STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE STEAM APPROACH IN UNIVERSITY TEACHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Constant technological changes require generations of students able to solve problems in newly emerging circumstances quickly and efficiently. Nowadays, it is crucial to concurrently promote the skills for the 21st century among our students, get them actively involved in the social flows, and develop an interest in arts (including music) and natural sciences. The STEAM approach to university teaching allows students to draw conclusions about the phenomena covered by natural sciences through creative thinking developed by music education. This paper aims to investigate the attitudes of the final-year undergraduate students attending the Faculty of Education in Jagodina toward the STEAM approach in a university setting and their perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of the STEAM approach. Furthermore, the paper examines the students’ perceptions of the significance of teacher collaboration in STEAM activities/projects. The sample (N=89) was surveyed via a questionnaire. The findings indicate that university students have positive attitudes about the STEAM approach and the professor’s initiative to combine different fields by promoting the active participation of all participants in the teaching process. The results demonstrate that the STEAM approach encourages students to think creatively and reason logically by enabling a unique symbiosis of “the mind of the scientist” and “the mind of the artist.” One of the main disadvantages of the STEAM approach in university teaching stems from the impossibility of using it constantly. Consequently, combining STEAM with other innovative approaches is a requisite.