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In the current study, an engineering design-based STEM activity was designed and implemented for 5th graders. The current activity is expected to provide guidance and perspective to teachers (practitioners) in designing and implementing an activity based on design-based learning, STEM activity, and engineering design process (EDP). At the same time, during the implementation of the activity, teachers and students experienced a STEM activity based on the EDP. In the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year, this STEM activity based on the engineering design process was planned for Friction force and water resistance in the 5th-grade middle school science course. Then, the activity was implemented in a class of 21 students. The activity was implemented in three class hours. This activity, titled "Let's Design a Water Slide Boat," aimed at designing a water slide boat that would be least affected by water resistance and friction force to improve students' engineering and design skills. This activity was based on NGSS and the objectives and outcomes set in the 5th-grade science curriculum of the Turkish Ministry of National Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEngineering design practices in STEM education focus on reflecting the discipline-specific work of engineers in a manner that is suitable for the student level and course learning objectives. Using an engineering design context also facilitates student identification of global problems and feasible solutions to address such problems. In this article, within the framework of STEM approach, an engineering design activity that can be applied in middle school mathematics course is presented. Additionally, examples of students’ experiences of the engineering design-based mathematics activity are given. The "Cold Storage Design Activity" was executed in a classroom setting, and the implementation process underwent examination and evaluation. 12 eighth-grade students from a middle school in Turkey took part in the implementation. The middle school were able to successfully perform an engineering design process and effectively overcome challenges through teamwork. The results of the activity show that middle school students are excited and eager to participate in a design activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Childhood Science Education, within a wide range of research topics, studies mental representations of children aged 3–8 years about natural phenomena. Recently, there has been a strong scientific interest in the way children construct precursor mental models. The current study attempts to address children's mental representations of clouds, as well as condensation and the precipitation of water vapour. To fulfill this goal, a qualitative study was implemented involving 19 preschool children. Specifically, the survey included pre-tests and post-tests for recording children's mental representations, as well as a structured teaching process. The main activities of this teaching process followed the four stages of the Engineering Design Process and a STEAM approach, adapted both to children's cognitive needs and the conditions of a real classroom. The results showed that most children of this age (mean age: 5.05 years) were able to approach the concepts of condensation and precipitation, as well as the process of cloud creation. It seems, therefore, that it is possible for young children's initial mental representations to be transformed into representations compatible with school knowledge. Finally, the data and the results of the research lead to the conclusion that children of this age are capable of constructing a precursor model about clouds and the phenomena of condensation and precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine science teachers’ views on distance STEM learning and how they evaluate design-based STEM activities they designed and implemented themselves in accordance with the engineering design process. Conducted using qualitative research methods, this study employed a case study design. The participants of the study consisted of 6 science teachers who were doing the Master’s in science education at a public university in the Western Black Sea region, Türkiye, in the 2020/21 academic year. The courses were conducted online for one semester. This study employed case study design. The participants of the study consisted of 6 science teachers. Courses were conducted remotely online for one semester. An open-ended opinion form, observation notes, and activity sheets were used as data collection tools. The data were analysed using content analysis method. Despite the fact that the participants appeared to have found some situations positive, including saving time and space, having the chance to watch the lesson again, easy access to documents, and avoiding health risks, they also found some other aspects negative such as being unable to do group work and having little interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics learning poses several challenges, making the utilization of technology, particularly e-worksheets, a promising solution to offer a more interactive learning experience and bolster student success. This research aims to describe the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of using Engineering Design Process (EDP)-based e-worksheets in composition function material in high school. The research subjects are 35 eleventh graders at SMAN 1 Tegaldlimo, Banyuwangi, East Java. The Research and Development (R&D) utilized the ADDIE model and collected data through observation, interviews, and tests. The results of expert validation approval obtained a score of 83.33%, which indicates valid or reasonable to use but requires slight updates. The practical results obtained from the analysis of student questionnaires were 76.69%. The pretest and post-test values are analyzed using the Wilcoxon Test with a significance value of < 0.05. The utilization of EDP-based e-worksheets significantly influences composition function material in high school. The N-Gain score shows the mean value was 70.09 %, which is categorized as high (quite effective). Developing e-worksheets based on feedback from teachers and students, as well as further studies on their long-term influence on student learning outcomes, is needed.

