The effects of teaching enriched with science, engineering and entrepreneurship practices on academic achievement and professional interest

In this study, it was investigated whether the Science, Engineering and Entrepreneurship Practices (SCEP) activities in the "Systems in Our Body" and "Systems in Our Body and their Health" units in the science textbook of 6th-grade middle school students have any effect on students' academic achievement and interest in STEM professions. "Exploratory Sequential Mixed Design" was used in the study. In the quantitative context of the study, a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test matching only control group was used. In the qualitative context, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted after the implementation. The study group consisted of 6th-grade students in a I school in a decentralized district of Van province in the Eastern Anatolia region, in the 2022-2023 academic year. "Systems in Our Body Unit Academic Achievement Test", "Systems in Our Body and Their Health Unit Academic Achievement Test", "Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Professions (STEM-Engineering and Mathematics)" likert scale and semi-structured focus group interview questions were used to collect research data. Quantitative data were analyzed with t-test or non-parametric equivalents according to their distribution, while qualitative data were analyzed with thematic analysis method, with the data obtained, it was concluded that the FMGU activities positively improved students' career thoughts in the fields of Engineering, Science, Technology and Mathematics and their academic achievement in the subjects of systems in our body. In addition, students stated that FMGU-supported science teaching made it easier to understand the science course, the lessons were more fun, and their success in science course increased.