Stem-based curriculum proposal and effectiveness for science applications course

The aim of the research is to determine the effects of STEM-based curriculum on seventh grade students' attitudes towards science process skills, attitudes towards science courses, attitudes towards socio-scientific aspects, creating a class environment which STEM activities are applied, and to find out the student perceptions about the use and effectiveness of the curriculum. This Stem-based curriculum, designed according to Demirel program development model, were developed and applied in science applications course by the researcher. The study was carried out in the framework of a 19-week period model in a stem-based curriculum which was applied in the spring semester of 2016-2017 academic year with 78 students in Meliksah Secondary School in Ankara province, Sincan County. In the research, nested pattern of mixed method research used qualitative and quantitative approaches together was used. Quantitative data collection tools of research are Scientific Process Skills Test (SPST), Science Teaching Attitude Scale (STAS) and Attitudes toward Socio-Scientific Issues Questionnaire (SSIQ) which are developed by selecting from TIMMS and PISA questions. The qualitative data collection tools of the research are presentation observation form, science notebooks and comments of students, science class image studies and semi-structured interviews made with students. The quantitative data obtained in the study were analyzed by the t-test technique. Interviews, observations and documents were analyzed with descriptive analysis and content analysis technique. Image studies data were analyzed by chi-square analysis technique. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group in terms of the attitudes towards scientific process skills and socio-scientific issues after the application. Qualitative data obtained from student interviews, observations, document analyzes and science class image studies support quantitative findings. It is concluded that the application has developed scientific process skills, increased their motivation to STEM areas, affected positively towards socio-scientific issues.