Enriching Science Education through STEAM Approach: A Participatory Action Research

Abstract

This dissertation explores the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education within science teaching practices. Utilizing a participatory action research (PAR) framework, the study investigates the effectiveness of incorporating STEAM principles to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary understanding. The research employs a collaborative approach involving educators, students, and stakeholders to co-create, implement, and evaluate STEAM-based science lessons. Through iterative cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection, the study aims to develop innovative pedagogical strategies and curriculum designs that foster holistic learning experiences. The findings of this research contribute to the ongoing discourse on STEAM education and provide valuable insights into its application within science teaching contexts. STEAM, as an educational paradigm, is broad, and there is immense value in expanding perspectives on the intersections of the arts and STEM that go beyond simple combinations. The core of STEAM is disciplinary learning that blurs boundaries, is creative and problem-oriented, and engages real-world complexity. Breaking the false dichotomy, STEAM offers students opportunities to engage in authentic problem-solving activities. This study illustrates the importance of STEAM education in enhancing the skills necessary for educators, researchers, teachers, and students to develop a deeper understanding of scientific concepts. I have applied Participatory Action Research (PAR) as my methodology in the research process. Knowledge, constitutive interest, and transformative learning theory guided me as a PAR researcher. Different PAR cycles were followed to collect the information during the research. The participants of this study are teachers at a private school in Lalitpur district. This study was based on the discussion, observation, interview and reflection that I collected from my own experiences as a participant researcher and the experiences of co-researchers, my students, along with my self-inquiry through my overall reflection. The data and information were collected from the field by the three Es (experiencing, enquiring, and examining) models of Mills (2011). This shows how a traditional science teacher undergoes a major shift from a conventional one to a transformative educator. The study ends with the worthy meaning of using the STEAM approach to teaching-learning practice recommending such approach in science classes of Nepali schools.