Project-Based Learning in the Context of STEAM Education

AUTHOR(S) / АУТОР(И): Gorana Laslo , Danijela Petrovic , Mia Maric

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DOI: 10.46793/STEAM-X24.072L

ABSTRACT / САЖЕТАК:

STEAM education, focusing on conceptual thinking and multidis-
ciplinary knowledge, is gaining global attention for its potential to
equip students with 21st century skills. Project-based learning (PBL)
is proposed as an instructional design to enhance STEAM and ba-
sic science education. The study presented the results of empirical
research aimed at analyzing the extent of the PBL application on
the contents of the primary school subjects The World Around Us
(WAU), Nature and Society (N&S), and Physical and Health Edu-
cation (P&HE), as well as PBL benefits for STEAM education. The
sample consisted of 114 primary school teachers from the Republic
of Serbia. The questionnaire was constructed for the purposes of this
research. The finding indicated that teachers apply PBL to a greater
extent in WAU and N&S subjects than in P&HE (z = -7.699, p = .000,
r = .721). The majority of teachers stated that PBL is time-consuming
(69.3%, M = 4.46, SD = 1.015), technically demanding (55.3%, M =
4.16, SD = 1.172) and requires professional training (64%, M = 4.35,
SD = 1.039), despite emphasizing its numerous advantages. The or-
ganization of STEAM and PBL workshops for teachers with specific
subject contents is recommended, as well as adequate education in
teaching methods of preservice teachers, in order to achieve better
quality on STEAM education utilizing PBL approach.

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