The Challenge and Opportunities of STEM Learning Efficacy for Living Technology Through a Transdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning Activity

According to extensive research, problem-based learning (PBL) in STEM education improves student learning outcomes and supports them in gaining practical skills necessary for upward future careers. Despite current efforts to promote PBL-STEM activities in education, their uptake in life science remains low. Several types of research involving college instructors indicate that instructor guidance of PBL-STEM activities is one of the crucial aspects for its successful usage in educational settings. However, to our knowledge, little research has been undertaken on the effectiveness of participants' PBL-STEM learning in coping with problems and dilemmas encountered during the STEM learning process. This research intends to investigate the efficacy and provide experiential references to demonstrate the existing gaps by a transdisciplinary approach. The effect on participants' professional learning interest, comprehension capacity, problem-solving ability, self-efficacy, and cooperation abilities is related to five dependent variables. Our findings from paired t-test analysis demonstrate that STEM participants had a significant difference before and after experiencing PBL-STEM learning objectives. In the light of a one-way ANOVA, STEM learner participation in this course was more important than gender and age in improving STEM literacy through classroom activities. In line with feedback interviews, students who engaged in experiential learning favored reciprocal advantages and mutual benefits within their groups through teamwork, practical application, and information acquisition. Given that the participants in this study were early adopters of PBL-STEM, any future research should aggressively encourage these students to create and implement solutions in the classroom based on their ideas.