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to investigate grade-7 students’ negotiation during the engineering design process regarding the students’ status of argumentation training. The participants were 33 students studying at a public urban middle school in Turkey. They worked in small groups on four engineering design tasks about electricity and light. Data were collected through small group audio recordings, student worksheets, and the observation. The data were analyzed by using content analysis. The results indicated that negotiation patterns were similar across all groups. However, differences were found between the group that received argumentation training and the one that did not receive in terms of proposing ideas for material design, using justifications when in agreement with others, counter proposing and acquiring information for better planning and altering the design, and critiquing for design advantages and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a rollercoaster activity including virtual reality and following the six-steps engineering design process. In the study, a real-life problem involving a rollercoaster accident was given to 12 pre-service science teachers first. The participants were then asked to imagine, plan, create, and test a rollercoaster without an impulsion or braking system that could prevent this kind of accident. The pre-service teachers worked in groups to design their rollercoaster in three 50-minute sessions. After designing their rollercoasters, the pre-service teachers were shown a rollercoaster video with VR glasses so that they could test their designs by noticing the faulty parts. After they improved their designs, each rollercoaster was evaluated by the researchers using the rubric. The activity is critical in providing pre-service science teachers with an example of integrating the STEM approach into their lessons and incorporating virtual reality in STEM education. The activity also can help students become entrepreneurial thinkers and understand how science is connected to other disciplines such as technology, mathematics, or engineering. The activity can also help students develop 21st-century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National reform documents all around the world issue an urgent need for the development of integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curricula. With the emphasis on the development of STEM curricula, there is also a need for improving teachers' and future teachers' conceptions of the integrated STEM approach. This study responds to this call by providing a context to develop pre-service science teachers' understanding of STEM disciplines.Query In this study, we explored how the engineering design-based intervention developed the pre-service science teachers' understanding of integrated STEM education. For this purpose, four STEM activities that focus on a daily-life problem and an iterative engineering design process to solve the problem were adopted. The results revealed that participants' understanding of science was developed throughout the activities (i.e., from the first to the last activity). Similarly, there was an enrichment in their understanding of the engineering design process. On the other hand, there was no gradual development in participants' understanding of mathematics implying that participants had difficulties in making explicit connections with mathematics throughout the activities. Implications for effective STEM courses for developing pre-service science teachers' understanding of STEM disciplines and STEM courses in pre-service science teacher education programs were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of the engineering design-based activities developed in the context of aircraft engineering on the engineering design process (EDP) skills of students. Through the notebooks that the students provided during the implementation process, their EDP skills for each engineering design phase (identification of the problem, generation of design ideas, and creation and improvement of the final design artefact) were analyzed. Focus group interviews were held to reveal their understanding of EDP and to elaborate on the findings, which indicated that the EDP skills of the students improved thanks to the engineering design-based activities. In addition, the focus group interviews indicated that the students had some difficulties while implementing EDP. This study investigated the implementation skills of students in EDP and revealed the skills that are open to and resistant to improvement in this process. It is believed that these findings will enable teachers and researchers to integrate engineering and science more effectively while developing engineering-based teaching activities and conducting classroom practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationwide, low numbers of students are entering STEM-related fields. This is especially true for underrepresented populations and students from rural areas where access to STEM enrichment programs is limited. This qualitative study researched the impact of Micro STEM Fests on 1st to 5th grade students and investigated participating teachers' attitudes toward STEM. The Micro STEM Fest kits used for this study include ten engineering and technology challenges. 5th graders studied and practiced these challenges and then led a Micro Stem Fest for 1st to 4th grade students. Survey and interview data were gathered from participating students and teachers in a rural district. Data was analyzed by grade levels and two themes were identified. Firstly, STEM knowledge was built through handling of materials, engaging in the engineering design process, and enjoying the challenge posed by the concept or activity. Secondly, positive attitudes towards STEM were developed because of their participation, evidenced by students' desire for harder challenges, and expressed enjoyment of autonomous creativity with STEM activities. This paper briefly reviews the literature, describes the methodology, defines and discusses the findings, and makes recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastery of mathematical literacy is essential for developing life skills in the 21st century. Mathematical literacy is even more critical in elementary schools as it forms the basis for mastery at the junior and senior high school levels. Elementary school students differ in their characteristics from students at the higher education level. They, therefore, require an appropriate learning model to improve their mathematical literacy. This research aims to develop a learning model, termed Realistic Mathematics Engineering (RMEng), that combines the Realistic Mathematics Education approach with the steps of the Engineering Design Process and determines the model’s effectiveness. The model was validated by seven experts from three universities in Indonesia and had an Aiken validity index value of 0.786, indicating that it was valid. The RMEng model contains the following steps: understanding realistic problems, solving problems in informal ways, developing formal mathematics, developing products, and drilling. Discussions and presentations can be incorporated into each of these five steps. The RMEng model was subjected to the stages of preliminary and main field testing and was revised based on the suggestions of teachers and observers. Through experimental research compared to a control group, the RMEng model was proven more effective in increasing elementary school students’ mathematical literacy at the 0.000 significance level.

