Evaluation of the Impact of STEM Activities Related to the Ocean on Students' Gaining Ocean Literacy Based on Gender

This study investigates the effect of ocean-STEM activity on ocean literacy among 7th-grade students. The research design was a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design. The research sample was determined randomly and divided into two groups: the experimental group (N=29), who carried out four ocean STEM activities, and the control group (N=31), who learned using traditional methods. Data collection used the Ocean Pollution Knowledge Test (OPKT) and the Ocean Attitude Survey (OAS). Students from the experimental group outperformed the control group significantly in both instruments, meaning that students involved in the ocean STEM activity significantly affected students’ ocean literacy. The study has implications for science teachers to use ocean-STEM activity to promote ocean literacy for junior high school students.