Fostering Critical Reflection in Primary Education through STEAM Approaches

Abstract

This paper describes a quantitative study that explores teaching practices in primary education to sustain the hypothesis that students’ critical thinking may be activated through individual and group reflection. The study examines the quality of the reflections from primary school students during group processing when participating in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) instructional approaches. The project’s core methodology lies in scientific (physics) and artistic (dance) instructional activities which were executed in a continuous reflective and cooperative learning environment. The educational approach was refined by analyzing the reflective discussions from focus groups where descriptive, argumentative, reflective and critical reflective knowledge about acquired knowledge, competences, beliefs, attitudes and emotions were considered. While the educational intervention proved that 1st-year (K-7) students essentially reflected at the level of description, 3rd-year (K-9) and 5th-year (K-11) students, however, attained higher levels of individual critical reflection development than initially anticipated. The STEAM approaches were found to produce significant use and understanding of both science and artistic concepts and to increase a sense of competence readiness and a perception of modes of cooperation such as individual responsibility and promotive interaction.

The Effectiveness of STEAM-Based Augmented Reality Media in Improving the Quality of Natural Science Learning in Elementary School

“…According to Taylor (in Badmus Taofeek & Omosewo Esther, 2018), STEAM also allows students to learn from various perspectives of interrelated knowledge, such as self-understanding of the culture close to the environment students live in, social relationships or interactions, critical thinking development, forward-looking or visionary and ethical knowledge, and meaningful experiences to students. STEAM can also improve intrapersonal skills, reformulating beliefs, attitudes, and competencies to understand the complex world in the scientific realm and the social realm (Bassachs et al, 2020). Further, STEAM is an alternative application of several disciplines combined into learning designs, which provide opportunities for students to develop scientific thinking, be creative, and conduct experiments in a meaningful way to increase their interest (Conner et al, 2017).…”

STEAM-Learning to Mars: Students’ Ideas of Space Research

“…The most recent literature reviews seem to present evidence validating the high expectations toward STEAM [15]. Many different approaches have shown promise in utilizing, as well as increasing the students' understanding of, both science and artistic concepts, thus building up the students' sense of competence readiness and their perception of modes of cooperation, such as individual responsibility and promotive interaction.…”

Cooperative Learning to Reduce Inequalities: Instructional Approaches and Dimensions

“…This approach is reinforced on a classroom scale by promoting equal treatment and, through the absence of institutional discrimination [28], the promotion of equity in members' group roles [29], a culturally diverse curriculum [27], empathy and change of perspective [2] and optimal intergroup dependence [26]. Subsequently, cooperative learning at both individual and classroom levels may create more reflective and critical students [14,15] and more resilience among children at risk from family, community, and/or social dependences. In school, students from an immigrant background tend to perceive differential levels of equal treatment [30,31], forced assimilation of non-immigrant perspectives, false inclusion through differential practices among groups, and low structural class orientation toward class ethnicity and identity.…”

“…In cooperative learning, motivation, social cohesion, cognitive development, and cognitive elaboration are listed as achievement effects by individuals [45]. For primary school students, cooperative learning may be significant for them to achieve critical thinking development as expected for sustainable development competencies [15]. That being said, children in their first years of primary school have been found to encounter difficulties in attaining positive interdependence and developing social and interpersonal skills, since their psychological characteristics are closer to preoperative stages.…”

“…In terms of recognizing SDGs, students, for example, suggest that the awareness of gender inequality is linked to awareness of the negative impacts of environmental problems and the subsequent impact on their own quality of life [12]. There is a recognized tradition of research on pedagogical approaches and their effects on sustainable competencies in higher education, but how the synergies of tertiary systems can cope with sustainable competencies in primary and secondary education is still a key issue for research [13][14][15].…”