Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
333
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.76.04.27
w to Cite:
Chovriy, S., Pelekh, V., Rogoza, V., Zorochkina, T., & Zdir, D. (2024). Organization of a STEM-oriented environment in higher
education institutions. Amazonia Investiga, 13(76), 333-347. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.76.04.27
Organization of a STEM-oriented environment in higher education
institutions
Організація STEM-орієнтованого середовища у ЗВО
Received: March 13, 2024 Accepted: April 28, 2024
Written by:
Sofiya Chovriy1
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9271-004X
Vladyslav Pelekh2
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4049-4567
Valentyn Rogoza3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9552-0310
Tetiana Zorochkina4
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6321-0852
Daryna Zdir5
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4715-7025
Abstract
The article analyzes the meaning of "STEM
education", revealing personal and social
aspects. The main organizational forms and open
online tools for implementing STEM education
are shown. The most important functions and
goals of the educational environment provided
by Google services for the implementation and
organization of STEM projects in higher
education institutions and the most significant
approaches used for the organization of STEM
education are highlighted; the importance of the
STEM-oriented approach in education is
emphasized, for its implementation in education
the mandatory use of educational e-platforms is
emphasized. When implementing and creating
STEM projects in higher education institutions,
it is important and necessary to use information
and communication technologies, and virtual and
augmented reality technologies. Implementing a
1
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor at the Department of Theory and Methodology of
Primary Education, Mukachevo State University, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: CAJ-1660-2022
2
Ph.D. Student at the Institute of Pedagogy, National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
JOK-9057-2023
3
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Institute of Pedagogy, National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine.
WoS Researcher ID: KLY-4852-2024
4
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Primary Education, Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University
of Cherkasy, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: DLI-6508-2022
5
Lecturer of the Department of Primary Education, Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, Ukraine.
WoS Researcher ID: KLN-4343-2024
334
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
STEM approach to education results in a fruitful
and stimulating STEM-oriented environment.
Through experimental research, the importance
and necessity of organizing a STEM-oriented
environment in institutions of higher education
was revealed, and the ways of using STEM
technologies in higher education with a view to
the formation of professional skills were
clarified. Methodological recommendations have
been developed for the implementation of the
STEM approach in the practice of the educational
process, where it is necessary to organize a
STEM-oriented environment in higher education
institutions and create certain optimal conditions.
Keywords: STEM-oriented environment,
institutions of higher education, STEM-oriented
approach, STEM-education, students of higher
education.
Introduction
The advent of the Internet has fundamentally
changed society. It is necessary to shift the
emphasis in education from memorizing
information and performing routine mechanical
tasks to preparing specialists for various tests for
the formation of innovative skills of the 21st
century: creative problem solving, effective
cooperation, project management, making
important decisions, achieving defined goals,
perseverance, determination, directing their
passions and talents to improve the lives of
people and the world. STEM education, in this
context, the implementation of which began in
the USA in 2009 at the state level under the
"Educate to Innovate" program, is a pedagogical
innovation of the beginning of the 21st century
(Polihun et al., 2019).
There is a need in modern conditions for mixed
and distance learning: the organization of STEM
education is necessary, to conduct work in the
direction of technologies, natural sciences, art,
technical creativity, and mathematics. This issue
is also relevant because specialists in the labor
market who possess modern key and professional
competencies related to technical fields of
knowledge and use integrated knowledge to
solve tasks are in greater demand now. We see
the significant advantages of STEM education,
which opens up wider opportunities for those
seeking education, and not only affects the
simplification of the educational process since it
is about independent learning under the guidance
of a mentor and a practice-oriented approach to
learning (Sharova et al., 2023).
We are witnessing a change in the learning
environment that occurred during the 2020
coronavirus pandemic, which necessitated the
transition to distance learning. This change,
despite the challenges associated with technical
skills and adaptation of a person to a new
learning environment, opened up new
opportunities in the implementation of elements
of STEM education. The presence of platforms,
online services, and free mobile applications are
useful for creating innovative, original, and
interesting classes on any topic provided by the
educational program. This ensures the relevance
of the study of the possibilities of software
products and electronic tools in the
implementation of elements of STEM education
in classes in institutions of higher education in
the conditions of modern education (Rudenko &
Zaitseva, 2022).
Investigating the organization of a STEM-
oriented environment specifically in higher
education is important. The key aspects of the
STEM approach in higher education are:
− integration into a single paradigm of the
content and methodology of natural
sciences, modern technologies, in particular
information, engineering design, and
mathematical tools;
− designing curricula and programs on an
interdisciplinary basis;
− integrated learning according to certain
topics, not individual disciplines;
Chovriy, S., Pelekh, V., Rogoza, V., Zorochkina, T., Zdir, D. / Volume 13 - Issue 76: 333-347 / April, 2024
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
335
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
− application of cognitive and social
technologies, as well as transfer knowledge;
− training on real technical-technological,
economic, and socially significant problems;
− emphasis on the complex formation of
scientific and engineering thinking.
The problem of organizing a STEM-oriented
environment in higher education institutions in
both theoretical and practical aspects is
insufficiently researched, which is reflected in
the lack of a unified understanding of the essence
of this process.
The urgency of solving the outlined problem is
enhanced by the aggravation of several
contradictions that characterize modern higher
education in Ukraine, in particular:
− between social requirements for the
saturation of the educational process with
modern technologies and the
unpreparedness of the education system for
a quick correction of the value orientations
of the average teacher for their use;
− between the fragmentation and separation of
the study of individual disciplines in the
professional training of specialists and the
integrity and integration of scientific
knowledge through the practice of STEM
education;
− between the need to study and take into
account the individual characteristics and
preferences of education seekers and the
traditionally depersonalized methods, forms,
and means of their education;
− between the general global trend of gender
equalization of the influence of women and
men in engineering and technology and the
too-slow imitation of this process in the
higher education system of Ukraine.
