The effect of argumentation-based STEM applications on the academic achievement of primary school students, their argumentation use levels, their attitudes andperceptions towards STEM, and their interest in STEM careers

In this research, it was aimed to determine the effect of the 3rd grade primary school science course taught with argumentation-based STEM applications on students' academic achievement, their level of argumentation use, their perception and attitude towards STEM, and their interest in STEM careers. The implementation of the research was carried out in the 3/B class of State School, located in the city center of Afyonkarahisar, in the 2022-2023 academic year. In this research, a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. As data collection tools: "Argumentation Model Rating Scale" prepared by Aktamış and Hiğde (2017); "STEM Perception Test", developed by Knezek and Christensen (1998) and adapted into Turkish by Gülhan and Şahin (2016); 4.-8. developed by Guzey, Harwell and Moore (2014) and published by Aydın, Saka and Guzey (2017). "STEM Attitude Scale (STÖ)" adapted to Turkish for 10th grade students; "STEM Career Interest Scale" developed by Tyler-Wood, Knezek and Christensen (2010) and adapted into Turkish by Yerdelen, Kahraman and Taş (2016); Academic achievement test and semi-structured interview form were used. In the study, it was determined that STEM implementations positively increased students' interest, perceptions and attitudes towards STEM professions. At the end of the application, it was determined that the students perceived the fields of science-technology-engineering-mathematics as integrated; They found the argumentation-based learning approach and STEM applications enjoyable and entertaining; It has been determined that argumentation-based learning approach and STEM implementations contribute positively to students' perceptions, attitudes and interests towards science course, their level of argumentation use, their attitudes and perceptions towards STEM, their interest in STEM careers, and their academic success. Keywords: STEM, argumentation-based learning approach, quasi-experimental design, science.