DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING STEM TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

This article focuses on developing research skills in primary school students amid the digital transformation of education. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) technologies as a tool for developing research competence. The theoretical framework is based on an analysis of domestic and international publications on inquiry-based learning and STEM education, identifying key conditions for successful implementation: pedagogical support, integration of engineering design, advanced teacher training, and use of digital resources. The empirical component is a pedagogical experiment involving 62 students in grades 3-4, divided into control and experimental groups. Data collection included observation, questionnaires, analysis of activity products, and STEM tasks (robotics, digital labs, project-based activities). The results showed a steady increase in research skills among the experimental group across all criteria (asking questions, formulating hypotheses, planning an experiment, analyzing results, presenting), with the most pronounced improvement in hypothesis generation (+33%) and data analysis (+34%). Comparative analysis confirmed the advantages of STEM assignments over traditional learning. The practical significance lies in the integrated model for developing research skills, suitable for teachers and methodologists when organizing the educational process and designing supplementary programs.