Insufficient theoretical and practical study of the
outlined problem, its social importance, and the
presence of several contradictions in modern
higher education led to the choice of the topic of
the article.
Literature Review
At the beginning of the 21st century, the
abbreviation "STEM" was first used by the
American professor Georgette Yakman (2017),
who is the founder of this direction in the
educational space. Since then, "STEM" has
become a buzzword in education, even though it
is a controversial and complex concept.
According to the researcher, "Science and
technology are transmitted through engineering
and art – all this is based on mathematical
elements". Educational research has proven the
effectiveness of STEM education in student
learning (Gao et al., 2020) and the professional
development of the individual (Shernof et al.,
2017). Scientists outline features, define, and
improve practical and theoretical aspects of
implementing STEM education in the world.
N. Polihun, K. Postova, I. Slipukhina,
H. Onopchenko, & O. Onopchenko (2019)
proposed, first of all, for gifted students of
educational space, models of integration of
informal and formal education, which may
become the basis of transformational processes
for education in general in the future. The ways
of using engineering design and the scientific
method in the construction of STEM educational
events are revealed, methodical approaches to the
organization of STEM projects are proposed, the
features of the educational STEM environment
are revealed, and the use of the STEM
environment is demonstrated on specific
examples.
To create and support a STEM-oriented
educational environment of the N. Soroko, &
I. Pylypchuk (2020) educational institution,
Google services were considered. The
requirements of users that take into account
Google services are shown (providing
opportunities in the online environment to
conduct joint research for participants of STEM
projects; using tools that ensure group work
when working with documents of various
formats; managing the distance educational
process; monitoring the research process; data
sets that embody the information of research that
has already been conducted; to create space for
other educational projects in the environment of
special programs).
T. Sharova, S. Sharov, & B. Kreminskyi (2023)
devoted their research to the review of
educational online resources to organize STEM
training for young people. Scientists highlighted
the main approaches for organizing
STEM/STEAM education; analyzed the benefits
and reasons for the relevance of STEM
education; and proved that the basis of STEM
education is project activity, practical-oriented
learning, and interdisciplinary approach;
examples showed the implementation of STEM
education when using electronic educational
resources, massive open online courses, Google
services.
The ways of using software products and
electronic tools in the process of implementing
elements of STEM education (Technology,
336
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Arts) in
classes in institutions of higher education in the
conditions of online education were considered
by N. Rudenko, & S. Zaitseva (2022). STEM
education is presented by researchers as an
integrated project approach that has a practical
orientation in pedagogy. The capabilities of
mobile applications (VivaVideo, Movavi Clips,
InShot, FilmoraGo, InShot) for creating
educational videos, free web services (Google
Classroom, Google Meet, Google Calendar), and
programs for implementing project tasks
(Microsoft Publisher) were studied. The
advantages of STEM education are described.
S. Belbase, B. Mainali, W. Kasemsukpipat,
H. Tairab, M. Gochoo, & A. Jarrah (2021) also
discussed the advantages of STEM education in
schools and institutions of higher education,
proved that STEM education is an integrated
project approach in pedagogy and has a practical
orientation. In educational institutions, an
analysis of Google's main services was carried
out to introduce the STEM approach to
education, which made it possible to offer
teachers basic solutions for their use to support,
organize, and manage the STEM-oriented
educational environment of an educational
institution.
J. Costley, & C. Lange (2017) also showed the
benefits of using technology in STEM education
(reducing cognitive load and improving students'
learning motivation). The contents of the most
popular educational online services and
platforms, free mobile applications for creating
original and interesting classes have been
revealed by research; the role of software
products in the formation of students' language
skills and the enrichment of their vocabulary was
investigated.
O. Zawacki-Richter, V. Marín, M. Bond, &
F. Gouverneur (2019) showed the ways of use
and proved the need for the use of artificial
intelligence in education, which proves the
upward trend of education, as it contributes to
increasing the ability of students to study
analytics and strengthens the competitiveness of
a specialist in the future in the labor market. To
implement a positive impact on the educational
process of the STEM-oriented environment in
institutions of higher education, it is important to
introduce innovative technologies, in particular
artificial intelligence, gamification in learning
design, etc., teachers should teach students how
to use the tools of the STEM-oriented
environment in classes to improve their
educational interest
Purpose of the article. To reveal the importance
and show the necessity of organizing a STEM-
oriented environment in institutions of higher
education and to find out ways of using STEM
technologies in higher education with a view to
the formation of professional skills.
Methodology
The methodological principles of the research are
leading provisions of the theory of scientific
knowledge; general scientific principles of
historicism, systematicity, and scientificity;
conceptual provisions of pedagogical,
psychological, and sociological sciences; ideas
of comparative research experience based on the
simultaneous study of pedagogical, socio-
cultural and economic phenomena; philosophical
and pedagogical ideas of the development of
modern education.
Research methods were used to achieve the goal:
− theoretical: analysis, synthesis, comparison,
systematization, generalization, – analysis of
psychological and pedagogical sources to
clarify the key concepts of the study; study
of provisions, and concepts;
− empirical: questionnaires, pedagogical
observation – to find out ways of using
STEM technologies in higher education with
a view to the formation of professional
skills;
− a pedagogical experiment for scientific
confirmation of the purpose of the research;
− methods of mathematical statistics – to
check and process research results using the
Spearman rank correlation coefficient and
the Kolmogorov-Smirnov agreement
criterion.
