Digital Games for STEM in Early Childhood Education: Active Co-playing Parental Mediation and Educational Content Examination

Preschool teachers’ STEM pedagogical content knowledge: A comparative study of teachers in Greece and Turkey

“…Teacher training and in-service programs to be prepared in support of Greek and Turkish preschool teachers’ STEMPCK should be current, consistent, and developed in line with studies and practices in specific developmentally appropriate cultures ( Papadakis et al, 2018 , 2019 , 2021a , b ; Dorouka et al, 2020 ; Gkontelos et al, 2021 ; Gözüm and Kandır, 2021 ; Yıldırım, 2021 ; Gözüm, 2022 ; Mercan and Kandır, 2022 ). In addition, Greek and Turkish preschool teachers should be provided with resources prepared by experts in STEM education, and blogs, social media, and video sharing platforms should be created for more accurate and effective practices ( Early Childhood STEM Working Group, 2017 ; Gözüm, 2021 ).…”

“…In addition to such difficulties as integrating the disciplines due to the nature of STEM content, the changes occurring today in information and technologies make it difficult for teachers to adapt PCK to the learning process. In this case, teachers’ competencies in using information, communication, and technologies (ICT) are expected to improve ( Beswick and Fraser, 2019 ; Penprase, 2020 ; Silva et al, 2020 ; Gözüm, 2022 ). Teachers are expected to have advanced knowledge and skills concerning 21st-century skills and understanding, which are closely related to the nature of STEM education and are among the learning outcomes.…”

“…(Havu-Nuutinen et al, 2022). Although STEM education is practised in Greece and Turkey, the fact that it is below the OECD average reveals that countries should be evaluated in terms of having a teacher training policy supported by STEM training (Papadakis et al, 2018(Papadakis et al, , 2019(Papadakis et al, , 2021aDorouka et al, 2020;Gözüm and Kandır, 2021;Yıldırım, 2021;Gözüm, 2022;Mercan and Kandır, 2022). What matters here is the STEM pedagogical content knowledge (STEMPCK) of preschool teachers, for it is they who foster attitudes and interest in children who receive STEM education in their early years (Yıldırım and Şahin-Topalcengiz, 2019).…”

Okul Öncesi Öğretmenlerinin STEM Farkındalıklarının Bazı Demografik Değişkenler Açısından İncelenmesi

“…Tüm bu gelişim özelliklerinden dolayı okul öncesi dönemde çocukların teknoloji, bilim, fen, matematik ve mühendislik becerilerini geliştirmek önemlidir (Erol ve İvrendi, 2021). STEM eğitimi ile çocukların problem çözme, analitik düşünme, iletişim kurabilme ve bilimsel süreç becerilerinin gelişimi desteklenmektedir (Abanoz ve Deniz, 2021;Akgündüz ve Akpınar, 2018;Aydın, 2019;Azamet ve Altun-Yalçın, 2020;Şahin, Ayar ve Adıgüzel, 2014; Uyanık-Balat ve Günşen, 2017;Gözüm, 2022). Bu sebeple erken çocukluk döneminden itibaren STEM yaklaşımına yer verilmesi önemlidir.…”

“…STEM practices are an effective method in developing these skills. With STEM education, the development of children's problem solving, analytical thinking, communication and scientific process skills is supported (Abanoz and Deniz, 2021;Akgündüz and Akpınar, 2018;Azamet and Altun-Yalçın, 2020;Aydın, 2019;Süldür, 2019;Şahin, Ayar and Adıgüzel, 2014;Uyanık-Balat and Günşen, 2017;Gözüm, 2022). Preschool teachers who planned and implemented STEM education in accordance with the needs, interests and development levels of children in the preschool period (Abanoz and Deniz, 2021;Karamete-Gözcü, 2019).The methods and techniques used by the teachers, as well as the awareness levels and attitudes of the teachers, are very effective in increasing the children's interest level towards science and having a positive attitude (Okur-Akçay, 2013; Uyanık-Balat and Günşen, 2017; Ünal and Akman, 2006;Tao, 2019).…”