The use of PhET simulation in STEM education

Abstract

The article discusses the results of the introduction of PhET simulations in the study of mathematics and natural sciences in elementary grades. The use of PhET simulations based on STEM education forms the student's research competence, teaches them to make predictions, draw conclusions, share experiences, argue, and analyze data. The purpose of the study is to identify the possibilities of using PhET simulations in STEM education in the educational process of primary education. The study was also tested in a training seminar aimed at using PhET simulations based on STEM education. The seminar was guided by the principle of interdisciplinary integration, as well as digital innovative technologies, including PhET simulants in STEM education. This article analyzes the impact of the methodological seminar on students of the first and second courses of the educational program 7M01301 - "Training of a teacher of pedagogy and methods of primary education" of the South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University named after Uzbekali Zhanibekov. 33 students participated in the process and the study, of which 16 students were the control group, 17 were the experimental group. During the methodological seminar, the development of students' logical and critical thinking, problem-solving skills, scientific worldview and creative abilities was revealed. As the descriptive evaluation statistics before the seminar and after the seminar show, it was found that there is a difference in the evaluation results. This proved the effectiveness of our proposed methodological seminar. In the course of the study, a descriptive statistical characteristic of quantitative data was presented.