Comparing of the Türkiye Century Maarif Education Model within the Context of the STEM Education
Chapter from the book:
Orhan,
A.
T.
(ed.)
2026.
Science Education in the 21st Century: Innovative Approaches and Current Research.
Synopsis
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is one of the approaches evaluated within the dynamics of technological and socio-cultural transformation in the 21st century and is at the center of the global education agenda. This chapter aims to evaluate the Turkey Century Maarif Education Model in the context of the conceptual, structural, and pedagogical compatibility of STEM education. The sub-areas of the Maarif Model, namely “holistic education,” “virtue-value-action framework,” “skill-based approach,” “trends,” and “school-based planning,” are examined from a comparative perspective with the interdisciplinary and life-based nature of STEM education. The study first attempts to outline the basic philosophy of STEM education and then examines the Turkey Century Maarif Model in the context of STEM education. The study shows that both approaches are centered on the student, prioritize higher-order cognitive skills (critical thinking, problem solving, creativity), and aim to transform theoretical knowledge into concrete outputs that produce social benefits within an organic fabric of harmony. At the end of the chapter, recommendations for implementing the Turkey Century Education Model within the framework of STEM education are listed, and an application example based on STEM for teaching-learning processes is presented.
