STEM training before. According to

the 5th grade science and mathematics scores, majority of the students were high-achievers. In the online

application form, when asked about their motivation for participation to such programa, all students stated that

they enjoyed conducting experiments and investigations, making discoveries, designing things, and following

developments in science and engineering.

Data Sources

The activity evaluation forms completed by the students at the end of each activity were used as the data

sources. 15 minutes were reserved for these written evaluation periods after each module. Researchers

developed the activity evaluation form to collect information on students perceptions of the activities in terms

of content and skills gained, the challenges and limitations faced, and their suggestions for improvement. The

questions were: What did you learn in this activity? What skills you developed in this activity? What challenged

you in this activity? How would you use the things you learned in this activity in the future? What do you

suggest to improve this activity? Students provided written responses to these questions. A total of 520

evaluation forms were collected.

STEM Education Program Activities

1. Egg-drop. The activity was based on a design challenge. Students designed a package that would keep the

egg inside from breaking when it was dropped from the 4th floor. The package and the egg simulated space

vehicles that would land on Mars safely. Students worked in collaborative groups. Simple and easy-to-find

materials were used in the activity such as eggs, tapes, newspapers, balloons and cardboards. Students tried to

design a package using all or some of the materials. Students first brainstormed, drew their designs on the

papers and discussed potential solutions. Groups were then allowed to finalize their design choosing the best

working example. A representative member was chosen from each group to drop the package from the 4th floor.

Meanwhile, other members of the groups observed and checked whether the package kept the egg safe inside.

When all trials were completed, all students went back to the class. During a big class discussion, the best

design was selected after evaluating the status of the eggs. Limitations of each design were discussed with

possible further suggestions. Finally, students watched a short NASA video presenting the landing of a real

spacecraft safely on Mars.


2. Scaled model of the solar system. The activity included the design of a small-scale model of our Solar System

using basic mathematics knowledge (e.g., proportion, numbers of many figures) and the data about the Solar

System. Materials used were cardboards, papers, pencils, calculators, compasses, and rulers. The activity began

with students brainstorming on the Solar System and examining their prior knowledge about proportion and the

Solar System. Then, students watched a short video depicting the Solar System followed by a small discussion

about location and sizes of the planets and stars. Students were presented with data on the planets and some

other objects in the Solar System, their distance to the Sun, and their diameters. Students were then expected to

guess their locations. In groups, students worked on the scale factor that they would base their Solar System

model on. At this stage, a small ball was given to the groups to represent the Sun. Groups drew their models on

large cardboards. Finally all groups went to the garden to place their cardboards in a way that would represent

the Solar System. A final in-class discussion was conducted on the sizes and locations of objects in the Solar

System.

3. Application Inventor. This activity aimed to help students gain knowledge about basic programming. The

AppInventor software developed by the MIT was used for beginners to program applications through fixed

coding schemes without writing actual codes. The AppInventor program allowed developers to write codes for

mobile android devices and design various applications by importing data from the sensors of the devices.

Through the application inventor activity, coding schemes and loops were taught to the students and they were

expected to develop various applications by using drag and drop method. After being informed about the details

of programming language, students tried to write codes with proper parameters provided by the instructors.

Additionally, students were asked to bring their android devices beforehand to be able to test their codes at the

end of the activity. The instructors also provided students with the proper testing tool if they lacked one.

Students were enrolled to the AppInventor with their email accounts so that they could access their codes after

the activity to continue programming.

4. Designing a vacuum cleaner. The real world problem presented to the students in this activity was designing

a vacuum cleaner to clean dust in their room. Students first discussed the use of electrical energy economically

and contributing to the national economy. Students were then introduced the steps of the design cycle consisting

of five steps; ask, imagine, plan, create and improve. In groups, students then drew and discussed their designs

and collected data with their materials. Using reasoning and creative thinking, students tested their models.

Whether dusts were collected inside the vacuum cleaner and its speed were some of the results of these tests.

