Comparing the effects of biomimicry and reverse engineering based STEM applications on gifted students

This study was carried out to examine what kind of products gifted students design to solve the problems they encounter in daily life through STEM applications designed based on biomimicry and reverse engineering, what kind of perceptions they have about these processes, and the differences between their biomimicry awareness, motivation to learn science, and environmental attitude levels after the application. The actual implementation of the study was carried out with a total of 25 students in the Science and Art Centre in Edirne in the 2023-2024 academic year, and the pilot implementation was carried out with 8 students in a secondary school in Istanbul in the 2023-2024 academic year. In the study, mixed method was used and it was decided to apply the quasi-experimental research design in the form of pretest-posttest paired control group design model from quantitative research methods and to use the case study design from qualitative research methods. In this direction, lesson plans and worksheets were prepared and implementations were carried out for a total of 8 weeks, 4 lesson hours per week. In the study, biomimicry awareness scale, permanent science learning motivation scale, environmental attitude inventory were applied as pretest-posttest as quantitative data collection tools. The data obtained were analysed with SPSS software and the findings were evaluated at 0.05 significance level. Semi-structured interview form, biomimicry and reverse engineering based worksheets and field notes were used as qualitative data collection tools and the data obtained were analysed by content analysis method. According to the data obtained, a significant difference was obtained in the biomimicry awareness and motivation to learn permanent science of the students who realised the biomimicry-based STEM application process, and a significant difference was obtained in the motivation to learn permanent science of the students who realised the reverse engineering-based application process. No significant difference was found in the environmental attitudes of both groups, but in the semi-structured interviews, it was observed that the students made conscious and highly aware comments on environmental issues and developed environmentally friendly designs. When the qualitative data were analysed, it was determined that the students gave meaningful answers about the nature of biomimicry and reverse engineering concepts and that they were satisfied with the practices carried out by actively participating in the process. The worksheets were analyzed within the framework of relevant assessment rubrics and it was seen that the students received high scores in general.