Turkish early childhood education curriculum from the perspective of STEM education: A document analysis

Aysun  Ata Aktürk; Hasibe Özlen  Demircan; Ezgi  Şenyurt; Mustafa Çetin

doi:10.36681/

Authors

Aysun Ata Aktürk Early Childhood Education, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu-TURKEY
Hasibe Özlen Demircan Early Childhood Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara-TURKEY
Ezgi Şenyurt Early Childhood Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara-TURKEY
Mustafa Çetin Early Childhood Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara-TURKEY

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36681/

Keywords:

STEM education, early childhood curriculum, policy

Abstract

The current study aimed to examine Turkish early childhood education curriculum prepared for 36–72 month children relative to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. To that end, 240 developmental features, 65 objectives, and 230 indicators under developmental fields in the curriculum and 40 sample activities in a teacher activity book were analyzed by adopting content analysis. The data were analyzed in the light of “A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas” developed by the Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K–12 Science Education Standards within the National Research Council. Analyses revealed that the curriculum and teacher activity book included core ideas and concepts related to STEM education and it had most of the characteristics of STEM education. Finding out the existence of STEM educationrelated aspects of the early childhood education curriculum inspires conducting further studies that will help early childhood educators’, academicians’, and policy makers’ focus on integrating and implementing STEM education practices not only in Turkey but also in countries adopting similar early childhood education curriculums.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akaygun, S., & Aslan-Tutak, F. (2016). STEM images revealing STEM conceptions of pre-service chemistry and mathematics teachers. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 4(1), 56-71. Akgunduz, D., Aydeniz, M., Cakmakcı, G., Cavas, B., Corlu, M. S., Oner, T., & Ozdemir, S. (2015). A report on STEM Education in Turkey: A provisional agenda or a necessity? İstanbul, Turkey: Aydın University.

Aldemir, J., & Kermani, H. (2016). Integrated STEM curriculum: Improving educational outcomes for Head Start children. Early Child Development and Care, 1-13. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1185102

Andersson, K., & Gullberg, A. (2014). What is science in preschool and what do teachers have to know to empower children? Cultural Studies of Science Education, 9(2), 275-296.

Aral, N., Kandır, A., & Yaşar, M. C. (2001). Early childhood education. İstanbul, Turkey: Ya-Pa Publications. Aronin, S., & Floyd, K. K. (2013). Using an iPad in inclusive preschool classrooms to introduce STEM concepts. Teaching Exceptional Children, 45(4), 34-39.

Bagiati, A., & Evangelou, D. (2015). Engineering curriculum in the preschool classroom: The teacher’s experience. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23(1), 112-128.

Beede, D. N., Julian, T. A., Langdon, D., McKittrick, G., Khan, B., & Doms, M. E. (2011). Women in STEM: A gender gap to innovation. Economics and Statistics Administration Issue Brief, 4(11), 1-11.

Bers, M. U. (2008). Blocks, robots and computers: Learning about technology in early childhood. New York: Teacher’s College Press. Chesloff, J. D. (2013). STEM education must start in early childhood. Education Week, 32(23), 27-32.

Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2000). Teaching children mathematics. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/buildingblocks/writings/yc_ideas_shapes.pdf.

Corlu, M. A., & Corlu, M. S. (2012). Scientific inquiry based professional development models in teacher education. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 12(1), 514-521.

Corlu, M. S. (2012). A pathway to STEM education: Investigating pre-service mathematics and science teachers at Turkish universities in terms of their understanding of mathematics used in science (Doctoral dissertation) Retrieved May 12, 2016, from http://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10839/CORLU-DISSERTATION.pdf?sequence=2

Corlu, M. S. (2014). Call for manuscripts on STEM education. Turkish Journal of Education, 3(1), 1-10. Corlu, M. S., Capraro, R. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2014). Introducing STEM education: Implications for educating our teachers for the age of innovation. Education and Science, 39(171), 74-85.

Corvo, A. F. (2014). Utilizing the National Research Council’s (NRC) conceptual framework for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): A self-study in my science, engineering, and mathematics classroom (Doctoral dissertation) Retrieved March 21, 2017, from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (UMI 3620871)

Demircan, H. O., & Erden, F. T. (2015). Parental involvement and developmentally appropriate practices: A comparison of parent and teacher beliefs. Early Child Development and Care, 185(2), 209-225.

Entwisle, D. R., & Alexander, K. L. (1998). Facilitating the transition to first grade: The nature of transition and research on factors affecting it. The Elementary School Journal, 98(4), 351-364.

Epstein, D., & Miller, R. T. (2011). Slow off the mark: Elementary school teachers and the crisis in science, technology, engineering, and math education. Center for American Progress.

Facchini, N. (2014). Elements of the Next Generation Science Standards’ (NGSS) New framework for K-12 science education aligned with STEM designed projects created by kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students in a Reggio Emilio project approach setting (Doctoral dissertation) Retrieved March 21, 2017, from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (UMI 1556499)

Fidan, N. V., & Erden, M. (1993). Introduction to education. Ankara, Turkey: Meteksan Publications.

Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGram-Hill Publishing.

Gonzalez, H. B., & Kuenzi, J. J. (2012). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: A primer. Congressional Research Service.

Guyotte, K. W., Sochacka, N. W., Costantino, T. E., Walther, J., & Kellam, N. N. (2014). STEAM as social practice: Cultivating creativity in transdisciplinary spaces. Art Education, 67(6), 12-19.