Students debated on their different suggestions based on how the alternative models could work. The

appropriateness of their designs were further analyzed, discussed, and evaluated. A design challenge took place

where the best design of the class was selected in terms of the amount of dust it collected. Within this design

challenge, all groups produced solutions to improve their models based on their models performance and the

explanations they generated.

5. Designing enduring buildings. The activity included the design of the most enduring building that could carry

the biggest weight in class. Working in groups of four or five, students used spaghetti and modeling clay. The

engineering design cycle introduced in the vacuum cleaner activity was followed again. The students came up

with many different models in the planning phase, but they completed the cycle with one final model only. All

groups discussed the limitations and the strengths of the previous models they planned. At the planning stage,

the instructors visited the groups and gave examples of different building models from real life. Once each

group completed their buildings, they were tested. Mobile phones were put at the top of each building. Some

buildings could only carry one mobile phone. The models that could carry three mobile phones won the

challenge. With the participation of all students, discussions on the successful designs followed.

6. Pot-Kin Car design. In this activity, students were expected to design a model car that saved highest energy

output in consideration of the principle of energy (potential to kinetic energy) transformation. The activity

aimed to optimize the level of energy over the signed route by decreasing the rate of heat loss. Students were

challenged to design their cars within their restricted budget from the engineering market. At the end of the

activity, cars were tested in terms of meeting two conditions: (1) The car should be able to move on a flat

surface, and (2) after starting to move, it should go at least six meters forward. In groups, students drew their

designs and constructed their cars with the materials they bought from the market. Cars meeting required

criteria were compared in terms of the speed they reached along the signed route. The fastest car was selected as

the winner. As a final step, a group discussion was conducted to improve students designs.

7. Time to investigate-calculate-build and test. Students in this activity designed and built bridges. Simple

materials such as toothpicks, sticks, paper, tape, and Styrofoam were used. The instructor formed groups and

students worked collaboratively. Students first began to draw sketches of their bridge designs. They discussed

13


and took notes on possible results, necessary materials, strengths, and limitations. When students completed

their designs, they tested them with a variety of materials. At the end of the activity, after all groups finalized

their bridges, a design challenge was completed to choose the best bridge. Different weights were hanged to the

bridges and they were tested. The most enduring bridge was selected as the winner. A group discussion took

place on what could be done to make the designs better.

8. Design of a wind turbine. In this activity, students were expected to design a wind turbine by taking the

advantage of wind energy. Materials used were straws, sticky tapes, cardboards, strings, paper cups, cork

stoppers, wooden sticks, pins, and play dough. A week before the activity, participants were informed about the

wind turbine activity to conduct a research about generic design of wind turbines for the next week. In the first

stage, students brainstormed among wind turbine designs under the guidance of information acquired by the

previous research. Later, students were assigned to groups of four or five to sketch their initial wind turbine

design. In the meantime, students justified their wind turbine design to the instructor. Wide range of material

supply enabled students design particular wind turbines; therefore it was ensured that each group worked

relatively far enough from each other. After the completion of wind turbine construction, groups tested the

turbines against a ventilator.

9. We are building our own structures. In this activity, students in groups built a resistant structure from

recyclable household materials in ninety-minute period of time. All kind of items expected to strengthen the

structure such as plastic cup and toothpick could be used on the condition of efficient budget management.

During the design phase, groups were allowed to use tablet PCs to make calculations of strength throughout the

activity. At the end of the activity, each structure was evaluated in terms of weight bearing capacity. The activity

followed the 5E instructional model (engage, explore, explain, elaborate/extend and evaluate). In the engage

phase, students were expected to approach a real-life problem from the perspective of an engineer. The

instructor shared a picture of a wrecked bridge to encourage students generate solutions from an engineers

point of view. Then, in exploration stage, same materials were distributed to each group to design a structure by

referring to maximum features of the given materials such as being the tallest and the strongest. Each group had

a certain budget to buy the items already priced by the instructor. It was significant to devise the structure with

maximum efficiency and minimum budget. Before the construction phase, groups were responsible for

sketching the structure to be able to calculate balance and momentum of the artifact. In the elaboration stage,

students exhibited their artifacts in front of the classroom to discover the strength of the structure in terms of

weight bearing capacity. Finally, both group and individual performances were evaluated in reference to

criterions of creativity, strength, and length.

