Investigation of steam activities with inquiry-based learning in primary education regarding holistic learning and motivation

In this study, the aim is to examine STEAM activities based on the inquiry cycle concerning the holistic learning and motivation of second-grade primary school students. The research employs a mixed research method, combining qualitative and quantitative data. The study group consists of a total of 30 participants, 15 female and 15 male students studying in the second grade of a public school affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Mezitli district, Mersin province, during the second semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The researchers used convenience sampling, a non-random sampling method. The scenarios for the STEAM activities, based on the inquiry cycle, were developed within the study. These STEAM activities were conducted over a 10-week period, and the researchers collected quantitative data using the Primary School Motivation Scale, as well as qualitative data using student diaries, researcher notes, and a semi-structured interview form. For the quantitative part of the study, a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was employed. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to analyze the quantitative data, while content analysis was used for the qualitative data. The quantitative findings from the research indicate that STEAM activities based on the inquiry cycle have a significant positive effect on improving students' motivation in reading, writing, mathematics, and overall engagement. Furthermore, the qualitative findings demonstrate that these STEAM activities contribute to students' cognitive, physical, emotional, social, artistic, and spiritual development, encompassing, which are the sub-dimensions of holistic learning, ultimately increasing their motivation.