The Scientific Creativity of Fifth Graders in a Stem Project-Based Cooperative Learning Approach

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the effects of an integrated STEM project-based with cooperative learning (STEM-PjBCL) approach on fifth graders’ five sub-scales of trait dimension in scientific creativity. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control group design was employed. A total of 360 fifth graders from four randomly selected primary schools were chosen as sample and assigned to STEM-PjBCL (n=120), PjBL (n=120), and Conventional (CV) (n=120) instructional methods. The Figural Scientific Creativity Test was used as the pre-test and post-test. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was performed on the post-test scores with pre-test scores as the covariates to examine whether a significant difference existed across the three methods. The results showed that fifth graders taught with the STEM-PjBCL method significantly outperformed their counterparts in the PjBL and CV method in Fluency, Originality, Elaboration, Abstractness of title, and Resistance to premature closure. However, fifth graders taught in the PjBL method did not significantly outperform their counterparts in the CV method in the five sub-scales of scientific creativity. Large effect sizes were obtained for comparing STEM-PjBCL with the PjBL and CV method. The results suggest that the STEM-PjBCL method produces a significant beneficial effect on promoting the five sub-scales of trait dimension of scientific creativity among fifth graders. Keywords: cooperative learning, project-based learning, scientific creativity, STEM, trait dimension.

STEM Education Effect on Inquiry Perception and Engineering Knowledge

“…In addition, questioning the information to be used in the solution of the problem in the exploration step, investigating and analyzing it, in the evaluation step, questioning the information they learned and identifying the non-working parts of their designs may have revealed this difference or supported the questioning skill perception (Johns & Mentzer, 2016;Yıldırım, 2016). This situation is also thought to be effective in the emergence of this result, while the student was producing a solution proposal to the problem situation during the implementation period, showed a tendency to question against the problem and had the opportunity to solve the problem (Siew & Ambo, 2020). In many experimental studies in which STEM supported science teaching was performed, the test scores were significantly different from each other in favor of posttests (Kırıcı & Bakırcı, 2021).…”

“…STEM education has features such as being student-centered, supporting students' high-level thinking skills, providing students with problem-solving skills, and enabling students to keep the acquired information longer in their mind (Siew & Ambo, 2020). One of the most important skills among the 21 st century skills is the inquiry learning skill.…”

Is Scientific Creativity Possible in Early Childhood?

“…In order to support the scientific creativity of children in early childhood, learning environments based on the problem-based cooperative learning model can be organized.  STEM activities or activities integrating different disciplines also contribute to the development of scientific creativity (Dogan & Kahraman, 2021;Ece Genek & Doganca Kucuk, 2020;Siew & Ambo, 2020). Therefore, instead of activities based on a single discipline in the preschool period, integrated activities that combine different types of activities can be implemented.…”

“…Research on scientific creativity is relatively new compared to research on creativity (Wiyanto et al, 2020). When the literature is reviewed, it is seen that there are studies examining the effects of various programs and educational practices on the scientific creativity of secondary school students (Aktamis & Ergin, 2008;Dogan & Kahraman, 2021;Hu et al, 2013;Lin et al, 2003;Siew et al, 2015;Siew & Ambo, 2020;Smyrnaiou et al, 2020). In addition, studies examining the relationship between scientific creativity and attitude towards science lessons (Usta & Akkanat, 2015), scientific creativity and home environment (Philip, 2008), scientific creativity and scientific process skills (Aktamis & Ergin, 2007;Dhir, 2014) were carried out.…”

“…The students justified the choices they made in their own stories with scientific explanations, so they produced both original and scientifically correct stories. Similarly, studies in the field of STEM reveal that this approach, which integrates more than one discipline, creates effective opportunities to support scientific creativity (Dogan & Kahraman, 2021;Siew & Ambo, 2020).…”