The purpose of the experimental work was to
reveal the significance and prove the necessity of
organizing a STEM-oriented environment in
institutions of higher education and clarifying the
ways of using STEM technologies in higher
education with a view to the formation of
professional skills.
We developed an anonymous questionnaire,
which was used to understand the importance of
organizing a STEM-oriented environment in
higher education institutions and to find out ways
of using STEM technologies in higher education
with a view to the formation of professional
skills.
The questionnaire contained closed-type and
open-type questions.
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
337
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
Our method of studying educational technologies
was to use the method of surveying teachers and
students who implement forms of STEM
education and various directions in education.
As a result of the experiment, 145 respondents
were involved. We found out that out of all (145)
respondents – 30% use STEM technologies in
higher education to form professional skills.
The research was conducted online. Quantitative
and qualitative analysis procedures were used to
process empirical data.
For comparative analysis and generalization of
data, to ensure the possibility of comparison of
data, they are given in relative values (%).
The implementation of the pedagogical
experiment was carried out in three stages:
preparatory, main, and final.
At the preparatory stage, the purpose and tasks of
the research were determined, the experimental
plan was developed, methods of measurement
and processing of results were selected, control
and experimental groups were selected, and their
homogeneity was checked.
At the main stage, an experiment was conducted.
At the final stage, the results of the experiment
were analyzed, their reliability was confirmed,
and conclusions were drawn about the
pedagogical effect of the experiment.
Research relies heavily on the accuracy and
reliability of the data. In the framework of
research work, the quality of data collection and
analysis not only adds weight to the research but
also contributes to the formation of sound
conclusions, which is the key to academic
success.
The following digital data collection tools were
useful in the study:
− Google Forms – a simple tool for creating
surveys that allows you to collect data from
respondents, create different types of
questions, and collect answers in
spreadsheets.
− SurveyMonkey – a modern survey tool that
offers a wide range of customization options
and analytical tools for analyzing the
collected data.
− JSTOR, Google Scholar, and other academic
search engines provide access to scholarly
articles, books, and other academic
resources that may be useful for literature
review and theoretical data collection.
− Zotero or Mendeley – bibliography
management programs that help organize
research materials, store references, and
format bibliographies and citations
according to different citation styles.
− Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets –
spreadsheets are useful for organizing and
analyzing collected data when working with
quantitative data.
− SPSS, R, or Python for more advanced data
analysis, statistical analysis, and processing
of volumes of data.
When determining the sample of subjects, the
general specificity of the research subject was
taken into account. The total sample size is 145
subjects, among whom are students of physical
education. When forming the sample, the criteria
of meaningfulness, representativeness, and
equivalence were taken into account. The sample
was formed by random selection using the
technical procedure for calculating the selection
step.
The reliability and validity of the obtained
results, and the objectivity of their assessment
were ensured by the methodological soundness
of the initial positions and the qualitative
mechanism for evaluating the quality under
study, the use of a complex of complementary
research methods, and the involvement of a
group of respondents from a higher educational
institution in the analysis of its results.
To assess the homogeneity of experimental and
control data, statistical processing was performed
using MS Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package
for Social Science).
Results and Discussion
Concept of STEM education: personal and
social aspects. In an interdisciplinary and
applied context, STEM education includes in its
content integrated training of higher education
students in such specialized disciplines as
technology, mathematics, natural sciences, art,
and technical creativity. The development of the
motivation of students of higher education during
the educational process will be facilitated by the
use of STEM elements because the activity of the
teacher will be aimed specifically at solving
integrated research tasks (Kryvovyaz et al.,
2023).
In a broad context, STEM education is an
innovative pedagogical technology for the
338
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
development and formation of mental, cognitive,
and creative qualities of higher education
students, the level of which determines the
competitiveness of an individual in the modern
labor market.
As a process of external influence on a person,
STEM has the following aspects:
− personal – acquisition of practical authentic
experience of innovative activity;
− social – preparation for employment and
further education by the requirements of the
21st century.
The STEM approach in the educational process
involves the formation of "soft" skills defined in
Framework P21 and makes it possible to cover
the sphere of creative potential, combining
research and innovation activities, creativity, and
creating horizontal connections between society,
fields of knowledge, and the surrounding world.
With this approach, the STEM teacher is an
active developer of interdisciplinary educational
programs. Based on the system of practical skills
and scientific knowledge, he has:
− determine the sequence, volume, and
content of training;
− to determine the degree and nature of the
integration of knowledge from various
Gnostic fields;
− choose methods, methods, and strategies to
ensure the most expected pedagogical result;
− expand the content of one's own professional
training;
− constantly raise the level of the profession.
Such activity is not limited to teaching one's own
subject. What is important is the ability of the
teacher to organize the educational process as a
pedagogical interaction, which will be aimed at
preparing the student to solve life-creating tasks,
in personality development.
The development of STEM education requires
didactic developments, scientific new research,
and literate and educated young talents, ready to
change and change the world (Polihun et al.,
2019). Therefore, STEM is "a modern
educational model that focuses on practice,
encouraging independent learning, independent
research, and creativity" (Rudenko & Zaitseva,
2022).
In our time, manual labor is being gradually
displaced in favor of robotic labor, that is,
preference is given to the use of computers and
robots due to the rapid digitization,
modernization, and technology of various
industries.
The number of professions that can be replaced
by robots in the future reaches 60%, which is a
great challenge for society in the world. Due to
constant progress, there is a shortage of technical
and scientific personnel on a global scale and, as
a result, there is a greater demand for them than
for humanitarian specialties. Therefore, STEM
education is relevant today, because it is
precisely this that meets the challenges of
society. STEM education resembles a bridge
between skills, careers, and knowledge, which
are important criteria for the formation of
scientific and technical personnel (Kryvoruchko
& Shukatka, 2023).
