Educational values and challenges of i-STEM project-based learning: A mixed-methods study with data-transformation design

Abstract

Integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) embedding project-based learning (i-STEM PjBL) is still faced with challenges, and its educational values have not been revealed, which is what the study aimed to explore. Participants consisted of 48 freshmen from a senior high school, including 27 male students and 21 female students. The open-ended questionnaire and the interview for the students were administrated after the i-STEM PjBL. The qualitative data were converted into quantitative data counted by the occurrence frequencies of the codes. The results based on the integration and comparison of the open-ended questionnaire and interview outcomes showed that i-STEM PjBL provided students with positive educational values (including learning acquisition, performance, and perception), but there were also learning challenges in the process. Learning acquisition focused on the basic structure and components of a robot, principles of robot motion, hull structure, principles of sailboat navigation, and skills of designing and assembling sailboats. Learning performance referred that students were satisfied with their hands-on performances and confident of their abilities to perform better in similar disciplines, but did not learn well on programming. Learning perception indicated that students felt interested in i-STEM PjBL materials could acquire knowledge and skills from various fields, PjBL could be helpful to complete works, and principles could be helpful in practice, while programming design learning materials were not enough. Learning challenges indicated that students were unfamiliar with the usage of tools and hands-on operation, and they also felt challenged by programming. Students' feedback can be taken as references to modify and improve i-STEM PjBL and the materials in the future.

Students’ Perceptions of Project-Based Learning in K-12 Education: A Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence

“…Theme 5: Content insufficiency. This issue was identified as a theme in three studies (e.g., Chang & Chen, 2022) in which students expressed concerns regarding their learning experiences and cited insufficient content in the provided materials and the fact that the content was somewhat difficult for beginners. One senior high school freshman noted, "I had never studied programming before, and I think it is a little bit difficult, and the time and content are insufficient" (Chang & Chen, 2022, p. 9).…”

“…Additionally, students expressed nervousness and uncertainty, as PBL requires a shift from traditional teacher-led instruction to a self-initiated research process. They felt unfamiliar with this new approach and encountered challenges in their attempts to understand certain concepts and project requirements (Chang & Chen, 2022). To address this initial jitter, it is crucial to provide clear instructions, clarify expectations, and offer ongoing support.…”

“…The findings of this meta-ethnography have significant implications for the design of PBL curricula. While PBL offers valuable learning opportunities, some students experience difficulties with insufficient content in the provided materials, particularly regarding new or challenging topics (Chang & Chen, 2022). Educators must carefully select and develop resources in line with students' levels of understanding and provide adequate content to support their learning needs (Drljača, 2020;Lin & Tsai, 2021).…”

“…Moreover, students appreciate the opportunity to connect and integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines into PBL projects (Othman et al, 2022;Tsybulsky & Sinai, 2022). This interdisciplinary approach allowed them to see the relevance and interconnectedness of different subjects, promoting a holistic understanding of the real-world problems that they were addressing (Chang & Chen, 2022;Ubuz & Aydınyer, 2019). Educators should strive to incorporate interdisciplinary elements into PBL projects, thus fostering a multidisciplinary perspective and encouraging students to connect with various areas of knowledge (Tsybulsky & Sinai, 2022;Ubuz & Aydınyer, 2019).…”

Case Report-Driven Medical Education in Rural Family Medicine Education: A Thematic Analysis

“…A lack of structure can detrimentally affect learning [ 13 ]. Cases can be open-ended, and learners may have difficulty continuing CBE, causing confusion and frustration [ 14 ]. Access to specialized equipment or facilities for cases may be limited, impeding learning [ 15 ].…”