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Presentation #1 Title:
Empowering Science Learning through Engineering Education Design: K-12 Implementation and Reflections from Türkiye

Abstract:
Engineering is not only a discipline focused on solving technical problems; it is also a powerful tool for social transformation and innovation. Therefore, engineering education should aim to develop both scientific understanding and a sense of social responsibility in individuals. In line with this perspective, this seminar will address how engineering education has been integrated into Türkiye’s K-12 system and what kinds of experiences have emerged during its implementation. The seminar will also present two engineering design activities conducted at the middle school level. The first case focuses on supporting students’ conceptual understanding of “work” and “energy.” Observations revealed that students tended to interpret these concepts based on their everyday life experiences. It was found that the mental representation of a concept is shaped by the context and frequency of its use in daily life. The second example, also conducted with 8th-grade students, highlights a different aspect of engineering education. Although engineering design processes have the potential to support conceptual development, the teacher’s guidance plays a critical role in this process. The implementation showed that the quality of the learning environment and the nature of teacher facilitation can directly influence students' conceptual growth. In some cases, students were observed to form alternative understandings of scientific concepts. This finding suggests that misconceptions can not only persist but also emerge during the instructional process. Therefore, this seminar will focus not only on instructional design but also on how teachers manage the learning process and support students’ conceptual development effectively.

Biography:
Pnar Fettahlolu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Science Education at the Faculty of Education, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye. She received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and science education from Gazi University (Kastamonu Faculty of Education), her master’s degree in science education from Çukurova University, and her Ph.D. in Science Education from Gazi University. Her doctoral research focused on integrating problem-based learning with argumentation to enhance prospective science teachers’ environmental literacy. Dr. Fettahlolu’s research interests include STEM education, argumentation in science teaching, conceptual development, teacher education, and engineering design-based instruction. She has served as a principal investigator and researcher in numerous national and international projects supported by TÜBTAK, the European Union, and Scientific research programs (SRP). Between 2020 and 2025, she served as Chair of the Department of Science Education. She is currently involved in leading teacher professional development programs and providing educational consultancy in various schools across Türkiye. Her recent work focuses on exploring how engineering design-based activities support students’ conceptual understanding of science.

Publications:
Fettahlioglu, P.; Purzer, S.; Dogac, I. Atis I. (In reviewing). Earthquake Engineering for Fifth Grade Children Who Survived an Earthquake. Science Activities.

Fettahlioglu, P.; Akis, D.; Gulnaz, O. (In reviewing). Development and Validation of the Perceptual Awareness on Climate Change (PACC) Scale: A Multidimensional Perspective. Environmental Education Research.

Fettahlioglu, P.; Aydodu, M. (2020). Developing environmentally responsible behaviours through the implementation of argumentation- and problem-based learning models. Research in Science Education, 50(3), 987–1025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-018-9724-1

Presentation #2 Title:
STEM for Young Thinkers: Engineering Adventures in Early Childhood

Abstract:
In the twenty-first century, developing cognitive and social skills is crucial, making early STEM education essential. However, challenges in interdisciplinary integration and real-life problem-solving persist, requiring further research to enhance implementation and long-term engagement. This seminar will be structured around two key themes. First, it will explore the implementation of engineering-based STEM education for young children, offering insights into research methodologies employed with this age group. In this context, the framework and instructional steps of engineering-based STEM education will be presented through concrete examples, providing valuable perspectives on research processes in early childhood education. Second, the seminar will introduce an integrated STEM education curriculum designed to foster sustainable STEM learning through a process-oriented approach. As a case in point, findings from a qualitative case study will be shared to illustrate the systematic implementation and examination of engineering-based STEM education. This study draws on teachers’ self-evaluations and reflective journals, offering critical insights into children's responses, emergent teaching and learning opportunities, and classroom experiences.

Biography:
Tuba Abanoz, PhD, is an assistant professor at Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences and a visiting scholar at Purdue University School of Engineering Education. Her research expertise include STEM integration in early childhood, engineering design-based STEM education in early childhood. In 2012, she worked at a pre-school in Boston, Massachusetts, as a teacher aide. In 2019, Dr. Abanoz led the creation of a STEM-focused early childhood education unit for a large, private K-12 school system headquartered in Istanbul (BAUSTEM) with 143 schools across Turkiye (Bahcesehir Schools). She has served as the founding director of the early childhood division of Bahcesehir and Ugur Schools) for approximately six years. In this capacity, she played an active role in the design of educational environments, curriculum planning and development, teacher professional development, and teacher recruitment. She continues to offer STEM teacher courses at the STEM education research center; BAUSTEM. She completed her PhD at Gazi University, Institute of Educational Sciences, in 2020.

Publications:
Abanoz, T. & Yaba, D. (2025). Seeding sustainable futures: enhancing children’s knowledge of content and skills through early STEM education. Environmental Education Research (online). https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2025.2465722

Abanoz, T. & Kaleliolu, F. (2025). Unleashing the potential: Illuminating pedagogical strategies employed by early childhood educators in stem education cultivating algorithmic thinking skills in young learners. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 33(1), 138-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2024.2339274

Yaba, D. & Abanoz, T. (2024). Integrated STEM Teaching: Innovative STEM Training for Preschool and Primary School Teachers. Journal of Education and Future, 26, 27-40. https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.1404946

Abanoz, T. & Yaba, D. (2023). My world of machine: an integrated STEM education curriculum for early childhood teachers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(3), 470-487. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2127822