The Use of Design-Based Learning for STEM Education and Its Effectiveness on Decision Making Skills

In this research, it is aimed to examine in depth the effect of design based learning (DBL) program on pre-service science teachers' on development of the decision making skills and determine the opinions of pre-service science teachers regarding the effect of the DBL program on decision making skills. For this purpose, embedded integrated design of a mixed-methods approach was employed in this study. In the quantitative part, one-group pre-test and post-test experimental design was used. In the qualitative part was used multiple-case (embedded) design. The study group for the quantitative part of the research is made up of 36 pre-service science teachers determined by convenience sampling method. The qualitative study group is made up of 6 pre-service science teachers determined by maximum variety sampling. The quantitative data of the study were collected via decision-making skills test. DBL activities worksheet and semi-structured interviews were used as qualitative data. Findings indicated that there was a significant difference between participants' pre-test and post-test decision skills measures in favor of the post-tests. In this study, it was determined that the decision process related to the design challenge revealed from the real life situations were identification of the problem, evaluation of the alternatives, decision applications, decision and application steps.