The study investigates the impact of establishing the different scaffolding models toward better percolation of knowledge and skills required to build a functional prototype in a first-year engineering Project Based Learning course. To facilitate students to design and build a mechatronics system, scaffolding students at various project phases is crucial. To cater to the need, scaffolding by the teacher all the time for all the project phases for a large classroom of students was challenging. Thus, there was a need to establish multiple scaffolding models to effectively scaffold students without burdening the teacher. This motivated the authors to establish the five scaffolding models. Data was collected from students and teachers involved in the course to measure the effectiveness of scaffolding models. Student data was collected through focus group discussion, while an interview was carried out with faculty to capture the data. The results reveal that designing multiple scaffolding models helped students to get just in time help to complete the projects and resulted in better design skills. The paper's outcomes help educators design scaffolding models for the PBL course in engineering for a large classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Primary Education (TUJPED) is the property of Turkish Journal of Primary Education (TUJPED) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents a new approach for searching the most favourable mechanical assembly sequence. The proposed method is described and its basic modules are presented. The concept is based on the assumption that the method should help the engineer in specifying the best assembly sequence with the short possible time calculation, taking into account the principles of design for assembly at an early stage of development of the product design. The algorithm for generating an accurate assembly sequence was described in detail and its application on real-life example was presented.

Early Childhood Science Education, within a wide range of research topics, studies mental representations of children aged 3–8 years about natural phenomena. Recently, there has been a strong scientific interest in the way children construct precursor mental models. The current study attempts to address children’s mental representations of clouds, as well as condensation and the precipitation of water vapour. To fulfill this goal, a qualitative study was implemented involving 19 preschool children. Specifically, the survey included pre-tests and post-tests for recording children’s mental representations, as well as a structured teaching process. The main activities of this teaching process followed the four stages of the Engineering Design Process and a STEAM approach, adapted both to children’s cognitive needs and the conditions of a real classroom. The results showed that most children of this age (mean age: 5.05 years) were able to approach the concepts of condensation and precipitation, as well as the process of cloud creation. It seems, therefore, that it is possible for young children’s initial mental representations to be transformed into representations compatible with school knowledge. Finally, the data and the results of the research lead to the conclusion that children of this age are capable of constructing a precursor model about clouds and the phenomena of condensation and precipitation.

This study design was an exploratory case study, with semi-structured interviews and document analysis to investigate how STE(A)M education (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) is implemented in Indonesia. The interviews were held with fifteen participants, with practitioners, experts, and policymakers involved. Ninety-nine STE(A)M activities were collected for document analysis, which was analysed through qualitative content analysis. We discovered that STE(A)M implementations in Indonesia focused on research activities, conferences, teacher training, and activities for children and families. These included four implementation stages: initial, growth, expansion, and established stage. The finding pointed out that implementing integrated learning in Indonesia focuses on STE(A)M activities with engineering design processes as the core activities. Moreover, we found that the Indonesian government is providing substantial support to cultivate STE(A)M education by conducting massive teachers’ training and building learning communities among teachers. Therefore, this provides direction for future research to broaden STE(A)M education implementations around the globe by uncovering Indonesian initiatives.