Basic organizational forms and open online
tools for the implementation of STEM
education.
For high-quality implementation of STEM
education, it is necessary to use such basic
organizational forms as:
− STEM project – educational and cognitive,
group, game, or creative activity of students
of higher education, involves the integration
of three or more STEM disciplines, has a
common goal, means, and methods of
activity, and is aimed at achieving a common
result;
− STEM classes – a form of organization of
the educational process with a group of
permanent students in a given period, which
involves the integration of three or more
STEM disciplines;
− STEM course – combining several STEM
disciplines into a single academic discipline;
− STEM hackathon – a joint activity of higher
education students with various interests in
STEM fields who work on creating a new
product or solving a given problem;
− STEM-quest is a search team game, the main
principle of which is the step-by-step
execution of previously prepared logical
tasks aimed at obtaining a single final result
from STEM disciplines (Polihun et al.,
2019).
The implementation of STEM education in
institutions of higher education requires teachers
to develop, using the STEM approach, methods
of conducting classes, systematic educational
activities, and event scenarios using the
necessary tools of the STEM approach, which is
a special support for such an innovative
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
339
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
environment. The choice of tools to support and
organize a STEM-oriented educational
environment of a higher education institution,
and teacher training is important for the use of
STEM-approach tools in one's professional
activities to improve the educational process of a
higher school.
For high-quality system support of the STEM-
oriented educational process of the higher school,
it is necessary to use the services of the company
Google – open online tools that offer a significant
range of services to ensure the organization of
such an environment.
The National Institute of Standards and
Technology of the USA has proven that "cloud
computing is an effective service for providing
the user with on-demand access anywhere and
anytime to the common computing resources of
subjects of various human activities", which also
applies to the educational process of a higher
school, which can be provided in the interaction
with the service provider synchronously or
asynchronously with minimal management effort
(Mell & Grance, 2011). With this approach, the
services of the Google company became
important – open online tools, which as early as
2014, on the initiative of researchers
(Etherington (2014) and Magid (2014)), began to
adapt Google tools in the field of education to the
educational and teaching activities of users
according to various educational problems
(ensuring continuous communication between
the teacher and the student; lack of opportunity
for the student to study at the institution for
various reasons, etc.) to ensure a convenient
distance educational process. In 2015, Google
announced that users of its services would share
access to Google Classroom. Google Calendar
has been integrated into Google Classroom.
Google Apps Education Edition, designed for the
education space, provides free educational
services for educational institutions containing
Google Apps tools supported by many devices
for work in an educational environment. Google
Apps provides an opportunity for educators to
use sites developed by them for educational
purposes, promotes the activation of students'
cognitive activities, and provides access to
various exercises in the cloud, tasks, etc.
To organize and support a STEM-oriented
educational environment, Google Services has
developed services that enable students to:
− for conducting STEM projects, create sites
without using the HTML language;
− to ensure constant communication between
STM project participants;
− compatible with teachers of various STEM
fields to transfer and store data, conduct
online lessons, and review them regardless
of the user's location and at any time;
− recognize scanned photos and materials;
− create presentations, drawings, diagrams,
and other documents in the cloud;
− keep a calendar of events of STEM projects;
− observe phenomena within STEM projects
for conducting research;
− conduct online monitoring.
Google Classroom, Google Apps, Google Sites,
Google Video, Google Docs, and Google Sites
are such programs that support the cooperation of
teachers, students of higher education, and
stakeholders asynchronously and synchronously.
Teachers use Google Classroom as a
management system for joint teaching of the
curriculum, the use of joint activities, and the
exchange of developments and materials. Google
Classroom integrates with Google Docs, Google
Drive, and Gmail. Thanks to this service, it is
possible to organize flipped learning, distance
learning, and project work to support a STEM-
oriented educational environment of a higher
education institution.
Google Apps includes functions such as
processing spreadsheets, texts, presentations, and
forms.
With the help of Google Sites and Google Video,
students can jointly add images, documents, and
videos, and create websites.
Google Classroom allows users to:
− create your course;
− share necessary educational material with
students;
− to organize the registration of students for
the course;
− organize student interaction;
− propose tasks for students;
− evaluate students' tasks and monitor
knowledge.
Functions and goals of the educational
environment provided by Google services for
the implementation and organization of
STEM projects in higher education
institutions.
340
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
Within the framework of the implementation and
organization of STEM projects in institutions of
higher education, Google services provide the
functions of the educational environment to
provide higher education students with general
educational resources, namely:
− websites and programs for creating
flashcards and quizzes (Google Forms,
Google Slides, Google Sites, etc.);
− Google Search, electronic libraries, and
other electronic educational resources;
− tools for creating mental diagrams,
diagrams, and maps (Google Suite +
Lucidchart);
− services for group work (Padlet online
board, Google Apps for Education), etc.
It is also important to use Google services for
specific purposes of a STEM-oriented
environment, for example:
− for research and familiarization of scientific
concepts with the help of modeling and the
use of educational models (Google Earth VR
for topography, when studying historical and
geographically important areas of the study
of the Earth and its three-dimensional
structure, etc.);
− applications and websites are necessary for
studying robotics (Google Play offers the
games "Robotics Engineering", "Robotics!",
and "Industrial Robotics 3D");
− for photo analysis – Google services and
applications (Google Lens, which helps the
user to identify an object based on a neural
network using visual analysis, collect
information about the object depicted in the
photo), etc.
