The effect of problem-based stem activities on students' achievement and attitudes towards engineering

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of STEM activities prepared according to the problem-based learning approach on students' academic achievement and attitudes toward engineering. A one-group pretest-posttest experimental model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. In the study, the achievement test was used to reveal students' knowledge levels about the definition of water and the importance of water, the physical, chemical, and biological properties of water, the water cycle, water pollution, and water treatment. Another data collection tool used in the study was the Engineering Attitude Scale. According to the findings obtained from the research, it was concluded that problem-based STEM activities had a positive effect on student's academic achievement but did not make a significant difference in engineering attitudes. The findings of the study were discussed and various suggestions were made for future studies.

Keywords: Attitude; engineering design process; problem-based STEM; STEM; water