10. Interrogate and learn: Force and motion with probes. To experiment with force and motion probes, the

software Logger Pro 3, Vernier Force and Motion system, and movement detectors were used in the activity.

The software was downloaded and prepared before the activity time. Students explored the topics Force and

Motion by experimenting with probes. Throughout the activity the students drew and interpreted graphs on

speed, position, and friction.

11. Cryptology and Egyptian number systems. The activity aimed at introducing ancient numbering systems

attributing to Egyptian numbering system and definition of cryptology with its applications in decimal system.

Students were expected to learn about the symbols of ancient Egyptian numbering system and manage to

convert a number written in decimal system to one written in ancient Egyptian numbering system. Papers,

images of hieroglyphic alphabet, and the table of ancient Egyptian numbering system were the materials used

for the activity. Students devised their own numbering systems and a class discussion was hold about the

conclusions of each student.

12. Design of a kaleidoscope. This activity required students design a kaleidoscope to associate kaleidoscope

construction with its mathematical implications. Plastic mirror, cardboard roll, sticky tape, glue, colorful plastic

beads, white cardboard, craft knife, transparent punched pocket, and translucent opaque binder were the

materials distributed for kaleidoscope design and construction. In the beginning of the activity, each student

shared the results of kaleidoscope research with their classmates. Then, students were assigned to groups of

four. Each group discussed the essential steps of a kaleidoscope design and wrote the stages down on a piece of

paper. In the meantime, instructors started inquiry based learning process by posing questions in reference to the

points of consideration during the design stage. Then, groups constructed the kaleidoscopes with the materials

distributed by the instructors. At the end of the activity, groups had a chance to examine other groups designs

under the guidance of instructor questions referring mathematical indicators of kaleidoscope construction.


13. STEM Commercial Video. In this activity, students designed STEM commercial videos using all of the

engineering skills and design skills improved with the project. Students were first presented with a scenario and

engineering design cycle to prepare STEM commercial videos. In the scenario, the commercial video they

designed was going to be played on TV channels to attract sixth grade students to next years STEM project.

Students first planned their videos filling in the storyboard template with script, visuals, narration, and audio.

They also generated ideas for slogans that would be used in their commercials. Students were expected to design

their commercial videos following the four criteria: 1) the storyboard should be completed and should get

confirmation from the instructors, 2) the commercial video should be limited to 2-3 minutes, 3) the commercial

video should attract audience attention with visual and audio elements, and 4) the commercial video should give

information about STEM and promote it. Students developed their videos on the Pawtoon video-editing

program. Once students finished their videos, all videos were shown on the screen and students voted to select

the best video that would win a price.

Figure 1. Students working on STEM activities

Data Analysis

Students responses to the activity evaluation forms were analyzed qualitatively to examine students

perceptions about the STEM activities with a focus on the content and skills gained, the challenges and

limitations faced and suggestions for improvement. The results of the data analysis emerged under four

categories: (a) subjects learned, (b) skills developed, (c) future use, and (d) suggestions. These categories were

used to generate coding system of the study. In the coding phase, student response rates were calculated in

terms of frequency rate in percentages and categorized under these four categories. After documenting and

classifying entire codes, similar codes were unified and evaluation theme table was created. Two researchers

examined and coded the data sources together to create the codebook and to document the frequencies of the

codes. Other two researchers then confirmed the codes and coding through debriefing meetings.

