In 1990 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) was underscored as fundamental areas of learning in the 21st century in the world (English, 2016; Aktürk, & Demircan, 2017). Later this set of fields was supplemented by arts as a basis for creativity development and STEM was modified into STEAM (Kim & Park, 2012; Sharapan, 2013; Sochacka, Guyotte, & Walther, 2016). Very soon, it was acknowledged that early childhood education can be enriched by introducing innovations in the above-mentioned fields (Sharapan, 2012; Bagiati & Evangelou, 2015; Hoisington & Winokur, 2015; Torres-Crespo, Kraatz, & Pallansch, 2014). The goal of STEAM-based early childhood education is to prepare children to solve global problems considering new information generated by science and developing innovations (Quigley & Herro, 2016).
Since 2017, one more innovative approach in early childhood education has been observed. Kashin suggests additionally including reading and writing into early childhood education as it significantly boosts accessibility of information to children and contributes to improvement of relations with others, i.e. communication (as cited in Knaus & Roberts, 2017). Thereby, STEAM is modified into STREAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Reading/Writing, Relationships and Math).
STEAM is grounded on the conception of experiential, experimental and problem-based learning and strategies. In STEAM-based early childhood education it is suggested making maximum use of natural environment objects and, simultaneously, establishing spaces for exploration in educational institutions or their environment (Halton & Treveton, 2017) or outside institutions (e.g., JIPPO programme, LUMA Centre, Finland) that are enriched by special research instruments (microscopes, insect traps, pulleys, meters, learning aids for robotics, programming, etc.) (Bers, Seddighin, & Sullivan, 2013). Employing children’s natural ability to observe phenomena, raise questions, to explore, create and make assumptions (Knaus & Roberts, 2017), STEAM activities are integrated in early childhood curriculum (Bagiati, & Evangelou, 2015; Ata-Akturk, Demircan, Senyurt, & Cetin, 2017), STEAM education is even applied in the life 1-3 year old children (Halton, Treveton, & Buchan, 2016).
STEAM activities are developed by extending children’s natural activities, helping children to name their discoveries and to understand processes, challenging children, projecting targeted educational situations and others. The focus is also on integral learning that targets at a specific phenomenon (water, climate, and energy) as well as on learning to programme and robotics. (JIPPO programme, LUMA Centre, Finland).
According to the researchers, accessibility of STEAM to young children is in the hands of teachers. They have to be well aware of the concepts, processes and activities of natural science, technological, engineering and mathematics education themselves to be able to include such education into daily activities of children (Torres-Crespo, Kraatz, & Pallansch, 2014; Knaus, & Roberts, 2017; Halton, & Treveton, 2017).
Therefore, the question arises if teachers are prepared for implementation of STEAM in early childhood education institutions, what practices they apply, what factors promote and hinder implementation of STEAM in early childhood education institutions.
The goal of the research: to reveal practices and factors of implementing STEAM in early childhood education.