The student of higher education chooses
electronic educational resources according to the
goals of the individual STEM project, the form
(informal, formal, informal), and the level of
education for which this project is designed.
Google services take into account the educational
requirements of users, and students of higher
education:
− data sets representing the information of
already conducted studies;
− providing opportunities for STEM project
participants to conduct collaborative
research in an online environment;
− use of tools that create an innovative space
for group work on documents of various
formats;
− remoteness in managing the higher
education process;
− monitoring of the research process;
− to create space for other educational projects
– combined in the environment of special
programs (Soroko & Pylypchuk, 2020).
STEM-oriented approach in education.
The STEM-oriented approach is one of the
current directions of innovative development and
modernization of humanitarian and natural-
mathematical profiles, which contributes to the
implementation of life tasks, when solving which
the development and formation of the
engineering and scientific thinking of a specialist
takes place, that is, it is focused on the innovative
solution of emerging problems in the present.
Creating an appropriate innovative environment
is one of the ways to introduce the innovative
STEM approach into the educational process of
higher education institutions.
The STEM environment of a higher education
institution includes in its essence the internal
(software and hardware component,
administrative and organizational component,
educational and methodological component,
subject component) and external (scientific
institutions of higher education, research
organizations, state education management
bodies, business structures, industrial
enterprises, stakeholders, sponsors, interested
parties) provision.
The goals of STEM education are:
− in creating an environment for improving the
qualities of citizens of the 21st century,
understanding STEM,
− in the development of human resources in
engineering, technology, science, and
mathematics.
So, the STEM approach is:
− educational strategy;
− inspiration for a transformational approach
to education, innovations in education, and
the development of society (Liao, 2019).
For the process of higher education to correspond
to the concept of STEM, it is necessary to turn
training towards the teamwork of the students of
higher education themselves, to change the usual
form of teaching, when the class takes place
around a teacher of a higher school.
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
341
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
The teaching method of STEM education is
based on the organization of creative
experimental activities and practical activities.
Such forms of organization of learning as
learning through deliberate play, teaching by
topics through innovative approaches, simulation
of real experience, and clubs allow students to
explore, ask questions, and solve problems. The
more complex the games, which require more
skills (problem-solving, social communication,
etc.), the better the higher education students will
be able to learn the new material.
STEM pedagogy provides higher education
students with metacognitive and cognitive tools
to explore innovative ways of creative problem-
solving. Rapid social changes and scientific and
technical achievements of today are interrelated
with the globalized influences of modernity and
require creative thinking from the student as an
essential adaptive skill for further career. One of
the most significant achievements of STEM
education is that it promotes non-standard
thinking, creates conditions for joint work that
allows each student to share knowledge, ideas,
and experience in class, and provides an
atmosphere of innovation and creativity in
society (Rudenko & Zaitseva, 2022).
Use of educational e-platforms for effective
implementation of STEM-oriented approach
in education.
For the effective implementation of a STEM-
oriented approach in education, it is important to
use educational e-platforms that satisfy the
interests of students in STEM fields, influence
the development of research students' creative
skills and abilities; help the teacher to solve the
problems of motivation of students of higher
education during their studies, to create in the
educational environment educational projects,
creative tasks, problematic issues that will
contribute to the quick and high-quality
application of skills and abilities by students
from all STEM educational disciplines with the
help of knowledge synergy.
To support the STEM-oriented environment of
higher education, the educational e-platform
provides:
− means (ICT) that ensures cooperation and
communication between students; between
teachers; between students and teachers;
employers, specialists, students, teachers,
etc., which can be carried out with the help
of Internet conferences, webinars, open
forums, etc.;
− open electronic educational resources,
which include resources for teachers and
students of higher education and through
electronic libraries, electronic textbooks,
blogs of scientific and pedagogical workers
and students, distance courses, websites of
the Ministries of Education, etc. may be
distributed;
− online self-assessment and evaluation,
which is carried out through Olympiads,
contests, quests, projects, tests, etc., which
contribute to the development of
information and digital competence and
future specialists, motivate students to study
the STEM discipline and, by the
requirements of society, contribute to the
modernization of education;
− individual profiles of members of the
educational, STEM-oriented environment,
where data about the participant,
participation in STEM projects, student
academic achievements, and certificates can
be placed; forums where the student of
higher education participates and other
electronic educational resources that are
necessary for teaching or learning;
− innovative laboratories covering simulation
models, games, stimulators, etc. (Soroko,
2019).
Most often, gifted youth join STEM, who strive
for the further application of new knowledge
obtained by innovative methods, and are
interested in STEM education from the point of
view of using modern equipment:
− 3D printers,
− holographic means,
− educational electronics, etc.
With its help, students of higher education learn
in practice how to create a certain product,
design, and analyze their own actions during the
performance of a certain task.
Approaches to the organization of STEM
education.
Let's highlight the most important approaches
that are used for the organization of STEM
education:
− within the study of certain educational
subjects – organization of problem-oriented
activities;
− for the further choice of the direction of
scientific or technical activity, better
understanding of the material – integration
of knowledge of STEM subjects;
342
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
− using the method of projects, technological
education, problem-oriented learning –
practical orientation of STEM subjects;
− for full implementation of the STEM
approach – integration of several subjects
into one curriculum (Borzyk et al., 2023).
When implementing and creating STEM projects
in institutions of higher education, it is important
and necessary to use information and
communication technologies, and virtual and
augmented reality technologies (Soroko, 2021).
The teaching of theoretical material in
institutions of higher education is implemented
with the help of video broadcasts, presentations,
placement of text materials, etc., and the
organization of scientific school excursions,
laboratories, practical classes, etc., which require
a special approach and require the mandatory use
of virtual and augmented means, becomes a
significant problem. Reality.
