How gender-friendly constructivist approaches facilitate the development of STEM skills

Students tend to perform well in free space learning environments as they are able to put forth ideas that teachers can harness. This study reviewed an integrated STEM constructivist, gender-friendly style that enabled the implementation of students’ ideas, transformation of learning environments, instruction, and assessment procedures into meaningful events for lifelong skills among 103 students, 39 of whom were females, in a qualitative case study design that employed the action research approach with interpretive undertones. It used the theoretical framework of phenomenography. The main question that guided the study was to find out about the outcome of integrated STEM constructivist, gender-friendly strategies in lessons and how it affected STEM concept formation and cognitive gains. Tools that were used to gather data were real-world concept-based micro projects and microscience activities. Guided conversations were employed to triangulate data. It was found that it was possible to integrate gender constructivist strategies into lessons to enhance participants’ STEM skills acquisition and conceptual gains, especially among females.