BECE. Newsletter 

Vol.8, No.1, 2021 1076 

 

 

 

 

Impact of STEM Education on Students’ Academic 

Achievement 

By Zeng, Z., & Yao, J. 
Correspondence to: Yao, J., Nanjing Normal University, China. Email: 

yaojijun_njnu@163.com 

RECENT study published in Journal of East China Normal University 

(Educational Sciences), analyzing the impact of STEM education on 

students’ academic achievement as an example of how to use meta-analysis 

to synthesize existing empirical research. 

Results show that: 

The study provides firm evidence of the effects for STEM education, 

which proves that STEM education is conducive to students’ academic 

achievements (d = 0.410), and factors like educational methods, students’ 

educational stage, location, and sample all have notable affection on the ef-

fects. 

In terms of the methods, this study explores how to obtain reliable ev-

idence through a literature review to support educational reform, and demon-

strates that “meta-analysis” can be more effective, objective, and normative 

than traditional subjective literature review methods, as a result of “meta-

analysis”, which enjoys many advantages like sorting out general and regular 

conclusions from the Literature review. 

Regardless of the type of research, the evidence obtained through the 

scientific analysis and comprehensive induction of the existing research liter-

ature conducted by the meta-analysis method is undoubtedly more general 

and instructive, and more in line with the requirements of “best evidence”. 

Stronger evidence effectiveness, which helps relevant research based on a 

more solid foundation. To this end, the author makes the following com-

ments and suggestions: 

Vigorously strengthen and promote domestic educational experi-

mental research. Only by carrying out strictly designed experimental research 

can people get general conclusions through meta-analysis and other tech-

niques on the basis of more empirical research. 

Advocate for the “evidence” awareness of literature review research. 

Many current types of education research have problems such as incomplete 

reviews, inaccurate processes, and unreliable conclusions. A subjective liter-

ature review focusing mainly on academic inquiry and opinion expression, it 

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Vol.8, No.1, 2021 1077 

is difficult to provide direct, effective, and robust “best evidence” for practi-

cal work. From this perspective, the meta-analysis method may provide an 

effective path for enriching the educational literature review and research, 

and better serving educational practice exploration. 

 

Source: Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Sciences), 

2020; 38(6):70-85.