When creating a STEM project, the teacher must
determine the problematic issue that will be
solved by students of higher education, develop
additional questions for planning activities,
clarify research methods, and research
hypotheses, selecting virtual and augmented
reality tools for work on the STEM project and
creating their products, such as research
presentations using DR applications (Acrossair,
Layar, Wikitude, Vuforia, Aurasma, Metaverse,
Blippar, UniteAR, etc.), or stories or a virtual
museum using Web platforms (Blippar,
CoSpaces, Metaverse, etc.), which opens up new
possibilities in the organization of the
educational process. These tools, as a supplement
to the organization of STEM projects, can be
used to motivate students to study STEM
subjects. Their expediency is necessary when
studying the most complex topics and for training
professional skills, which will significantly
improve students' perception of the material, and
the educational process, and expand the
opportunities for them to carry out laboratory
work and research (Gayevska & Soroko, 2022).
Experiment
The purpose of the experimental work was to
reveal the importance and the necessity of
organizing a STEM-oriented environment in
institutions of higher education and clarify the
ways of using STEM technologies in higher
education with a view to the formation of
professional skills.
We developed an anonymous questionnaire that
was used to understand the importance of
organizing a STEM-oriented environment in
institutions of higher education and to find out
ways of using STEM technologies in higher
education with a view to the formation of
professional skills.
The questionnaire contained closed-type and
open-type questions.
Based on the analysis of the survey results, we
asked the question and found out: "Which
specific style of communication should dominate
the implementation of "STEM technologies?".
The respondents believe that a certain style of
communication should dominate the
communication between students of higher
education and teachers to establish an effective
educational interaction for the implementation of
"STEM technologies":
− liberal (6.0%).
− democratic (46.5%);
− humanistic (47.5%).
As a result of the experimental work, we found
out that from all (145) respondents – 30% use
STEM technologies in higher education to form
professional skills.
Answering the question: "What is most important
to you in the process of using STEM
technologies?" respondents singled out:
− creation of problem situations – 94%
(STEM, according to the respondents,
provides an opportunity through projects
and practical tasks to develop problem-
solving skills, promotes critical thinking and
a creative approach;
− changing the role of the teacher – 92% (from
the contributor, the use of STEM approaches
requires a transition to the facilitator of
learning. – from the role of "narrator");
− integration of subjects – 98% (STEM
supports the integration of subjects, which is
important for building connections between
different areas of knowledge – respondents
believe, and also contributes to a deep
understanding of concepts and assimilation
of material);
− use of digital technologies and tools – 87%
(a key aspect of STEM approaches is the use
of modern technologies to increase interest
and effectiveness of education);
− development of creativity – 93% (STEM
supports students' development of creative
skills, and stimulates innovativeness and
creative thinking).
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
343
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
Table 1.
The use of STEM technology in higher education for the formation of professional skills
What is most important to you in the process of using
STEM technologies?
Answers in %
Creation of problem situations
94
Changing the role of the teacher
92
Integration of subjects
98
Use of digital technologies and tools
87
Development of creativity
93
The respondents gave the following answers to
the question "What difficulties may students of
higher education encounter when using the
STEM approach in higher education classes?"
− technical training – 92% – experience
difficulties in implementing digital
technologies, developing projects related to
science or engineering that require specific
technical skills;
− integration of subjects – 54% – requires
additional resources and additional time for
the development of projects and integrated
lessons;
− lack of time – 47% – for opportunities to
work in groups, for creative activities,
classes;
− lack of access to resources – 41% – there is
a lack of equipment, necessary materials,
and technical means for conducting STEAM
projects;
− monitoring of integrated projects – 39% –
efficiency of ensuring a balance between the
development of practical and creative skills
and the assessment of subject knowledge.
Table 2.
The use of STEM technology in higher education for the formation of professional skills
What difficulties may students of higher education
encounter when using the STEM approach in higher
education classes?
Answers in %
Technical training
92
Integration of subjects
54
Lack of time
47
Lack of access to resources
41
Monitoring of integrated projects
39
Introducing a STEM approach to education,
despite the aforementioned difficulties, can lead
to a fruitful and stimulating learning
environment.
Therefore, the analysis of questionnaire data on
the use of STEM technologies in higher
education shows that in institutions of higher
education that successfully integrate this
approach, students achieve significant results in
development and learning.
A key aspect of the STEM approach is a creative
approach to teaching, creating a stimulating
environment where students can develop critical
thinking and apply their creativity.
Our method of studying educational technologies
was to use the method of surveying teachers and
students who implement forms of STEM
education and various directions in education.
The research was conducted online. Quantitative
and qualitative analysis procedures were used to
process empirical data.
For comparative analysis and generalization of
data, to ensure the possibility of comparison of
data, they are given in relative values (%).
The majority of respondents use the following
technologies (as data analysis showed): as an
organization of educational group activities,
project activities, and formation of a creative
personality. Cooperative learning is more
interesting and effective. This is what the
respondents said. They noted the importance of a
benevolent attitude towards each student of
higher education, joint creative activity, and
willingness to help, which contributes to their
moral development and intellectual
development. Joint creative activity promotes the
use of project technology. Modern educational
technologies show the importance of the leading
principle of STEM education – transdisciplinary
integration.
344
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
Guidelines.
Methodological recommendations have been
developed for the implementation of the STEM
approach in the practice of the educational
process, where it is necessary to organize a
STEM-oriented environment in higher education
institutions and create certain optimal conditions,
namely:
− use of group work, design, and scientific,
interactive, teaching methods to create an
atmosphere of co-creation, cooperation, and
self-realization of each individual.
