Secondary Students’ Experiences of a STEAM Project-Based City-Planning Activity: A Mixed-Methods Study

Source abstract

This study examines secondary students’ experiences of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Project-Based Learning (PBL) city-planning activity. A mixed-methods design was employed with 84 students from two existing classes taught by the same teacher using the same course content. Quantitative data were collected through a student survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U tests. Qualitative evidence was obtained from open-ended survey responses and interviews with 14 student groups and analyzed thematically using NVivo. Students reported high levels of engagement, satisfaction, interest in STEAM, and willingness to participate in similar projects. They perceived development in time management, communication, critical thinking, engineering/design, and research skills, although teamwork and problem-solving were rated comparatively lower. Both classes revealed significant differences in students’ perspectives on STEAM and urban design, project experience and satisfaction, and challenges encountered, while no significant difference was found in group collaboration and interaction. Students identified limited time and insufficient resources as major challenges and emphasized the value of teacher guidance, role assignment, peer discussion, and planning. Reflections further highlighted the value of hands-on learning, creative expression, interdisciplinary knowledge application, and collaboration. The findings provide student-perspective insights into the opportunities and challenges of implementing STEAM-based PBL through an authentic city-planning activity in secondary education.