Browsing by Subject "workshop learning"

The aim of this study was to describe pupils’ experiences of Way to Mars – workshop based on STEAM teaching. STEAM is a method designed to integrate science, technology, engi-neering, arts and mathematics subject areas in teaching and which has been developed in the past few decades. STEAM teaching supports inquiry-based learning. Finland’s National Core Curriculum for the Basic Education and Upper Secondary Education (2014) outlines transversal competence and supporting students’ active engagement. STEAM could be seen potential to meet these needs. This study was a qualitative case study. The research material was collected from students who participated Way to Mars – workshop which was based on STEAM and organized as a part of a larger study of science teaching (STORIES). The workshop was participated by 260 students from the grades 4-6. Two groups of them (28 students from the 5th grade) an-swered to the POMS inquiry and four (4) of them were interviewed singular. The research material was analyzed with content analysis. The study showed that students enjoyed the workshop. POMS inquiry indicated that stu-dents experienced vigour and positive self-esteem related feelings. Students experienced that they were able to create and make a lot and being supported but also being self-determent. Students experienced that workshop contained both easy and challenging tasks. They experienced that they learned new and were encouraged to group work. All students interviewed would recommend this kind of workshop for pupils of their own age. The findings indicate that STEAM teaching is a versatile and pleasant way of learning, and can be seen a potential candidate to meet the needs set in National Curriculum (2014) and also has possi-bility of developing and streghtening science education