− creation of a society for interpersonal
tolerant democratic interaction, to promote a
dialogical and humanistic style of
communication;
− application of problematic actual situations
for the productive, creative activity of higher
education students.
To best prepare a student for the use of STEM in
professional activities, the following algorithm
of actions should be followed:
1) introduction to the concept of STEM
(declaration of the main values and
principles of the STEM approach.
Explanation of how science, engineering,
technology, mathematics, and art can be
integrated to improve educational activities
and the development of students.
2) conducting experiments, considering the
possibility of using technologies, solving
real problems;
3) project development: designing projects that
combine science, engineering, technology,
mathematics, and art with other STEM
fields;
4) acquaintance with digital tools for the
development of the student's technological
skills, to use them to support STEM
approaches (virtual reality, modeling, etc.
technologies);
5) to develop joint projects – cooperation with
teachers of other subjects to enrich the
experience of students;
6) formation of a stimulating and creative
environment in the educational space,
providing access to various tools and
materials that contribute to the creativity of
the individual;
7) involvement of technical experts in the
institute to establish connections with
specialists in the fields of technology,
science, and engineering for the opportunity
to see how STEM is used in real life;
8) evaluation of the process, not only the results
of activities, the development of an
evaluation system that takes into account
cooperation, the work process itself, a
creative approach, and not only the final
results of projects.
The practical significance of the research lies
in the development and implementation in the
practice of higher education institutions of the
methodology of applying STEM technologies
in the process of training future specialists and
providing a scientific and methodological
basis for this process: lectures, practical
classes, laboratory research, which will
contribute to the improvement of the quality of
education and the readiness of graduates for
challenges of the modern labor market, as well
as in the improvement of pedagogical practice.
Theoretical provisions for improving the
content, forms, methods, and conditions of
professional training of future specialists for
the use of STEM technologies in the higher
education system have gained further
development.
In our opinion, the priorities in the professional
training of future specialists for the use of
STEM technologies in the higher education
system should be the wide use of computer-
oriented tools and ICT training in the
educational process, the introduction of
distance learning technologies, the provision
of support for research work with the help of
ICT, implementation of ICT in education
management at various levels, in various
fields, for all types of educational institutions.
The technological principles of building such
an environment should be, first of all, the use
of cloud computing technologies, taking into
account the developers of web applications and
electronic educational resources, the features
of various computer and technological
platforms, effective mechanisms for the use of
ICT outsourcing, requirements for educational
and training environments with on the part of
the state, the Ministry of Education and
Science, subjects of the educational process.
Strengthening of information and
communication support, informational and
informatics training of pupils, students and
teachers should be central to the content of
education; introduction of ICT in teaching and
learning of all disciplines of educational
institutions. To create a wide range and
pedagogically balanced use of software tools
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
345
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
for various purposes, in particular educational
and managerial, which takes into account the
psychological and pedagogical aspects of
building methodical systems of learning and an
open computer-oriented learning environment
and provides for the mandatory involvement of
scientists, teachers in the creation of electronic
resources, innovative teachers of educational
institutions.
The specific weight of educational materials in
electronic form should constantly increase.
Conclusions
The content of the concept of STEM education
is analyzed, and personal and social aspects are
revealed. The main organizational forms and
open online tools for the implementation of
STEM education are shown. The most
important functions and goals of the
educational environment provided by Google
services for the implementation and
organization of STEM projects in higher
education institutions are highlighted. the
importance of a STEM-oriented approach in
education is emphasized.
It has been found that for the process of higher
education to correspond to the STEM concept,
it is necessary to turn training towards the
teamwork of the higher education students
themselves, to change the usual form of
teaching when the class takes place around the
teacher of a higher school.
It has been proven that the method of teaching
STEM education is based on the organization
of creative experimental activities and
practical activities. Such forms of organization
of learning as learning through deliberate play,
teaching by topics through innovative
approaches, simulation of real experience, and
clubs allow students to explore, ask questions,
and solve problems. The more complex the
games, which require more skills (problem-
solving, social communication, etc.), the better
the higher education students will be able to
learn the new material.
For the effective implementation of a STEM-
oriented approach in education, it is
emphasized the mandatory use of educational
e-platforms that satisfy the interests of students
in STEM fields, influence the development of
research students' creative skills and abilities;
help the teacher to solve problems of
motivation of students of higher education
during their studies, to create in the
educational environment educational projects,
creative tasks, problematic issues that will
contribute to the quick and high-quality
application of skills and abilities by students
from all STEM educational disciplines with
the help of knowledge synergy.
The most essential approaches used for the
organization of STEM education are
highlighted.
When implementing and creating STEM
projects in institutions of higher education, it
is important and necessary to use information
and communication technologies, and virtual
and augmented reality technologies.
The teaching of theoretical material in
institutions of higher education is implemented
with the help of video broadcasts,
presentations, placement of text materials, etc.,
and the organization of scientific school
excursions, laboratories, practical classes, etc.,
which require a special approach and require
the mandatory use of virtual and augmented
means, becomes a significant problem.
Reality.
Introducing a STEM approach to education,
despite the aforementioned difficulties, can
lead to a fruitful and stimulating learning
environment.
A key aspect of the STEM approach is a
creative approach to teaching, creating a
stimulating environment where students can
develop critical thinking and apply their
creativity.
Through experimental research, the
importance and necessity of organizing a
STEM-oriented environment in institutions of
higher education was revealed, and the ways of
using STEM technologies in higher education
with a view to the formation of professional
skills were clarified.
