scholarly journals Centricities of STEM curriculum frameworks: Variations of the S-T-E-M Quartet

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Tang Wee Teo ◽  
Aik Ling Tan ◽  
Yann Shiou Ong ◽  
Ban Heng Choy
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Instructional Framework ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Curriculum Frameworks ◽  
User Centric ◽  
Education Goals ◽  
Humanistic Knowledge

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>This commentary is an extension to the integrated S-T-E-M Quartet Instructional Framework that has been used to guide the design, implementation and evaluation of integrated STEM curriculum. In our discussion of the S-T-E-M Quartet, we have argued for the centrality of complex, persistent and extended problems to reflect the authenticity of real-world issues and hence, the need for integrated, as opposed to monodisciplinary, STEM education. Building upon this earlier work, we propose two additional variationsjsolution-centric and user-centric approachesjto the provision of integrated STEM curricular experiences to afford more opportunities that address the meta-knowledge and humanistic knowledge developments in 21<sup>st</sup> century learning. These variations to the S-T-E-M Quartet aims to expand the scope and utility of the framework in creating curriculum experiences for diverse profiles of learners, varied contextual conditions, and broad STEM education goals. Collectively, these three approachesjproblem-centric, solution-centric, and user-centricjcan afford more holistic outcomes of STEM education.</p>

scholarly journals THE PLANNING OF INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATION BASED ON STANDARDS AND CONTEXTUAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG)

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 300
Author(s):  
Loh Su Ling ◽  
Vincent Pang ◽  
Denis Lajium
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
After School ◽  
Curriculum Standards ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Real World Problems

Two important features in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education are integration and solving real world problems.  Despite the efforts to promote STEM education awareness and interest among students and teachers, documented studies on how to explicitly integrate the existing STEM subjects curriculum standards in solving real world problems are limited. This paper describes the planning of after-school STEM education program focusing on relevant global issues related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that integrates the existing curriculum standards of three STEM subject in the lower secondary level. The data collection is mainly through document analysis of the three individual STEM subjects’ standard documents and the planned curriculum map for the school, along with the document on ‘Education for Sustainable Development Goals Learning Objectives’.  Four possible design challenges were formulated based on the themes in SDG incorporating selected standards from the three STEM subjects as well as addition of a few new related concepts and skills.  The description offers a way to assist educators in planning similar STEM education lesson or programmes or activities through integration of the existing individual STEM disciplines curriculum standards for different level and context relevant to the students.   Keywords: Contextual problem solving, integration, standard-based, STEM education, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Cite as: Loh, S. L., Pang, V., & Lajium, D. (2019). The planning of integrated STEM education based on standards and contextual issues of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(1), 300-315. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss1pp300-315

scholarly journals Beyond Content: The Role of STEM Disciplines, Real-World Problems, 21st Century Skills, and STEM Careers within Science Teachers’ Conceptions of Integrated STEM Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Emily Anna Dare ◽  
Khomson Keratithamkul ◽  
Benny Mart Hiwatig ◽  
Feng Li
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Real World ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Stem Disciplines ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Real World Problems

Understanding teachers’ conceptions surrounding integrated STEM education is vital to the successful implementation of integrated STEM curricula in K-12 classrooms. Of particular interest is understanding how teachers conceptualize the role of the STEM disciplines within their integrated STEM teaching. Further, despite knowing that content-agnostic characteristics of integrated STEM education are important, little is known about how teachers conceptualize the real-world problems, 21st century skills, and the promotion of STEM careers in their integrated STEM instruction. This study used an exploratory case study design to investigate conceptions of 19 K-12 science teachers after participating in an integrated STEM-focused professional development and implementing integrated STEM lessons into their classrooms. Our findings show that all teacher participants viewed STEM education from an integrative perspective that fosters the development of 21st century skills, using real-world problems to motivate students. Our findings also reveal that teachers have varying ideas related to the STEM disciplines within integrated STEM instruction, which could assist teacher educators in preparing high-quality professional development experiences. Findings related to real-world problems, 21st century skills, and STEM careers provide a window into how to best support teachers to include these characteristics into their teaching more explicitly.

The influence of a design-based elective STEM course on pre-service chemistry teachers’ content knowledge, STEM conceptions, and engineering views

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 954-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevgi Aydin-Gunbatar ◽  
Aysegul Tarkin-Celikkiran ◽  
Elif Selcan Kutucu ◽  
Betul Ekiz-Kiran
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Chemistry Teachers ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Pre Service Teacher ◽  
Similar Development

In this study, we sought to examine the influence of a 12 week design-based elective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) course on pre-service chemistry teachers’ content knowledge, STEM conceptions, and engineering and engineering design views. To attain the goals determined, we utilized five STEM activities starting with a daily-life problem and an iterative engineering design process to solve the problem. A chemistry test with 11 two-tier items, and interviews focusing on STEM and engineering conceptions were administered at the beginning and at the end of the course. Moreover, a reflection paper was collected after each activity. Eight junior pre-service chemistry teachers participated in the study voluntarily. Deductive and inductive data analyses were used to investigate the influence of the course on participants’ content knowledge, STEM conceptions, and engineering and engineering design views. The results revealed that the design-based STEM course helped pre-service teachers deepen their content knowledge. Additionally, most of the participants defined integrated STEM education as an acronym (n= 6) and very few mentioned the interdisciplinary dimension of STEM education superficially at the beginning (n= 3). At the end, they mentioned interdisciplinary nature as connecting at least two dimensions of STEM, and they emphasized engaging in real-world problems, designing a product or process and inquiry-based and/or problem-based learning. Regarding engineering and engineering design views, a similar development was observed. Although their views were undeveloped or underdeveloped at the beginning, they enriched their views and mentioned defining criteria, creativity and integration to science and mathematics that are characteristics of engineering and design processes. Implications for including STEM courses in pre-service teacher education programs were provided.

