The interconnection of STEAM areas in the study of functions

Current guidelines for mathematics education recommend carrying out activities within interdisciplinary contexts, specifically from an integrative STEAM perspective. Alongside promoting interdisciplinary contexts, this study implemented the STEAM approach to foster learning through collaborative problem-solving based on real-world scenarios. The aim was to explore the interconnections made in the implementation of STEAM in the learning of 11th-grade students regarding topics on functions. To achieve this objective, the study aims to answer the following research questions: What interconnections are promoted by the adoption of STEAM carried out? Which areas of knowledge and advantages of STEAM are identified by the students in the activities they perform? Employing a qualitative and interpretative approach, data were collected within the context of a pedagogical internship of a prospective mathematics teacher through lesson plans, students’ productions, recorded lessons, and questionnaires. The results indicate that in the learning of functions using the STEAM approach, the interconnection between Science and Mathematics was predominant, although, at times, different combinations included areas such as Technology, Engineering, and/or Arts. The students' identification of these areas reflected this trend, as they primarily recognized the presence of Science and Mathematics, yet all the other areas were also mentioned in their questionnaire responses.