An Examination of Online Discussion Quality of STEM-based Instruction

Abstract

This study used STEM as a pedagogical framework to support students’ production of four-rotor aircraft and then discuss it online after school. Quantitative content analysis and lag sequential analyses were used to investigate whether, after receiving STEM education, students showed significant increase in discussion quality. This study used the 6E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Engineer, Enrich and Evaluate) teaching model to develop STEM teaching activities as put forward by Barry (2014). Experimental results showed that 80% of the content of the experimental group’s discussion focused on the topic, whereas that of the control group was only 51%. In addition, as can be seen in the two figures of the behavioral transition diagram for all students in control and experimental groups, the experimental group showed significant improvement and better knowledge in all dimensions of 6E, whereas the changes from within the control group were less significant.