A comparison of three stem approaches to the teaching and learning of science topics: Students’ knowledge and scientific creativity

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three STEM approaches in implementing STEM activities in lower secondary school students based on knowledge and scientific creativity. A pre-posttest experimental design was adapted. Six classes with almost similar learning conditions were randomly selected and each class was assigned as a group, in which two groups followed the Stand–alone engineering design approach, two adopted the 5E-EDP approach, and two classes used the Jigsaw learning approach. The data were collected from the tests before and after the experiments and were statistically analyzed. The findings revealed that these three approaches enhanced the students’ gains in both knowledge and scientific creativity. Despite the overall progress, there existed a statistical difference among these models in their effects on the students’ knowledge and scientific creativity. While 5E-EDP and Jigsaw learning approach were proven to make substantial progress in these factors, the Stand-alone engineering design scored less significance. The study also showed that there was a statistical difference between the Stand-alone engineering design approach and Jigsaw learning approach. The respective second approach formed a foundation for better performance of the students’ knowledge and scientific creativity compared to the first one. Each approachhas its own value in enhancing students’ knowledge and scientific creativity. The result of this study could be a hint for STEM educators to apply appropriate methods in similar contexts to boost achievements.

Project-based learning: Student performance and perceptions in a food industry engineering degree course

“…Rubrics are considered a useful tool to measure students' skill acquisition after engaging in a PBL activity (Diep, Thuy, Lai, Viet, & Chung, 2023). Furthermore, in research presented at the Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition by Saunders et al (2003), the use of rubrics is described as a highly valuable tool for evaluating PBL outcomes.…”

“…These results also indicate the attainment of the knowledge and competencies outlined in the rubric. Numerous studies demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology in university studies, particularly in engineering, technology, or sciences (Diep et al, 2023;Guo et al, 2020;Kokotsaki et al, 2016). In this regard, Meng et al (2023) explained that the success of implementing PBL relies on the teacher's ability to effectively support, motivate, assist, and guide student learning.…”

Fostering and Measuring Creativity in Secondary School Science Education: Literature Review

“…Jigsaw learning (Diep et al, 2023), creative responsibility-based learning (Feyzar et al, 2020), problem finding, open inquiry, giving multiple examples, creative writing, system design, and OCIPSE (Rizqi et al, 2020). Note that OCIPSE stands for a) Orient-organize; b) Collaboration; c) Presentation; d) Strengthening (for scientific creativity), and e) Evaluation (see Table 3).…”

“…Creativity measuring instruments are used to measure creativity. Some of them are general creativity level measuring instruments for high school students in science, such as scientific creativity tests (Arora, 2014;Astutik et al, 2017;Bhat, 2017;Diep et al, 2023;Feyzar et al, 2020;Kırıcı & Bakırc, 2021;Mori, 2014). Other creativity measuring instruments are specific to biology, chemistry, and physics.…”

Assessing the Validity and Effectiveness of Student Worksheets and Creativity Tests in Enhancing the Creativity of Open University Students

“…Another significant challenge is accurately assessing creativity as a multidimensional construct. Traditional assessment methods often fail to capture the complexity of creative processes and outcomes, resulting in a gap in measuring and understanding the impact of educational interventions on student creativity (Diep et al, 2023). Although the framework and objectives set forth by educational standards such as the KKNI are commendable, several factors hinder the actualization of these goals.…”