Empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of the STEAM approach on the development of technical thinking in primary school students

Guldana A. Totikova; Aidarbek A. Yessaliyev; Nurgul N. Medetbekova; Laura T. Iskakova; Zhanar Sh. Zhiyasheva; Guldana A. Totikova; Aidarbek A. Yessaliyev; Nurgul N. Medetbekova; Laura T. Iskakova; Zhanar Sh. Zhiyasheva

doi:10.3934/steme.2026028

STEM Education

2026, Volume 6, Issue 4: 697-715. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026028

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Empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of the STEAM approach on the development of technical thinking in primary school students

1.
Department of Pedagogy, Central Asian Innovation University, Kazakhstan; totikovag@gmail.com
2.
M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University, Kazakhstan; aidar.esali@mail, ru, nnnsssbbb@mail.ru, zhiyasheva88@mail.ru
3.
Academician A. Kuatbekov Peoples' Friendship University, Kazakhstan; laura_uko70@mail.ru

Academic Editor: William Guo

Received: 10 February 2026 Revised: 30 April 2026 Accepted: 24 June 2026 Published: 06 July 2026

In this study, we aimed to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a specialized science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) program that purposefully utilizes 2D and 3D modeling tools to develop technical, logical, and spatial thinking in 1st-4th-grade students.
To test the hypothesis of an association between the STEAM approach and the development of thinking, a quasi-experiment with pre- and post-testing in parallel groups was conducted (N = 172). The experimental group (EG) (n = 85) participated in project-based activities involving the creation of physical and digital models throughout the academic year, whereas the control group (CG) (n = 87) followed a standard curriculum for the same period.
Adapted versions of the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (technical thinking), Raven's Progressive Matrices (logical thinking), and the Yakimanskaya–Zarkhin–Kadayas Spatial Representations Test (spatial thinking) were used, with grade-level differentiation and score normalization to ensure cross-grade comparability of the results.
The results revealed a statistically significant superiority of the EG over the CG in the post-test across all measured indicators (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test) with large effect sizes (r = 0.72–0.76). The greatest improvement was recorded in spatial-thinking skills. Intra-group analysis (Wilcoxon signed-rank test) confirmed significant dynamics within the EG (r > 0.80) and no significant change in the CG. The results also suggested the potential importance of the teacher's role as a facilitator in implementing STEAM-based activities.
The findings provide empirical support for the potential effectiveness of integrating a modeling-based STEAM approach into primary education to foster the development of technical, logical, and spatial thinking in children.
- STEAM education,
- primary school,
- spatial thinking,
- technical thinking,
- logical thinking,
- 3D modeling,
- educational experiment,
- project-based learning
Citation: Guldana A. Totikova, Aidarbek A. Yessaliyev, Nurgul N. Medetbekova, Laura T. Iskakova, Zhanar Sh. Zhiyasheva. Empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of the STEAM approach on the development of technical thinking in primary school students[J]. STEM Education, 2026, 6(4): 697-715. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026028

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Abstract

In this study, we aimed to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a specialized science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) program that purposefully utilizes 2D and 3D modeling tools to develop technical, logical, and spatial thinking in 1st-4th-grade students.

To test the hypothesis of an association between the STEAM approach and the development of thinking, a quasi-experiment with pre- and post-testing in parallel groups was conducted (N = 172). The experimental group (EG) (n = 85) participated in project-based activities involving the creation of physical and digital models throughout the academic year, whereas the control group (CG) (n = 87) followed a standard curriculum for the same period.

Adapted versions of the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (technical thinking), Raven's Progressive Matrices (logical thinking), and the Yakimanskaya–Zarkhin–Kadayas Spatial Representations Test (spatial thinking) were used, with grade-level differentiation and score normalization to ensure cross-grade comparability of the results.

The results revealed a statistically significant superiority of the EG over the CG in the post-test across all measured indicators (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test) with large effect sizes (r = 0.72–0.76). The greatest improvement was recorded in spatial-thinking skills. Intra-group analysis (Wilcoxon signed-rank test) confirmed significant dynamics within the EG (r > 0.80) and no significant change in the CG. The results also suggested the potential importance of the teacher's role as a facilitator in implementing STEAM-based activities.

The findings provide empirical support for the potential effectiveness of integrating a modeling-based STEAM approach into primary education to foster the development of technical, logical, and spatial thinking in children.

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Author's biography Guldana A. Totikova – PhD, Associate professor at the Central Asian Innovation University. She has been conducting research in the field of STEAM education for primary school students since 2016. She leads a scientific project aimed at developing technical thinking in primary school students through the use of 2D and 3D modeling technologies. She is the author of a number of educational programs, teaching aids, and guidelines. Holds numerous certificates of registration for intellectual property objects; Aidarbek A. Yessaliyev – Doctor of medical sciences, Professor at M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University. Since 2014, his area of scientific interest has included the formation of spatial concepts and the development of cognitive abilities in primary school children. He is a leading expert in the psychological and pedagogical support of STEAM interventions in the educational process; Nurgul N. Medetbekova – Candidate of pedagogical sciences, Associate Professor at M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University. A leading specialist in the field of Pedagogy and Psychology. Her research area covers problems of intellectual development in early childhood, developmental psychology and interpersonal relationships, as well as the formation of spatial thinking in children and adolescents. For 14 years, she has been studying the development of spatial concepts in primary school students within the context of the STEAM approach; Laura T. Iskakova – Doctor of pedagogical sciences, Professor at Academician A. Kuatbekov People's Friendship University. A leading specialist in the field of Pedagogy and Psychology. For 12 years, she headed an institute for advanced training of teaching staff. She is engaged in developing educational programs for integrating robotics and STEAM learning into the secondary school curriculum; Zhanar Sh. Zhiyasheva – PhD, Associate professor at M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University. Her scientific and pedagogical interests focus on the methodology of teaching mathematics in secondary school using the principles and tools of STEAM education

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