The Investigation of the Effect of Montessori Approach-based STEM Activities on the Problem-solving Skills of Pre-service Preschool Teachers

This research was conducted to determine whether there is any effect of the Montessori approach-based STEM activities on the development of the problem-solving skills of pre-service preschool teachers or not. The mixed-method was employed in the research. The sample of the research consisted of 50 pre-service teachers, who were taking education in the Preschool Teacher Training Department of the Faculty of Education. A single grouped pretest-posttest pattern was created to determine the difference in the problem-solving skills of the pre-service teachers in the research. The quantitative data gathered during the process of the research were analysed with the statistical methods; the qualitative data were analysed with the content analysis. The “Problem Solving Scale” and the “Semi-structured Protocol Form” were used to collect the quantitative data in the research. Qualitative data prepared to support quantitative data consists of the open-ended semi-structured protocol form. The participants were educated with the Montessori approach-based STEM education for 14 weeks. In the results reached as a result of the research, it was observed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of problem-solving skills and the qualitative analysis results supported the quantitative results.