Perceptions of science and technology of children and adolescents in the STEAM Laboratories Bogotá strategy

Abstract

The District Education Secretariat and the UNNO ​​institute of the Scientific Park of Social Innovation of UNIMINUTO began the implementation of the Bogotá STEAM Laboratories project financed by the General Royalties System, for the promotion of favorable public perceptions about science and technologies in girls, children and adolescents. The article presents the results of the evaluation of attitudes towards science and technology of students in compulsory schooling. The methodology was non-experimental, transversal descriptive and focused on 900 students from grades transition to eleven in 56 public schools in Bogotá. The results indicate a significant decrease in favorable attitudes towards science and technology as one progresses in schooling, especially in the transition from primary to high school, and women showed slightly lower results than men, but the differences are not significant. The Survey of Attitudes Towards School Science and Technology is valid and reliable, easy to implement at various educational levels and is proposed as a measurement instrument that allows traceability for teachers and researchers in science education. The observed trends indicate the need for early educational interventions, particularly during the first years of secondary education, advocating for pedagogical interventions through STEAM learning environments and active methodologies.