Enhancing Problem Solving and Critical Thinking in STEM: Evaluation of the IDEAS Programme

Zarith Sofiah Othman (), Wan Anis Nabila Wan Abdullah Zawawi, Ahmad Khudzairi Khalid and Nurhuda Ismail
Additional contact information
Zarith Sofiah Othman: Universiti Teknologi MARA, Centre for Foundation Studies
Wan Anis Nabila Wan Abdullah Zawawi: Universiti Teknologi MARA, Faculty of Education
Ahmad Khudzairi Khalid: Universiti Teknologi MARA, College of Computing, Informatics and Mathematics
Nurhuda Ismail: Universiti Teknologi MARA, College of Computing, Informatics and Mathematics

A chapter in Proceedings of International Conference on Governance, Management & Social Innovation (ICGMSI 2023), 2024, pp 16-29 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract There has been much research that relates to the conventional and formal education for best delivery of science and mathematics (STEM) subjects, but little has been reported of the informal STEM learning that can deliver similar outcomes. The IDEAS programme is a successful non-formal approach to learning science and mathematics. It specifically focuses on competition design and prototype generation, building upon achievements in STEM education. This programme was developed to address the need for an alternative approach that can enhance students’ interest and understanding of STEM subjects. Its primary goal is to improve students’ skills and abilities in problem-solving and critical thinking. To assess the effectiveness of the IDEAS programme, this paper examines the outcomes measured by a pre- and post-test instrument administered to 65 secondary school students. The research instrument used a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to gather the data. Descriptive analysis and correlation analysis were performed using SPSS software. The findings of the study indicate that significant improvements were observed in all components, except for engaging in debate and discussion based on evidence. The results support the efficiency of the IDEAS programme in enhancing students’ interest and understanding of science and mathematics. The relaxed style of learning implemented in this programme has proven to be effective in increasing young people’s engagement with STEM subjects. In conclusion, the IDEAS programme has demonstrated its ability to effectively improve students’ interest and understanding of science and mathematics.

Keywords: Science and Mathematics; Secondary Schools; STEM Education; IDEAS programme (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:advbcp:978-94-6463-425-9_3

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9789464634259

DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6463-425-9_3

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().