15


Results and Discussion

The analysis of the activity evaluation forms revealed four categories: (a) subjects learned, (b) skills developed,

(c) future use, (d) suggestions for improvement. Table 1 presents the response rates within each category and

codes.

Table 1. Evaluation themes

Themes # %

1. Subjects (subjects / topics students learnt in the activity) 204 29

Solid structure construction 49 24

Kaleidoscope & cryptology 33 16

Velocity-time graph& distance-time graph 22 11

Types of energy 21 10

Renewable & non-renewable energy 20 10

Qualitative & quantitative observation 16 8

Wind turbine 16 8

Tool utilization 14 7

Center of gravity 13 6

2. Skills (skills that students developed in the activity) 246 35

Handcraft skills 88 36

Cognitive Skills (argumentation, reasoning, thinking, observing, planning,

mental skills, imagining)

61 25

Engineering skills 27 11

Design skills 26 11

Computer skills 26 11

Math and science skills 18 7

3. Future uses (how students will make use of the activity) 140 20

Future career and profession 117 83

School work 23 16

4. Suggestions (students suggestions for the activity) 108 15

Materials (better and more comprehensive materials. Also more number of

materials)

74 69

Attention and fun 13 12

Time 12 11

Information (more information to be provided at the beginning) 9 9

Subjects Learned

Within the scope of the STEM education program, 13 STEM modules were implemented. Wide array of

knowledge encompassing domain specific subjects as well as interdisciplinary concepts were embedded in the

STEM activities designed as hands-on and collaborative explorations. The analysis of the evaluation forms

revealed that the subjects that were most commonly cited by the students were solid structure construction by

experimenting on bridges (24%), cryptology with its applications in decimal system (16%) and kaleidoscope

construction considering its mathematical implications (16%). Other frequently noted subjects were drawing

and calculating velocity-time and distance time graphs (11%) followed by mechanical energy (10%), renewable

and nonrenewable energy (10%), and wind turbine construction (8 %). Conducting qualitative and quantitative

observation (8%) was also noted by the students in a way of attributing to all STEM training activities. One of

the students, for example, stated: I learnt how to conduct a scientific research by doing qualitative and

quantitative observation. Other noted subjects were tool utilization (thermometer, probe, sonar) (7%) and

center of gravity (6%).


Skills Developed

Skills developed through STEM activities were coded under six categories: Cognitive skills (argumentation,

reasoning, thinking, observing, planning, mental skills, imagining) (25%), math and science skills (7%), design

skills (11%), engineering skills (11%), and computer skills (11%). Students noted that they developed their

handcraft skills considering that the STEM activities were mainly hands-on that required students design and

develop tools. Cognitive skills (e.g., argumentation, reasoning, thinking, observing, planning, mental and

imagination) were also notable in students responses. One of the students, for example, explained: I believe

that with STEM activities, I developed my argumentation, questioning and reasoning skills. Students also

stated that they developed their engineering skills such as building balanced and resistant bridges and designing

fast cars. Design and computer skills were also noted followed by mathematics and science skills (7%). One of

the students expressed: I improved my imagination and my engineering skills with this activity. Another

student explained his thoughts at the end of the we are building our own structures activity: I feel that I

progressed in both planning and designing stages.

Future Use

Students believed that they would use their learning in STEM education program in their future career and

profession (83%) and schoolwork (16%). Some of the students gave specific examples to the professions such

as architect, engineer, doctor and web designer where the STEM activities would contribute. One student, for

example, stated: When I am employed as an engineer in the Ministry of Transportation, I am going to benefit

from what I have learnt from the STEM activities. Another student noted: I am going to benefit from what I

have learnt from STEM activities when I become seismologist. The student who wanted to become a science

teacher commented: When I become a science teacher, I am going to use the knowledge I learnt from STEM

activities. Another area that students noted was their schoolwork. Students stated that they planned to make use

of the activities in their future school life such as homework, projects, and laboratory work. One of the students

commented: I am going to use the knowledge that I learnt from STEM activities while conducting experiments

in science classes.

