Effects of a STEAM-Integrated Paper Circuit Card Activity on Elementary Students’ Conceptual Understanding, Creativity, and Scientific Attitudes
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Abstract
This study investigated the effects of a STEAM-integrated paper circuit card activity on elementary students’ conceptual understanding of electric circuits, creativity and scientific attitudes. Sixteen Grade 6 students from Ban Kaeng Yang School, Thailand, participated in a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design. Research instruments included the DIRECT 1.0 test, a modified Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA), and a creativity rubric. Results revealed significant improvement in students’ conceptual understanding (t(15) = 10.77, p < .001), with a normalized gain of 0.56, indicating a medium level of improvement. Their creative performance was at a high level (M = 4.52, SD = 0.39), especially in design aesthetics and functional accuracy. Scientific attitudes were also rated highly (M = 4.39, SD = 0.82), particularly in scientific curiosity and participation. These findings demonstrate that STEAM-based maker activities effectively enhance students’ understanding, motivation, and creativity by linking artistic design with scientific inquiry. The study highlights the value of integrating Maker-based Learning within STEAM contexts to promote holistic development in science education.
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