Problem-Based Teaching Methodology For Forming Physics Concepts Within The Steam Framework
Keywords:
Problem-based learning, STEAM, physics education, conceptual changeAbstract
Problem-based learning (PBL) and STEAM integration have both been shown to enhance conceptual understanding and transferable competencies, yet their joint methodological articulation for teaching physics remains underdescribed. This article proposes and theoretically substantiates a problem-based methodology for forming core physics concepts within a STEAM framework, where authentic problems become the engine for interdisciplinary inquiry, modeling, design, and artistic representation. The approach positions students as investigators who iteratively cycle through problem framing, conceptual hypothesizing, experiment and simulation, engineering design, and communicative expression through mathematical, technological, and artistic media. Drawing on research in conceptual change, active learning, and integrated STEM/STEAM education, we describe the didactic design, learning tasks, scaffolding mechanisms, and assessment logic that align with disciplinary practices of physics while opening productive interfaces with engineering design cycles, computational modeling, and creative visualization. The article concludes with practical implications for curriculum and teacher professional development, offering a reproducible pattern for schools seeking to teach physics conceptually and creatively through real-world problems.
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