STEM in Transition from Primary School to Middle School: Primary School Students' Attitudes

Halit Karalar; Sabri Sidekli; Bekir Yıldırım

Vol. 13 No. 5 (2021) IEJEE

STEM in Transition from Primary School to Middle School: Primary School Students' Attitudes

Halit Karalar
Sabri Sidekli
Bekir Yıldırım

Published July 14, 2021 | Pages: 687-697 | Views: 494

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Abstract

This study aims to examine the STEM attitudes of primary school fourth-grade students who are in the transition period from primary school to middle school. More specifically, this study examines whether the students' attitudes towards STEM significantly differ according to gender, parents' educational background, science achievement, and mathematics achievement. The data obtained from 221 fourth-grade students through the STEM Attitude Scale were analyzed by independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The research results revealed that students move from primary school to middle school with a high STEM attitude. In this transition, girls' attitudes towards mathematics and boys’ towards engineering and technology were higher. The tendency in engineering and technology attitudes differs only in favor of male students but does not differ significantly in parents' educational background, science, and mathematics achievement. While there was no significant difference in general STEM attitudes of the students in terms of gender and mother’s education, there was a difference in father’s education, mathematics, and science achievement. Following, the research results were discussed, and recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners were presented.

<p>This study aims to examine the STEM attitudes of primary school fourth-grade students who are in the transition period from primary school to middle school. More specifically, this study examines whether the students' attitudes towards STEM significantly differ according to gender, parents' educational background, science achievement, and mathematics achievement. The data obtained from 221 fourth-grade students through the STEM Attitude Scale were analyzed by independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The research results revealed that students move from primary school to middle school with a high STEM attitude. In this transition, girls' attitudes towards mathematics and boys’ towards engineering and technology were higher. The tendency in engineering and technology attitudes differs only in favor of male students but does not differ significantly in parents' educational background, science, and mathematics achievement. While there was no significant difference in general STEM attitudes of the students in terms of gender and mother’s education, there was a difference in father’s education, mathematics, and science achievement. Following, the research results were discussed, and recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners were presented.</p>

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Keywords

STEM attitude, transition from primary school to middle school, fourth-grade students, STEM, attitude, primary school

Affiliations

Halit Karalar

Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University

Sabri Sidekli

Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University

Bekir Yıldırım

Muş Alparslan University

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How to Cite

Karalar, H., Sidekli, S., & Yıldırım, B. (2021). STEM in Transition from Primary School to Middle School: Primary School Students’ Attitudes. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 13(5), 687–697. Retrieved from https://iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1550