The effect of STEM education on student success and some variables

The aim of this research is to examine the effect of "Reflection of Light in the Mirror" in the seventh grade science course, based on STEM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) -that was prepared by ADDIE teaching design- on the students' academic achievement, perceptions about problem solving skills and motivation for science learning. In research, "quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group" was used.The research was carried out with 54 students who were in the seventh grade in the 2017-2018 academic year. Before and after the study, "Reflection Subject Success Test", "Motivation Scale for Science Learning" and "Perception Scale for Problem Solving Skills" were applied to the experimental and control groups. The subject was taught to the experimental group by using instructional design which was developed on the basis of STEM education approach, and to the control group students on the basis of constructivist approach by teaching activities based on the science curriculum. As a result of the analyzes, it was observed that the success in the experimental and control groups increased. When the pre-test and post-test scores of problem solving skills were compared, there was an increase in the experimental group and no difference was found in the control group. While the motivation scores for science learning were not different in the pre-test and post-test measurements of both groups, it was found that the difference between the pre-test and post-test scores in the experimental group was higher than the difference in the control group.