This study investigated the influence of CThink4CS2 Module on computational thinking (CT) skills of form four chemistry students. The CThink4CS2 Module integrated CT with the Engineering Design Process (EDP) in chemistry class. This study utilized quantitative research methods and quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data were collected using the Computational Thinking Skill Test (CTST) which consisted of algorithmic reasoning, abstraction, decomposition, and pattern recognition constructs. A total of 73 students were in the treatment group (n=39) and control group (n=34). Experimental data were described by means of descriptive analysis and inferential analysis employing two-way MANOVA analysis. The results of the analysis indicated significant differences in CT skills between groups; students in the treatment group demonstrated better results compared to those in the control group. The paper provides insight into the integration of CT and EDP as effective pedagogical strategies for inculcating CT skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a STEM module for eighth-grade middle school learners through the engineering design process. The module was developed based on the ADDIE model, primarily concentrating on the stages of analysis, design and development. The study consisted of two main phases: module development and module evaluation. During the development phase, 26 science teachers and 30 eighthgrade middle school pupils were purposefully selected from a public sector' middle school in China. Subject themes of the EDP-STEM module were determined by data analysis using coding of responses to interview questions and questionnaires seeking to elicit perceived needs. The EDP-STEM module's learning objectives, engineering design process, and STEM knowledge were subsequently developed. In the evaluation phase, five experts and 50 ninth-grade middle school pupils were recruited to verify the reliability and validity of the EDP-STEM module. The Content Validity Index (CVI) for the EDP-STEM module was 0.92, and the Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient was 0.76. Based on their feedback and suggestions, the researcher made modifications and improvements to the EDP-STEM module. The results of the study showed that EDPSTEM module has good reliability and validity and can be used as a learning module to carry out STEM learning in eighth-grade classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new approach for searching the most favourable mechanical assembly sequence. The proposed method is described and its basic modules are presented. The concept is based on the assumption that the method should help the engineer in specifying the best assembly sequence with the short possible time calculation, taking into account the principles of design for assembly at an early stage of development of the product design. The algorithm for generating an accurate assembly sequence was described in detail and its application on real-life example was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies in engineering education believe that higher-order thinking skills (HOTs) are a fundamental competency for engineering students. Polymer engineering students study and analyze the character and structure of polymer materials and use that knowledge to design innovative new products. However, students might need more applied contexts to creativity and learning motivation in polymer material instruction. This paper is a study to present new-product creativity (NPC) through the engineering design process (EDP) for polymer engineering students. The quasi-experimental design was implemented in the learning activity of the polymer-processing laboratory course. A total of 21 participants were recruited from two groups of students (10 were in the experimental group, and 11 were in the control group) at a university in Thailand. The experimental results showed that the students who learned with NPC-EDP had better HOTs in the polymer-processing laboratory course than those who learned with conventional learning. In addition, the students also showed that they were motivated to learn meaningfully in engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that the United Kingdom (UK) needs more engineers and professionals with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to benefit the economy and keep up with technological change and innovation. However, the true nature of engineering and STEM careers is often misunderstood, with secondary school pupils unable to identify where engineering benefits their everyday lives. This suggests that the societal impacts of engineering are not well-defined within secondary education, causing a lack of diversity in pupils pursuing STEM careers. The authors have developed an activity that demonstrates the true problem-solving nature of engineering, and the numerous ways in which these skills can be applied to everyday life. While most practical 'design, build and test' (DBT) exercises aim to foster student engagement with STEM, this activity also emphasises how the engineering design process is a crucial tool for reaching an optimum solution. Pupils work in teams generating ideas and learning from failure, gaining a greater appreciation of how engineers work and the truly exciting nature of engineering. They achieve this by using the engineering design process to help them complete a DBT activity involving building a bridge from limited materials and testing how much weight it can hold. To ensure all pupils have the same opportunities for engagement, the method of delivery, activity design, key learning outcomes, discussion points, and activity relevance have been carefully considered for pupils across a range of age groups, backgrounds, and subject interests. This makes the designed activity ideal for integration into various subject lessons in secondary school classrooms to expose pupils to engineering. The authors have successfully delivered this activity during numerous outreach schemes for pupils visiting the University of Bath, especially noting pupils' engagement and enthusiasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre‐college engineering education reform documents aim to help students develop engineering literacy. Helping students develop sophisticated epistemological views about engineering makes a significant contribution toward developing