Page 474 - Vseživljenjsko učenje kot temelj trajnostne družbe

Sanja Partalo, Nevena Vučen Papić, Dragana Malivuk Gak, and Dino Hasanagić

od of teaching; it is based on group and team work, and it fosters
critical and creative thinking.’
FG1 ‘The STEAM approach integrates various scientific disciplines.’
FG1 ‘I’m not sure what STEAM actually means, but I’ve heard about it
at university.’
FG2 ‘I learned about the STEAM approach through extracurricular ac-
tivities.’
FG3 ‘I don’t know exactly what STEAM means.’
FG3 ‘I found out about STEAM at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and
Mathematics, during a visit when I was exploring study opportu-
nities. I noticed the word “STEAM” written on the door of a class-
room.’
FG3 ‘An example of applying art within this approach is drawing visual
representations of cell structures, the composition of algae, ani-
mals, plants, creatively illustrating chemical reactions, the struc-
tures of chemical compounds, and so on.’
FG4 ‘I had heard of STEM, but I didn’t know there was a version that
includes the arts.’
FG4 ‘Although we had methodology courses, we were never practi-
cally introduced to the STEAM approach.’
FG5 ‘I have no idea what the STEAM approach actually is.’
A significant degree of variability in the level of awareness was ob-
served among the focus groups. Pedagogy students (FG1) demon-
strated a relatively higher level of familiarity with the concept com-
pared to others, although their understanding remained partial and
fragmented. In the remaining groups, awareness was largely limited
to sporadic encounters with the term through extracurricular activi-
ties or visual impressions, highlighting the need for more systematic
education on STEAM within higher education.

2. Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding the Benefits of the STEAM Approach
(positive perceptions – fostering creativity, curiosity, and motivation):
FG1 ‘I believe the STEAM approach aligns well with children’s natu-
ral inclinations, and that if it were more widely implemented in
preschools and primary schools, students’ knowledge by the end
of Year Nine would be significantly more functional.’
FG1 ‘I think pupils would learn more through practical, creative proj-
ects.’
FG1 ‘The STEAM approach can be applied at all educational levels, but

474