Han, S., Rosli, R., Capraro, M. M., & Capraro, R. M. (2016). The effect of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Project Based Learning (PBL) on students’ achievement in four mathematics topics. Journal of Turkish Science Education (TUSED), 13(Special Issue), 3-29.

Hoisington, C., & Winokur, J. (2015). Seven strategies for supporting the “E” in young children’s STEM learning. Science and Children, 53(1), 44-51.

Katz, L. G. (2010). STEM in the early years. SEED papers. Retrieved June 25, 2016, from http://ecrp.illinois.edu/beyond/seed/katz.html.

Lindeman, K. W., Jabot, M., & Berkley, M. T. (2013). The role of STEM (or STEAM) in the early childhood setting. In L. E. Cohen & S. Waite-Stupiansky (Eds.), Advances in early education and day care (pp. 95-114). Emerald Group Publishing.

Ministry of National Education (MoNE), (2013). Early childhood education curriculum. Retrieved.August.16,.2016,.from.http://ttkb.meb.gov.tr/program2.aspx/program2.aspx?islem=1&kno=202.

Ministry of National Education (MoNE), (2016). STEM Education Report. Retrieved June 18, 2016, from http://yegitek.meb.gov.tr/STEM_Education_Report.pdf

Moomaw, S., & Davis, J. (2010). STEM comes to preschool. Young Children, 65(5), 12-18. Moomaw, S. (2013). Teaching STEM in the early years: Activities for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. USA: Redleaf Press.

Nathan, M. J., Tran, N. A., Atwood, A. K., Prevost, A., & Phelps, L. A. (2010). Beliefs and expectations about engineering preparation exhibited by high school STEM teachers. Journal of Engineering Education, 99(4), 409-426.

National Research Council (NRC), (2007). Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

National Research Council (NRC), (2011). Successful K-12 STEM education: Identifying effective approaches in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

National Research Council (NRC), (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth. through. age. 8.. Retrieved. June. 23,. 2016 ,.from.http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSDAP.pdf

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2010). Early childhood mathematics: Promoting good beginnings. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/psmath.pdf

Navruz, B., Erdogan, N., Bicer, A., Capraro, R. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2014). Would a STEM school ‘by any other name smell as sweet’? International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 1(2), 67-75.

Next Generation Science Standards Lead States. (2013). Next generation science standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

Oguzkan, S., & Oral, G. (1992). Early childhood education. İstanbul, Turkey: Ogul Publications.

Ong, E. T., Ayob, A., Ibrahim, M. N., Adnan, M., Shariff, J., & Ishak, N. (2016). The effectiveness of an in-service training of early childhood teachers on STEM integration through Project-Based Inquiry Learning (PIL). Journal of Turkish Science Education (TUSED), 13(Special Issue), 44-58.

Quigley, C. F., & Herro, D. (2016). ‘Finding the joy in the unknown’: Implementation of STEAM teaching practices in middle school science and math classrooms. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25(3), 410-426.

Sahin, A., Ayar, M. C., & Adiguzel, T. (2014). STEM related after-school program activities and associated outcomes on student learning. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(1), 309-322.

Schweingruber, H. A., Quinn, H., Keller, T. E., & Pearson, G. (2013). A framework for K-12 science education: Looking toward the future of science education. Bridge, 43(1), 43-50.

Sharapan, H. (2012). From STEM to STEAM: How early childhood educators can apply Fred Rogers’ approach. Young Children, 67(1), 36.

Shonkoff, J. P., & Phillips, D. A. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Siew, N. M., Amir, N., & Chong, C. L. (2015). The perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers regarding a project-based STEM approach to teaching science. Springer Plus, 4(1), 1-20.

Soylu, S. (2016). Stem education in early childhood in Turkey. Journal of Educational and Instructional Studies in the World, 6(1), 38-47.

STEM Smart Brief (2013), Nurturing STEM skills in young learners, PreK–3. Retrieved June 13, 2016, from http://successfulstemeducation.org/resources/nurturing-stem-skills-young-learners-prek%E2%80%933.

Stohlmann, M., Moore, T. J., & Roehrig, G. H. (2012). Considerations for teaching integrated STEM education. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 2(1), 28-34.

Sullivan, A., Elkin, M., & Bers, M. U. (2015). KIBO robot demo: Engaging young children in programming and engineering, In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children (pp. 418-421). Aarhus, Denmark.

Turkish Industry & Business Association (TUSIAD). (2014). Educational understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based labor force needs, curriculum changes, pre-school education and teacher training. Retrieved August 15, 2016, from http://tusiad.org/tr/tum/item/8054-stem-alaninda-egitim-almis-isgucune-yonelik-talep-ve-beklentiler-arastirmasi

Vasquez, J. A., Comer, M., & Sneider, C. (2013). STEM lesson essentials: Integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Publications.

Wynn, T., & Harris, J. (2012). Toward a STEM+ arts curriculum: Creating the teacher team. Art Education, 65(5), 42-47.

Xu, Y. J. (2008). Gender disparity in STEM disciplines: A study of faculty attrition and turnover intentions. Research in Higher Education, 49(7), 607-624.

Yakman, G., & Lee, H. (2012). Exploring the exemplary STEAM education in the US as a practical educational framework for Korea. Journal of Korea Association Science Education, 32(6), 1072-1086.

Yamak, H., Bulut, N., & Dundar, S. (2014). The impact of STEM activities on 5th grade students’ scientific process skills and their attitudes towards science. Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty, 34(2), 249-265.