Investigation on the Influences of STEAM-Based Curriculum on Scientific Creativity of Elementary School Students

Abstract

Up until now, there have been several different viewpoints on creativity in general and creativity in the science field in particular. Furthermore, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education is increasingly successful and widespread around the world; however, few studies on its impact on scientific creativity exist. As a result, research on the influence of STEAM-based curriculum on students’ scientific creativity is critical. Elementary school students were chosen to be investigated in this research, and the main topic of the STEAM-based curriculum was about a house-shaped money-saving tube with the concept of lock science, which was developed and created by the authors’ team. This research produced two phases of courses: Lock Science Courses (2 weeks) and STEAM-based courses (2 weeks). In this study, sixty-six elementary students from two separate courses were divided into two groups: control and experimental. This research used a counterbalanced design. The control group took Lock Science Courses first and then STEAM-based courses, while the experimental group did the opposite. As a pretest and posttest, students in both groups were asked to complete the “scientific creativity test” (Cronbach’s α, 0.87). The findings of the paired t-test study indicate that both the control and experimental groups have shown significant improvement in their scientific creativity. However, only the fluency and flexibility components of scientific creativity (consisting of fluency, flexibility, and originality) showed considerable development, whereas the originality component remained unchanged. This research also found that after engaging in a STEAM-based curriculum, there was no substantial difference in scientific creativity between males and females. Further discussion is provided.

Exploring the Effectiveness of STEAM-Based Courses on Junior High School Students’ Scientific Creativity

“…In a previous study, Tran et al (2021) demonstrated that the STEAM-based curriculum could increase students' scientific creativity. In particular, in the three components of scientific creativity (fluency, flexibility, and originality), the fluency and flexibility components showed a significant improvement; and the effects of the STEAM-based curriculum on various genders are obviously similar.…”

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

“…However, contrasting outcomes were reported by Tran et al (2021), who examined the impact of a STEAM-based curriculum on elementary students' scientific creativity. Despite finding significant improvements, their methodology and interventions provide a different perspective on how educational strategies may influence creativity differently depending on contextual factors.…”

“…Current tools and interventions, such as Student Activity Sheets (SAS) and Scientific Creativity Tests (SCT), have not been universally adopted or validated in different educational contexts, limiting their potential impact (Büyük & Koç, 2020;Genek & Küçük, 2020;Nacaroğlu & Mutlu, 2023). Furthermore, the effectiveness of these tools in different cultural and educational settings has not been adequately explored, raising questions about their generalizability and adaptability (Mercan & Köseoğlu, 2022;Tran et al, 2021). This is particularly important as educational frameworks and student demographics vary significantly across regions, necessitating a more customized approach to implementing and evaluating educational innovations (Akcanca & Ozsevgec, 2017).…”

“…Furthermore, the current literature provides limited insight into the long-term impacts of such interventions on student creativity. The adaptability and scalability of SAS and SCT in different educational contexts, cultural settings, and subject areas have not been thoroughly explored, creating a significant research gap (Nacaroğlu & Mutlu, 2023;Tran et al, 2021).…”

Teachers’ Perception toward Electronic Student Worksheet Based on chiken manure Waste Treatment Projects to Improve Students' Creative Thinking Skills

“…The different educational backgrounds of teachers and the limitations in increasing literature reviews have an impact on reducing students' creative thinking skills because learning is still monotonous and less interesting (Wilsa et al, 2017). There is no innovation in the learning program yet, moreover the material used is only the result of downloading on the internet, so the learning program used is not based on real problems that occur in life and the learning references used have not trained students' creative thinking skills (Tran et al, 2021) .…”