In the modern world, where science and technology are rapidly developing, the ability to research, analyze, and integrate knowledge from different fields is becoming a key skill of the 21st century. To be prepared for the future, people need to learn to think and act more holistically, taking into account the connections and interdependencies between conflicting or incompatible ideas, logics, and positions in both the short and long term (OECD, 2018)

Numerous studies in the field of education emphasize the need to develop in students the ability to analyze and evaluate information, the ability to highlight the main points, identify cause-and-effect relationships, model processes and create a finished product(Akhmetova S.A. et al,2025; Jarylkapova S et al,2024; Valeeva E.B. , 2020 ). At the same time, there are various methods of developing research skills that are used in schools (Rogelio Angel Varías-Palacios et al,2025; Honey M., 2014)

However, it's worth noting that during observation, reflection, and analysis of student work, not all students demonstrate a high level of completion on tasks related to research skills.

Research Question:

How can we improve students' research skills in Grade 11?

In modern psychological and pedagogical practice, the scientific works of A.I. Savenkov, A.P. Gladkova , V.I. Andreev, P.M. Skvortsov, D.V. Kosheleva and others are devoted to the development of students’ research skills.

Savenkov (2016) identifies the following skills as general research skills: recognizing problems, hypotheses designing; asking questions, defining concepts; classifying; conducting experiments; observing; making inferences and conclusions; structuring material; prepare texts of their own reports; explain, prove and defend their ideas.

Gladkova(2012)identifies 4 groups of research skills: organizational and practical, search, information, and evaluative.

The classification proposed by  Andreev (1981) includes such skills as operational, technical, communicative and organizational.

Skvortsov (2010) identifies the elements of educational research skills: the ability to work with scientific and research literature; the ability to carry out observations; the ability to set up an experiment.

Kosheleva (2011) believes that involving students in research activities will allow them to learn to invent, understand and master new things, express their own thoughts, be able to make decisions, form interests and recognize opportunities.

Based on the analysis of literary sources, the following skills were selected and assessed in our study: analysis of scientific literature, logical presentation of an idea, argumentation, creation of a model and development of an experimental methodology, analysis of the obtained experimental data, drawing conclusions and reflecting on one's own activities.

The summer school offers a unique opportunity for in-depth immersion in research, allowing for systematic work and the completion of interdisciplinary projects.

In this case, in our opinion, the optimal solution is to use STEAM projects that provide students with the opportunity to develop research competencies, systems and critical thinking, as well as the ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment (Valiyeva  A.K.  et al,2025;Muraveva  S.A. et al,2022; Azizah F.et al,2025 ).

The study utilized theoretical research methods, such as literary analysis, comparison, and systematization, as well as empirical methods – a pedagogical experiment, analysis of student work, questionnaires, observation, interviews, analysis of group interactions and student reflexive statements, as well as methods for mathematical processing of the experimental results. Based on the observation results and analysis of student work, a focus group was formed, consisting of 12 students 11th-grade with low to moderate levels of higher-order thinking skills. At the beginning of the experiment, an additional survey was administered to determine interest and motivation, as well as self-assessment of the knowledge and skills required to implement the STEAM project and the strengths and weaknesses test (SWT). The results allowed us to categorize the students by their research skill levels and track their changes over the course of the pedagogical experiment. STEAM projects included elements of scientific research, engineering design, mathematical analysis, and creative presentation of results, which ensured the development of critical thinking. During the STEAM project, students explored the principles of solar energy conversion and developed a solar collector prototype. Students were divided into three teams. The Science component explored energy sources, ecology, and physical and chemical processes; the Technology component explored the use of Tinkercad digital tools; the Engineering component involved designing and assembling a model; the Art component involved selecting a design; and the Math component involved calculating energy and costs based on the proposed model. The study was conducted during the Summer School, which involved full immersion in project-based activities. Each group developed and tested their model, developed and tested an experimental methodology, conducted the experiment, analyzed the results, and drew conclusions. Students presented their projects in English, which allowed them to enhance their language skills. An analysis of the student activity observation map, as well as interviews and student reflection after project defense, allowed us to identify their progress during the study.

The study results demonstrated that STEAM-oriented project-based learning is an effective tool for developing inquiry skills. The integration of science, engineering, art, and mathematics into project-based activities fosters a deep understanding of the subject matter and the development of higher-order thinking skills. An analysis of the observation sheets revealed that students showed the greatest improvement in skills such as analyzing scientific literature, reasoning and proof, and developing experimental methods. However, students still need to improve their ability to formulate hypotheses, draw conclusions, and reflect on their thoughts. Difficulties also arose in logically and consistently presenting the project idea. The project presentations not only allowed students to present the results of their own practical work and justify their choice of model, but also facilitated self-evaluation of their own performance. During the project defenses and group discussions, ideas for improving the models were proposed. Based on the interviews, students noted that the project allowed them to critically analyze the necessary information and present data in diagrams and graphs across various comparison parameters. After defending their projects, students completed a survey in which they were asked to select three skills that, in their opinion, had been improved the most during the project: 75% of students indicated literature analysis as their main skill, 66.6% noted improvement in argumentation skills, and 50% noted skills in developing experimental methods. During their reflection, students noted that the positive aspects of the STEAM project included increased motivation and cognitive interest, improved teamwork skills, and some even identified their future professional goals. Thus, implementing STEAM projects in summer school is an effective method for developing students' research skills. This approach has proven effective and will be used in future work.

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