Effectiveness of STEM Approach on Enhancing Critical Thinking Skill of Elementary School Students

Abstract

This study evaluates how the STEM approach to teaching might address global educational concerns while enhancing elementary school students’ critical thinking skills. A key component of creative and social advancement, STEM-based instruction provides a cutting-edge framework that combines conventional instruction with skills that are relevant to the future. Employing a Solomon Four-Group experimental design, the study analyzes data from 184 public school pupils in the eighth grade. In a 2x2 factorial design, pretext, posttest, and retention posttest measures were used to compare the critical thinking results of STEM and traditional education methods. While STEM-based instruction dramatically enhanced critical thinking (posttest: M = 63.47, SD = 5.03; retention: M = 61.89, SD = 4.72, Cohen’s d = 1.52), traditional groups only made minor increases (pretest: M = 4.87, SD = 4.23). Treatment effects were found to be significant (F (1, 180) = 576.21, p < 0.05). STEM education gives young people the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in today’s complicated, interconnected world, producing workforce and informed citizens.