engineering‐literate citizenry. Despite these widely recognized benefits, research on students' and teachers' epistemological views about engineering, commonly termed nature of engineering (NOE) views, has remained stagnant due to the absence of an open‐ended questionnaire whose collected evidence of validity indicates its appropriateness for assessing students' and teachers' NOE understanding. Purpose: The purpose of this study is threefold: (a) describing the development of a new open‐ended instrument, the Views of Nature of Engineering Questionnaire version B (VNOE‐B), (b) providing evidence in support of the VNOE‐B validity and reliability, and (c) discussing the implications of the newly developed instrument for future research. Design/Method: We aimed to provide evidence for the content and face validity of the VNOE‐B by seeking input from a panel of science/engineering educators. Evidence for the construct validity was determined by analyzing the open‐ended questionnaire and semistructured interview responses provided by pre‐service and in‐service teachers (considered novices in this field) and experts (engineers and engineering educators). Results: Our findings indicate that the VNOE‐B is consistently successful in differentiating between experts' and novices' NOE views. All engineering experts held sophisticated NOE views across all NOE views under study, whereas most novices held partially informed or uninformed NOE views. Conclusion: Evidence of validity supports the appropriateness of the VNOE‐B as an open‐ended instrument for assessing adults' NOE views. Its application may guide teacher educators in determining the efficacy of teacher professional development in meeting the aim of improving in‐service teachers' NOE understanding. Additionally, VNOE‐B may potentially inform the success of pre‐service teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift of contemporary product design from being mono-disciplinary to transdisciplinary requires educational institutions to develop new educational methodologies to ensure their students are fully prepared for the new career and life-long challenges. This paper is a part of the study entitled Transdisciplinary Design Education for Engineering Undergraduates, which goal is to enhance engineering education by developing transdisciplinary teaching methodology and establishing a common engineering design process. This paper presents detailed results from the cognitive game task, based on the Bloom's Taxonomy Cognitive Domain and a general engineering design process, developed to access the design thinking of engineers. The general design process and its stages, application of Bloom's Taxonomy and a list of action verbs, and transdisciplinary teaching approach are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences is the property of Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to determine the effect of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-ThingLink learning design on students' conceptual understanding. Thinglink.com is used as a platform to present problems and set STEM projects, on the topic of nutrition. This research is a quasiexperimental research with One-Shot Case Pretest-Posttest Design. Data was collected by means of pre-test and post-test to assess the improvement of students' conceptual understanding. The hypothesis test used is the paired sample t test. The results showed that there was an increase in students' understanding of the material concepts, which was marked by an increase in the pre-test score (M=54.26, SD=14.73) to post-test scores (M=72.93, SD=12.63). Paired sample t-test also showed significant results, sig. (0.03 0.05) which means H0 is rejected. It can be concluded that the STEM-ThingLink learning design has a positive effect on students' understanding of nutrition concepts. ABSTRAK: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh desain pembelajaran Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-ThingLink terhadap pemahaman konsep siswa. Model STEM-ThingLink menerapkan Engineering Design Process (EDP) dalam sintaksnya. Thinglink.com digunakan sebagai platform untuk menyajikan masalah dan menetapkan proyek STEM. Aplikasi difokuskan pada topik gizi yang diajarkan kepada siswa kelas delapan IPA di sekolah menengah pertama. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian eksperimen semu dengan desain One-Shot Case Pretest-Posttest Design. Model pembelajaran STEM-ThingLink diterapkan pada kelas eksperimen. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan pre-test dan post-test untuk menilai peningkatan pemahaman konsep siswa. Uji hipotesis yang digunakan adalah uji t sampel berpasangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya peningkatan pemahaman konsep materi siswa yang ditandai dengan peningkatan nilai pre-test (M=54.26, SD=14.73) menjadi nilai post-test (M=72.93, SD=12.63). Uji-t sampel berpasangan juga menunjukkan hasil yang signifikan, sig. (0,03 0,05) yang berarti H0 ditolak. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa desain pembelajaran STEM-ThingLink berpengaruh positif terhadap pemahaman konsep gizi siswa.

Creating a STEM-driven culture incorporating engineering habits of mind and 21st century skills at an early age could impact students’ STEM interests and knowledge. Therefore, early exposure to effective engineering design practices could create a foundation for a STEM program. This exploratory case study examined the integration of a STEM program in an elementary-level school. Survey, interview, focus group, and observational data were analyzed and coded to determine effective practices of the STEM program. This paper focuses on the emergent themes of the (a) critical role of the specialist, (b) instructional design, and (c) integration of the engineering laboratory. The STEM specialist at Gemini Elementary School provided the teachers with the foundation for the in-depth acquisition of STEM content and pedagogical skills. Teachers were provided with team planning time that focused on the instructional design of the STEM Block lessons. Through collaborative settings, teachers and the specialist were able to design modern real-world problems for students that allowed students to apply engineering design practices to find solutions. The results of this study point to the need to increase the number of STEM programs embrace engineering design in elementary schools.

