An examination of graduate theses on STEM education integrated into science education in Türki̇ye in terms of various variables and an evaluation of the effects of the methods used on middle school students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development

Although STEM education initially emerged as a result of international competition, it has evolved into a dynamic instructional approach that continues to develop through interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. This approach aims to help individuals apply theoretical knowledge by connecting it with different disciplines, develop analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, and become effective participants in teamwork. With its student-centered and practice-based structure, STEM education stands out from traditional teaching methods and has gained significant importance in science education. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of teaching methods and strategies used in STEM applications integrated into science education in Türkiye between 2018 and 2025 on middle school students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. For this purpose, 144 master's and doctoral theses were analyzed using document analysis. These theses were retrieved from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) National Thesis Center database using keywords such as "STEM", "Science", "FeTeMM", "Cognitive", "Affective", and "Psychomotor". Designed with a qualitative approach, the study evaluated the theses in terms of publication year, sample group, disciplines involved, methods and strategies used, and observed cognitive, affective, and psychomotor effects on students. The findings reveal an increase in STEM-based theses during the 2018–2025 period, with a peak in 2019. The most frequently studied group was 7th grade students, while physics was the most commonly addressed discipline. The most widely used teaching method was the engineering design-based approach. The results indicate that the instructional methods used in STEM education significantly contribute to students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. In the cognitive domain, the engineering design-based method, project-based learning, and the 5E model improved students' problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and analytical thinking skills. In the affective domain, the engineering design approach and 5E model led to positive changes in attitudes toward science, motivation toward STEM, and interest in STEM-related careers. In the psychomotor domain, the engineering design-based method supported development in skills such as designing, participating in STEM activities, and applying engineering practices. However, it has been observed that there are no studies on the effects of argumentation and project-based learning methods on psychomotor skills, and it has been concluded that further research is needed in this area.