Methodological recommendations have been
developed for the implementation of the STEM
approach in the practice of the educational
process, where it is necessary to organize a
STEM-oriented environment in higher
education institutions and create certain
optimal conditions.
Disclosure of ways to provide Google services
for the implementation and organization of
STEM projects in higher education institutions
requires further research.
346
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that
the original source is cited.
Bibliographic References
Belbase, S., Mainali, B. R., Kasemsukpipat, W.,
Tairab, H., Gochoo, M., & Jarrah, A. (2022).
At the dawn of science, technology,
engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM)
education: prospects, priorities, processes,
and problems. International Journal of
Mathematical Education in Science and
Technology, 53(11), 2919-2955.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2021.192
2943
Borzyk, O., Moskalyuk, O., Yemets, Z.,
Vysochan, L., & Yashchuk, O. (2023). STEM
as an innovative strategy of integrated
education: World experience and
development prospects. Herald of Science
and Education, 1(7), 383-396.
https://doi.org/10.52058/2786-6165-2023-
1(7)-383-396
Costley, J., & Lange, C. (2017). The Mediating
Effects of Germane Cognitive Load on the
Relationship Between Instructional Design
and Students’ Future Behavioral Intention.
The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 15(2),
174-187.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1141882.p
df
Etherington, D. (2014). Google debuts
Classroom, an education platform for
teacher-student communication. Tech
Crunch. Retrieved from
https://acortar.link/HcoZrA
Gao, X., Li, P., Shen, J., & Sun, H. (2020).
Reviewing assessment of student learning in
interdisciplinary STEM education.
International Journal of STEM Education,
7(24). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-
00225-4
Gayevska, O., & Soroko, N. (2022). The
pedagogical strategies with immersive
technologies for teaching and learning the
Japanese language. Information
Technologies and Learning Tools, 92(6),
99-110.
https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v92i6.5133
Kryvoruchko, I., & Shukatka, O. (2023).
Features of implementation of STEAM
education in Ukraine and Latvia (pp. 91–93).
In Actual aspects of the development of
STEAM education in the conditions of
European integration: A collection of
materials of the International Scientific and
Practical Internet Conference.
Kropyvnytskyi: DonDUVS.
https://acortar.link/QchKqz
Kryvovyaz, A., Slyvka, M., Korol, N., Kut, M.,
& Onysko, M. (2023). Prospects of using
elements of STEAM education in chemistry
lessons (pp. 89–90). In Actual aspects of the
development of STEAM education in the
conditions of European integration: A
collection of materials of the International
Scientific and Practical Internet Conference.
Kropyvnytskyi: DonDUVS.
https://acortar.link/QchKqz
Liao, C. (2019). Creating a STEAM map: A
content analysis of visual art practices in
STEAM education. In STEAM Education:
Theory and Practice (pp. 37–55). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04003-
1_3
Magid, L. (2014). Google Classroom offers an
assignment center for students and teachers.
Forbes. https://acortar.link/gm3KvL
Mell, P., & Grance, T. (2011). The NIST
Definition of Cloud Computing. NIST
Special Publication.
https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-145
Polihun, N. I., Postova, K. H., Slipukhina, I. A.,
Onopchenko, H. V., & Onopchenko, O. V.
(2019). Implementation of STEM education
in conditions of integration of formal and
informal education of gifted students:
Methodological recommendations. Kyiv:
Institute of the Gifted Child of the National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/286032301.
pdf
Rudenko, N., & Zaitseva, S. (2022).
Implementation of elements of STEAM
education in foreign language classes in the
conditions of online learning. Current Issues
of Humanitarian Sciences, 57(2), 277-284.
https://doi.org/10.24919/2308-4863/57-2-43
Sharova, T., Sharov, S., & Kreminskyi, B.
(2023). Educational resources for the
organization of STEAM education. Youth
and the Market, 3(211), 52-56.
http://www.tsatu.edu.ua/kn/wp-
content/uploads/sites/16/stranycy-yz-16563-
9071-pb.pdf
Shernof, D. J., Sinha, S., Bressler, D. M., &
Ginsburg, L. (2017). Assessing teacher
education and professional development
needs for the implementation of integrated
approaches to STEM education.
International Journal of STEM Education,
4(13), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-
017-0068-1
Soroko, N. V. (2019). Use of educational
electronic platforms for organizing STEAM-
oriented educational environment of
elementary school (foreign experience).
Scientific Notes Series: Pedagogical
Sciences, 183, 155-158.
https://doi.org/10.36550/2415-7988-2019-1-
183-155-158
Volume 13 - Issue 76
/ April 2024
347
https://amazoniainvestiga.info/ ISSN 2322- 6307
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Reproduction,
distribution, and public communication of the work, as well as the creation of derivative works, are permitted provided that the
original source is cited.
Soroko, N. V., & Pylypchuk, I. L. (2020).
Organization of a STEAM-oriented
educational environment of a general
education institution with the help of Google
services. Proceedings. Series: Pedagogical
Sciences, (191), 161-164.
https://doi.org/10.36550/2415-7988-2020-1-
191-161-164
Soroko, N. V. (2021). The augmented reality
functions to support STEAM education at
general education institutions. Physical and
Mathematical Education, 3(29), 24-30.
https://doi.org/10.31110/2413-1571-2021-
029-3-004
Yakman, G. (2017). STEAM Education
Professional Development Practicum &
Research 2007-2017. Proceedings of the
PATT, 34. https://acortar.link/jKiVtf
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., &
Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of
research on artificial intelligence applications
in higher education – where are the
educators? International Journal of
Educational Technology in Higher
Education, 16(39).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0