Elementary Students' STEAM Perceptions: Extending Frames of Reference through Transformative Learning Experiences

University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.press.uchicago.edu

Y

23

Elementary School Students; STEM Education; Art Education; Grade 3; Grade 4; Grade 5; Student Attitudes; Student Experience; Metacognition; Learning Activities; Problem Solving

10.1086/708642

0013-5984

The inclusion of the arts into science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) has recently gained much national attention. The purpose of this qualitative study was to conduct a thematic analysis of student STEAM survey open responses to provide the field with an examination of grades 3-5 elementary students' perceptions of their STEAM learning experiences. Grounded in transformative learning theory, a systematic and iterative thematic analysis of 1,572 student-written open responses to six prompts by 262 student participants revealed three primary themes: (1) extent of identification of science and mathematics learning in STEAM; (2) STEAM progression of activities, authentic problems, and empathetic problem solving; and (3) the presence of metacognition in STEAM. Our findings revealed that students' STEAM perceptions provide strong support for STEAM learning experiences as a space for implementing the instructional practices important and central to reform efforts in science and mathematics education in the elementary grades.

As Provided

2020

EJ1258405