Integrating Science and Engineering Design through EDP-STEM Projects on Light and Heat Energy in Primary Education

Abstrak

This study implements the Engineering Design Process (EDP) within a STEM learning framework to enhance fifth-grade students’ problem-solving skills in science topics on light and heat energy. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, the implementation was conducted at SD Negeri Bawakaraeng 1 Makassar with thirty students over eight learning sessions. Classroom observations, students’ reflective notes, and project documentation were used to portray how learners engaged with science concepts through engineering design tasks. Learning activities followed five EDP–STEM stages: problem scoping, idea creation, designing and constructing, assessing design, and redesigning centered on a solar-oven project that connected theory to real-world application. Results showed progressive development in identifying problems, generating creative ideas, testing hypotheses, and revising designs. The iterative process strengthened understanding of light and heat concepts while fostering collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. The findings suggest that integrating EDP–STEM into primary science learning provides authentic, hands-on experiences that cultivate scientific reasoning and twenty-first-century competencies.