Developing 21st-century skills such as creative thinking and problem-solving is a critical goal in modern education. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of an integrated learning approach combining STEM education with robotics to foster these key competencies in lower secondary students. Our objective was to compare students' creative thinking and problem-solving abilities before and after the intervention. A one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with a sample of 30 lower secondary school students selected via purposive sampling. The intervention consisted of four lesson plans integrating STEM concepts with hands-on robotics and automation activities. Data were collected using validated creative thinking and problem-solving assessment tests and were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. The results revealed statistically significant improvements in both skills. The mean score for creative thinking increased from 28.29 to 44.85, while the mean score for problem-solving rose from 26.46 to 36.27 (p < 0.05 for both). The findings demonstrated that this integrated pedagogical approach is an effective strategy for enhancing students' learning and innovation skills, providing practical implications for curriculum design aimed at fostering tangible 21st-century competencies.
Citation: Wichuta Auansrimuang, Waraporn Chanwiang, Teerawat Piwkom. The development of learning and innovation skill by using integration STEM education with robotics and automation for lower secondary school students[J]. STEM Education, 2026, 6(3): 496-513. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026021
Developing 21st-century skills such as creative thinking and problem-solving is a critical goal in modern education. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of an integrated learning approach combining STEM education with robotics to foster these key competencies in lower secondary students. Our objective was to compare students' creative thinking and problem-solving abilities before and after the intervention. A one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with a sample of 30 lower secondary school students selected via purposive sampling. The intervention consisted of four lesson plans integrating STEM concepts with hands-on robotics and automation activities. Data were collected using validated creative thinking and problem-solving assessment tests and were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. The results revealed statistically significant improvements in both skills. The mean score for creative thinking increased from 28.29 to 44.85, while the mean score for problem-solving rose from 26.46 to 36.27 (p < 0.05 for both). The findings demonstrated that this integrated pedagogical approach is an effective strategy for enhancing students' learning and innovation skills, providing practical implications for curriculum design aimed at fostering tangible 21st-century competencies.
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Wichuta Auansrimuang, Waraporn Chanwiang, Teerawat Piwkom. The development of learning and innovation skill by using integration STEM education with robotics and automation for lower secondary school students[J]. STEM Education, 2026, 6(3): 496-513. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026021
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