STEM in preschool and primary education

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Education and the Pre-School Club organized an event titled “STEM in Preschool and Primary Education”.

The event that was organized online within the scope of the Covid-19 measures, was moderated by Asisst. Prof. Dr. Dr. Sarem Özdemir, while academic staff of the Faculty of Education, Department of Basic Education, Assist Prof. Dr. Sevinç Kaçar provided information on the subject.

Stating that STEM is one of the most important teaching approaches today, Assist Prof. Dr. Sevinç Kaçar went on to say, “STEM is used as FeteMM in Turkish. Its expansion is made up of the abbreviations of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Stating that STEM approaches the knowledge, concepts and skill in science, mathematics and engineering knowledge with a holistic perspective, Kaçar noted that STEM consists of the perfect integration of these disciplines with each other.

"Making STEM education a state and education policy is important"
Pointing out that STEM is a learning-teaching approach and an extremely important investment in our future, Assist. Prof Dr. Kaçar stated that it should be urgently implemented and continued as follows: "In order to meet the future demands of qualified individuals who would establish careers in the fields of artificial intelligence, wearable technology, space technology and data brokering etc. in developed countries like the USA and Germany and developing countries such as Turkey, it is important that STEM education becomes a state and education policy in order to protect its political and economic existence among the countries with which it competes”.

The responsibility of STEM education of teachers and students to directly be understood and applied falls upon universities and academics noted Kaçar, with one of the important issues discussed in Turkey in relation to STEM education, is at least one academic semester should be spent within the faculty of education degree program, in teaching this lesson.