Copyright of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty is the property of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study is to present the implementation steps of an engineering design process-based activity. The activity was implemented with 6th-grade students; 21 students were involved. Various visuals were used to attract the students' attention during the introduction of the activity, and discussions were held about engineers and engineering. In the design process, students were asked to design a thermos that meets the criteria and limitations of the problem by following the eight-step engineering design process. The students researched the problem through information cards, suggested different solutions, and chose the one that solved the problem best among the alternatives. The activity continued with constructing and testing the thermos, sharing solutions, and determining the thermos design with the least temperature change. The students were asked to make suggestions to improve their thermos designs. The activity was evaluated by using the diagnostic tree, analytical rubric, and Draw an Engineer Test.

This study aims to present the teaching and learning activities of Engineering Design Processes (EDP) to secondary school students. The proposed teaching technique used was blended learning, which integrated group activities based on online learning and individual hands-on activities through independent study at home. The context of COVID-19 medical mask protection was used in comparison to the current situation. In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed learning activities, a single-group pretest–posttest design was employed to explore (a) the students' perceptions of their problem-solving confidence before and after they underwent the proposed learning technique and (b) students' perceptions of the designed course. After they had finished the 4 weeks of learning activities, the students were asked to complete the Students' Perception on Problem-Solving Skill Questionnaire (SPPSS) and the Students' Perception towards the Proposed Blended Engineering Design Process learning activities Questionnaire (SPBEDP) in order to gauge how confident they felt in their ability to solve problems and how they felt about the proposed course. There were 30 seventh-grade students enrolled in this course. An increase in the level of problem-solving confidence was found in the students after they were subjected to the proposed activities. Moreover, the students mentioned that, based on the proposed activities, "Identify Problem and Need", "Design a Solution", and "Developing Prototype" are the Engineering Design Process learning steps they enjoyed most since they were the steps in which they could use their creativity, and they were hands-on, fun, easy, challenging, and provided them with an opportunity to choose issues in which they are interested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical thinking skills (CTS) have been applied in the learning environment to address students' challenges in the twenty-first century. Therefore, specific approaches need to be implemented in the learning environment to support students' CTS. This research explores students' CTS during the learning process through the engineering design process (EDP) in a physics classroom. The methodology relied on a case study where students were situated for the first time in an EDP classroom. Data were analyzed for each of the EDP stages based on CTS criteria codes. The accuracy of the data was tested through a peer review process to demonstrate the validity of the analysis. The results showed that students exhibited specific CTS criteria in each EDP stage. Therefore, EDP could be an alternative method to engage CTS. This result contributes empirical evidence that the research on CTS also needs the students' performance while engaged in EDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to implement an engineering design-based STEM activity for young children and evaluate the implementation process of the activity, along with providing some revision ideas. The activity was held as a 90-minute weekend workshop with the participation of six children aged four to seven. Data were collected through digital observations and field notes. In the activity, the children followed a four-step engineering design process. They solved the cartoon characters' problem by designing a floatable boat that could take the characters across the lake. In addition, the children tried to move their toy boats on the water without touching them. Throughout the activity, children gained hands-on experience with the concept of force. They made predictions about and tested what material would suit their designs. Thus they had the opportunity to think about what might affect the sinking or floating of objects in the water. They heard each other's ideas and observed the testing process of both their own and other children's designs. In all these respects, this article suggests that playful and developmentally appropriate engineering design challenges can be effective in creating STEM mindsets. This article also includes some revision ideas for integrating activity into the curriculum in early childhood education settings in line with the experiences obtained from the implementation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argumentation skills play a vital role in students' ability to master the learning process because, by employing these skills, they can explain real-world phenomena scientifically. This research focused on developing an argumentation tool based on the engineering design process (EDP) to improve students' argumentation skills in science classrooms. This study utilised the research methods outlined by Plomp & Nieveen, which include problem identification, design, and implementation stages. This study, which involved 150 junior high school student participants, was conducted to implement the argumentation tool as a learning material to help students to understand heat transfer information in science learning. The indicators of argumentation skills included claims, evidence, and reasoning. The study results showed that five experts validated the argumentation tool in science learning development as appropriate for implementation as a practical tool in the science learning classroom. Furthermore, students' argumentation skills improved significantly, mainly related to developing claims and collecting evidence based on the N-gain evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research aimed to introduce a STEM activity specifically prepared in accordance with the engineering design process and to examine a group of prospective preschool teachers' views about the activity. A total of 16 prospective teachers studying in the final year of a public university in the West Black Sea Region, Turkey, during the fall