Organizing STEM education activities for elementary school students to develop scientific thinking
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Abstract
In the context of educational reform toward competency development, the application of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to develop scientific thinking for students from elementary level is receiving attention from many countries. In Vietnam, although there have been studies on STEM education, the specific organization of STEM activities for elementary students to develop scientific thinking remains limited. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of organizing STEM education activities on the development of scientific thinking among elementary school students, thereby proposing an organizational model suitable for Vietnamese educational conditions. A quasi-experimental study design, using educational intervention was implemented to 237 students of grade four and five from six primary schools in Hanoi capital and three surrounding provinces (Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên, Hà Nam) within 12 weeks. This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental control group approach and mixed-methods for data collection. The participants in the STEM activities demonstrated a mean increase of scientific thinking scores between 6.13 and 8.47 points (p < 0.001), whereas the control group only increased from 6.09 to 6.83 points for this parameter. This effect was particularly strong in observation skills (2.71 points) and in experimental skills (2.59 points). Organizing STEM education activities according to the proposed model has a positive impact on the development of scientific thinking among elementary school students. The study contributes scientific evidence for applying STEM education in elementary education practice in Vietnam.
References
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