Evaluation of outdoor STEM training for gifted/talented students

STEM is an approach which provides to integrate fundamental science and mathematics with engineering and technology. STEM education applications are suitable for all students however it was noticed that the researches have not been quite developed especially for gifted/talented students. This study has been carried out in order to examine the benefits earned by gifted/talented students after STEM education. The case study model has been selected and used among the qualitative research methods. 32 hours of STEM education applications have been performed for this study by the participation of 25 students (12 boys and 13 girls) who have diagnosed as "gifted/talented" and who have not participated in a STEM education before. Activity Assessment Forms and Student Monitoring Forms were used as data collection instrument. Activity assessment forms, various questions addressed to students which likely to ask learnings and benefits by students' point of view. Student monitoring forms, whether they did similar work outside the school after their education, whether they would produce an invention that would facilitate human life in the future, and what profession they wanted to have after education. During the application of each STEM activity, engineering design phase followed and students made to complete the Activity Assessment Forms. Obtained qualitative data evaluated with content analysis. Consequently, it has been determined that STEM education applications are providing 21st Century skills most likely creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication to the gifted/talented students, together with educational attainments in science and math.