semester of the 2021/22 academic year were the participants of the study. The STEM activity was based on the problem of making a fish model that can sink, swim and float in water. At the end of the activity, an open-ended activity opinion form was used to gather the prospective teachers' views about the activity. The data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method by taking into consideration the themes related to STEM, as specified in the theoretical framework. The results of the study show that the prospective teachers took the opportunity to experience how a STEM activity is held, that they found the activity fun and interesting, as well as conducive to learning science concepts and higher-order thinking skills. As for the negative aspects of the activity, the respondents stated that the activity was time-consuming, and that it was difficult to decide on and build the design. We believe that this study will provide theoretical and practical contributions to both researchers and preschool teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To raise individuals who research, question, produce and most importantly think about a subject; it is very important for the future of the country. In order to gain these skills, countries make changes in education and adopt new educational approaches. One of these approaches is the STEM education approach. One of the applications of STEM education is the engineering design process. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of the application process of engineering design-based STEM activities developed by pre-service primary school mathematics and science teachers on the decision-making skills of pre-service teachers. In the research, onegroup pre-test - post-test weak experimental design, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The study group of the research consists of a total of 36 preservice teachers studying in the last year of a state university in the Western Black Sea Region. "Decision Making Skill Test" was applied to preservice teachers as a pre-test and post-test. The implementation process was completed in a total of 14 weeks. In the first week of the implementation process, general information about the process was shared and the "Decision Making Skill Test" was applied as a pre-test. Between the second and fifth weeks, pre-service teachers were given theoretical information about STEM education and engineering design. In the sixth and seventh weeks, the researcher applied two sample activities based on engineering design to the preservice teachers. In the next six weeks, pre-service teachers developed and applied engineering design-based STEM activities. Engineering design-based activities were implemented using the engineering design process. The engineering design process steps used in the study; defining, researching, imagining, planning, creating, testing, developing and communicating. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the changes in the decision-making skills of the preservice teachers with the pre-test and post-test. As a result of the research, it was seen that the engineering design-based STEM activity development and implementation process made a significant difference in the decision-making skills of pre-service teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on Bakhtin's (Discourse in the novel, University of Texas Press, 1981) notions of dialogism and appropriation, this case study explored how a 5-year-old Latina named Lucia negotiated the gender discourses involved in designing and building robots. The study findings revealed that Lucia performed her gender by appropriating different gender discourses and by using both robotics knowledge and gender tactics to position herself as a competent robotics engineer. Lucia's fluid gender performativity combined with her skillful robot design legitimized her entry into the masculine peer group while affirming her robot as an empowered agent. This study unpacks the complexity of gender ideologies that female students may experience as they engage in the engineering design process. The study also shows how robot designing and building can be a technological and material practice through which young girls can explore and express fluid gender subjectivities. We conclude the article with implications for early childhood engineering and robotics education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prototypes are critical learning tools in the design and development of innovative products. Computer-aided design (CAD) models are most closely associated with detailed design, but emerging research suggests a role for CAD to create virtual prototypes earlier in the design process. In this study, we explore the use of CAD as a prototyping method throughout the design process. We conducted a literature review of scholarly works that described designers using a 30 CAD model to learn about their design. A total of 24 studies were included iii our review and were coded to identify common uses of CA D as a prototyping method. CAD was used as a virtual prototyping method from early conceptual design through detailed design but was most frequently used to create operational prototypes when a design was substantially developed, rather than as a simple mock-up. The most common use of CAD prototypes was to assess feasibility of technical aspects of the design. We also observed several examples of CAD models that were used to explore the design solution space and as means of communication with stakeholders. The benefits and limitations of using 3D CAD models as virtual prototypes are also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to study and compare students' creative problem-solving ability and the quality of students' creative products before, during and after the study in STEM education with the emphasis on the engineering design process. This research is an experimental One-Group Repeated Measures design, with the target groups being 72 junior high school students. The data collection tools used are 1) a creative problem solving competency test with a validity of .817 and 2) an evaluation form for the quality of creative products with a validity of .993. The data were analysed using arithmetic mean, standard deviation and repeated measures ANOVA. The research findings are as follows: 1) The difference between students' creative problem-solving ability measured after the study and their creative problem-solving ability measured during the first and second study as well as before the study was statistically significant at the level of .05, with the level of ability being high; and 2) the difference between the quality of students' creative products after the study and that during the first study and before the study was significantly significant at the level of .05,. The quality of the products was good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]