Enhancing Diversity in STEM Interdisciplinary Learning

2015 ◽  
pp. 997-1019
Author(s):  
Reginald A. Blake ◽  
Janet Liou-Mark
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Disciplines ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Diversity In Stem

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines have traditionally been woefully unsuccessful in attracting, retaining, and graduating acceptable numbers of Underrepresented Minorities (URMs). A new paradigm of STEM practices is needed to address this vexing problem. This chapter highlights a novel interdisciplinary approach to STEM education. Instead of being siloed and mired in their respective STEM disciplines, students integrate real world, inquiry-based learning that is underpinned by a strong foundation in mathematics and a myriad of other pillars of STEM activities. These activities include Peer-Assisted Learning Workshops, Mentoring Programs, Undergraduate Research Experiences, STEM Exposure Trips, Conference Participation, and Peer Leadership. This strategy enhances STEM education among URMs by purposefully connecting and integrating knowledge and skills from across the STEM disciplines to solve real-world problems, by synthesizing and transferring knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, and by building critical thinking skills in a manner that is relevant to their experiences and yet transformative.

scholarly journals Integrated Outreach: Increasing Engagement in Computer Science and Cybersecurity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 353
Author(s):  
Shaya Wolf ◽  
Andrea Carneal Burrows ◽  
Mike Borowczak ◽  
Mason Johnson ◽  
Rafer Cooley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Real World ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Real World Applications ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Interest Level

Research on innovative, integrated outreach programs guided three separate week-long outreach camps held across two summers (2018 and 2019). These camps introduced computer science through real-world applications and hands-on activities, each dealing with cybersecurity principles. The camps utilized low-cost hardware and free software to provide a total of 84 students (aged 10 to 18 years) a unique learning experience. Based on feedback from the 2018 camp, a new pre/post survey was developed to assess changes in participant knowledge and interest. Student participants in the 2019 iteration showed drastic changes in their cybersecurity content recall (33% pre vs. 96% post), cybersecurity concept identification within real-world scenarios, and exhibited an increased ability to recognize potential cybersecurity threats in their every-day lives (22% pre vs. 69% post). Finally, students’ self-reported interest-level before and after the camp show a positive increase across all student participants, with the number of students who where highly interested in cybersecurity more than doubling from 31% pre-camp to 65% post-camp. Implications for educators are large as these activities and experiences can be interwoven into traditional schooling as well as less formal camps as pure computer science or through integrated STEM.

Integrated STEM teaching competencies and performances as perceived by secondary teachers in South Korea

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miran Song
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Secondary Teachers ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Stem Teaching

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore what key competencies and characteristics of teachers are needed for integrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching and to investigate teachers’ perceptions on how important those competencies are and how often they are executed. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach was used to investigate key characteristics of integrated STEM teaching competencies and the level of their importance and performance as perceived by teachers. By using behavioral event interview technique, qualitative data were collected from professional secondary teachers in science, math and technology subjects. An instrument was constructed based on the result of qualitative research; and a survey was conducted with 48 STEM teachers working in South Korea. The mean values between importance and performance of integrated STEM teaching competencies were compared. A perceived importance level of each item was compared with a practice level by using importance-performance analysis. Findings As a result of qualitative research, in total 21 items were constructed as detailed characteristics of each domain of integrated STEM teaching competencies, which provide insights about teachers’ perceptions of teaching competencies that are critical for integrated STEM education. A comparison of means between importance and performance of integrated STEM teaching competencies showed that whereas teachers considered each of these items to be of significant importance in their overall evaluation of the integrated STEM teaching competencies, they are not performing at a level that reflects the assigned importance. Practical implications This research results provide information for future research on how to implement an integrated STEM education initiative at the secondary school level, for planning teacher training programs, pre-service teacher education and related educational policies. Originality/value South Korea has focused on integrated STEM education to raise talented human resources in the fields of science and technology. However, many teachers have experienced serious difficulties and troubles in executing integrated STEM education. It is necessary to figure out key competencies and characteristics of teachers to facilitate integrated STEM teaching.

STEM Education

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
High Stakes Testing ◽  
Education Quality ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Future Challenges

STEM education in schools has become the subject of energetic promotion by universities and policymakers. The mythical narrative of STEM in crisis has driven policy to promote STEM education throughout the world in order to meet the challenges of future workforce demands alongside an obsession with high-stakes testing for national and international comparisons as a proxy for education quality. Unidisciplinary emphases in the curriculum have failed to deliver on the goal to attract more students to pursue STEM courses and careers or to develop sophisticated STEM literacies. A radical shift in the curriculum toward integrated STEM education through multidisciplinary/ interdisciplinary/ transdisciplinary projects is required to meet future challenges. Project-based activities that engage students in solving real-world problems requiring multiple perspectives and skills that are authentically assessed by autonomous professional teachers are needed. Governments and non-government sponsors should support curriculum development with teachers, and their continuing professional development in this process. Integrating STEM with creative expression from the arts shows promise at engaging students and developing their STEM literacies. Research into the efficacy of such projects is necessary to inform authorities and teachers of possibilities for future developments. Foci for further research also are identified.

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