Work place: Department of Early Childhood Education, Kafkas University, Turkey
E-mail: a_ibrahimcan@hotmail.com
Website: https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-7765-4403
Research Interests:
Biography
Ali İbrahim Can Gözüm is an associate professor in the Department of Preschool Education at the Dede Korkut Education Faculty, Kafkas University, Turkey. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Science and Technology Department at Kafkas University and pursued postgraduate studies in the same department. He holds doctorates from the Science and Technology Department at Ondokuz Mayıs University and the Early Childhood Education Department at Gazi University. His specialization lies in science and technology education for early childhood. Additionally, he serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the "e-Kafkas Journal of Educational Research," an open-access journal.
By Ozgun Uyanik Aktulun Umit Unsal Kaya Ali Ibrahim Can Gozum Michail Kalogiannakis Stamatios Papadakis
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijmecs.2024.05.01, Pub. Date: 8 Oct. 2024
The "Igniting Curiosity: A STEAM Journey for Young Minds" (IC-SJYM) program integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) into early childhood education to enhance linguistic and scientific engagement among 5 to 6-year-olds. This study uses a mixed-methods design to evaluate the program's effectiveness, utilizing the Kaufman Survey of Early Academic and Language Skills (K-SEALS) and the Teacher Rating Scale of Children's Motivation for Science (TRS-CMS), alongside qualitative feedback from educators. Results show that the experimental group, following the IC-SJYM program, demonstrated significant improvements in academic performance and motivation towards science compared to a control group with a traditional curriculum. Additionally, qualitative analyses highlight the program's positive impact on expressive language skills, innovative thinking, and a sustained interest in scientific inquiry. These findings suggest that an integrative STEAM curriculum can significantly enhance early learning experiences, advocating for its broader adoption. The IC-SJYM program's success in fostering intellectual curiosity and academic excellence underscores the critical role of STEAM in early childhood education and calls for further research into its potential to revolutionize educational paradigms for young learners.
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