A Proposed Unit Based on the STEM Approach: Developing 21st-Century Skills Among Middle-School Students

Amirah  AlZahrani; Haifa  AlOtaibi

doi:10.36941/jesr-2024-0046

Authors

Amirah AlZahrani Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Science, Bisha University, Bisha, Saudi Arabia
Haifa AlOtaibi PhD student, Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Mathematics, Umm Al-Qura University, Taif, Saudi Arabia *Corresponding Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2024-0046

Keywords:

proposed unit, STEM, integration, science, mathematics, twenty-first-century skills, middle school

Abstract

This research aims to determine the effectiveness of a proposed instructional unit based on the integration of science and mathematics, following the STEM approach, to teach critical thinking and problem-solving as 21st-century skills. To achieve this goal, an experimental approach based on a quasi-experimental single-group design with a pre-test and post-test was used. The research sample consisted of 40 third-grade students in a middle school. A problem-solving skills test was developed, and the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Skills Appraisal was used, the results showed statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the participant group in the pre-test and post-test measurements for both critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The research concluded that the proposed unit helped students develop 21st-century skills.

Received: 11 November 2023 / Accepted: 17 February 2024 / Published: 5 March 2024