Suggestions for Improvement

The students reported suggestions for the improvement of the activities implemented in the STEM education

program. The suggestions addressed use of materials (69%), time (11%), attention and elements of fun (12%),

and information provided (8%). As for the materials, students had different recommendations. Some of them

agreed that they needed more materials to complete the activities. According to some, the materials should have

been more advanced to match their age, and some agreed on using more user-friendly materials. One of the

students, for example, commented: I suggest using more advanced tools for the activity of force and motion

with probes. Students also stated that they needed more time for certain activities. Some students suggested

designing the activities with more fun elements. Lastly, students suggested providing more information at the

beginning of the activities. One of the students, commented: I want to be more informed about the activities

throughout the process.

Conclusion

STEM education is now considered as one of the critical focus areas within Turkish education to increase

countrys innovation development capacity and to enhance countrys competitiveness within the global

economy (Corlu, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014). Yet, there is limited evidence on out-of-school STEM models and

their impact on students learning, attitudes, and perceptions towards STEM in Turkey and in the world. This

research confirmed the effectiveness of out-of-school STEM education programs in their capacity of engaging

students in design and engineering practices that are not common in traditional classrooms (Rogers &

Portsmore, 2004). These programs may help expand students knowledge and interest towards STEM (Weber,

2011).

The integrated STEM education program followed hands-on, collaborative, design-based, and inquiry oriented

pedagogical approach. This approach helped students engage in problem solving exercises relevant to their lives

(Schnittka, Bell, & Richards, 2010). Students in this study noted the contribution of this approach to their

cognitive, design, engineering and computer skills. The activities, giving students tangible application of

17


scientific, mathematical and technological concepts, helped them develop insights into engineering design

practices.

Students perceptions about the STEM activities are critical, as their evaluation of the design, content, and scope

of these activities may reveal areas for improvement. This study revealed that students valued hands-on nature

of the STEM activities that gave them opportunities to design artifacts and engage in design challenges. The

research results suggested that the integration of STEM activities into out-of-school education programs may

support developing students interest in pursuing STEM related careers.

Recommendations

The connections between the STEM activities implemented in out-of-school programs and students coursework

should be closely linked. These connections with formal curriculum would also help teachers and students

extend students learning outside of the classroom with collaborative, applied, and project-based learning

activities. During their evaluations, students recommended tapping on their prior knowledge before the activities

and providing more information about the activity scope and content. Future STEM education programs may

spend more time in eliciting students knowledge to address their learning needs and misconceptions. Inquiry

based activities would encourage students learning of concepts addressed in the STEM activities.

The research findings suggested that collaborative learning opportunities enhanced students engagement with

STEM, yet students needed practice on collaborative learning processes. Future STEM activities may model

effective collaborative work, and present students guidelines for collaboration. The study revealed that students

had difficulty in completing some STEM activities due to the time limit. Planning therefore emerged as an

important finding under the design skills. Future STEM activities may emphasize the planning phase of

engineering design processes, and scaffold students planning stages. The study results presented students high

interest towards STEM careers after they attended to the program. Future research may track their interest, 6

months and 1 year after the programs to examine whether their ideas sustained in the long term.

The STEM education program implemented in this research was supported by a grant. While the project used

low-cost materials for the STEM activities, systematic integration of STEM into curriculum would require

continuous financial and administrative support. Future research should investigate policy and curriculum

models for the implementation of large-scale STEM programs. The STEM education approach used in this

research suggested implementing STEM activities that address at least two disciplines in hands-on applied

STEM activities. Same approach could be integrated to formal curriculum with the inclusion of activities

covering objectives from different STEM disciplines and using big-idea focused problem solving projects.

Future research may investigate the integration of the activities presented in this research to formal curriculum

followed in schools.

Acknowledgements

The research quoted in this chapter was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of

Turkey (project number 1059B291400247).

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