Investigation of the Effects of Engineering-Oriented STEM Integration Activities on Scientific Process Skills and STEM Career Interests: A Mixed Methods Study

The aim of this research study was to examine the effects of engineering-oriented STEM integration activities on middle school students’ science process skills and STEM career interests. Intervention design, one of the mixed research method designs, was employed. One group pre-test post-test design was utilized in the quantitative part of the study and basic qualitative research design was used in the qualitative part of the study. The experimental intervention of the study was carried out with 19 middle school students. Quantitative data were obtained by using the Science Process Skills Scale and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Career Interest Survey. In the qualitative part, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight students after the experimental intervention. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was utilized in the analysis of quantitative data and thematic analysis technique was used in the analysis of qualitative data. As a result of the research, it was found that science process skills and STEM career interests of students showed statistically significant improvement. Similarly, qualitative data showed that participants' career awareness related to the field and tendency to choose a profession of STEM field in their future professional lives enhanced. Additionally, participants thought that they gained 21st century skills such as scientific thinking, creativity, multi-faceted thinking, using engineering design, cooperating and communicating.