Preschool STEM Activities and Associated Outcomes

Abstract

This review highlights the need for further investigation into the benefits of STEM activities in preschool children’s learning, girls’ engagement and learning of children with disabilities in the STEM field. The review process involved accessing 19 relevant studies from Scopus, ERIC and Google Scholar databases in March 2023. Through the synthesis of information from these studies, seven STEM activities were identified as effective in enhancing preschool children’s learning: educational robots, educational games, argumentative interactions, inquiry-based learning and engineering design, drawing and telling about engineers, free play and pretend play, and group membership. Each of these activities contributes to different learning outcomes for children. Moreover, the review emphasizes the importance of role-playing activities ‘as if’ engineers and scientists, facilitated by teachers, in fostering girls’ motivation and engagement in the STEM field from an early age. Long-term scientific interventions at home have a significant positive impact on the science literacy skills of deaf children. The implications of this review are particularly relevant for early childhood educators, as it provides valuable insights into the use of STEM activities to enhance children’s learning outcomes.

The use of ChatGPT in teaching and learning: a systematic review through SWOT analysis approach

“…Fourth phase: In the final phase, we thoroughly reviewed the full text of the remaining 90 potentially eligible studies. We used 'interrater reliability' using 'percent agreement' (McHugh, 2012;Ha et al, 2023) and a calculated consensus ratio of 43/51 = 0.84 (ie 84%). A research team meeting was held to discuss potential included studies where there were differences of opinion between us.…”