scholarly journals From STEM to STEAM: Strategies for Enhancing Engineering & Technology Education

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy M. Connor ◽  
Sangeeta Karmokar ◽  
Chris Whittington
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Delivery Methods ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Inquiry Based Learning ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Engineering Pedagogy

This paper sets out to challenge the common pedagogies found in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education with a particular focus on engineering. The dominant engineering pedagogy remains “chalk and talk”; despite research evidence that demonstrates its ineffectiveness. Such pedagogical approaches do not embrace the possibilities provided by more student-centric approaches and more active learning. The paper argues that there is a potential confusion in engineering education around the role of active learning approaches, and that the adoption of these approaches may be limited as a result of this confusion, combined with a degree of disciplinary egocentrism. The paper presents examples of design, engineering and technology projects that demonstrate the effectiveness of adopting pedagogies and delivery methods more usually attributed to the liberal arts such as studio based learning. The paper concludes with some suggestions about how best to create a fertile environment from which inquiry based learning can emerge as well as a reflection on whether the only real limitation on cultivating such approaches is the disciplinary egocentrism of traditional engineering educators.

scholarly journals Japanese Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-65
Author(s):  
Aki Yamada
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Liberal Arts Education ◽  
Japanese Higher Education ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Vertical Division ◽  
And Mathematics

In today’s information-driven society, the Japanese government envisions the next societal revolution as “Society 5.0,” where advanced technologies and service platforms integrate with and empower individuals in a human-based society. While Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has traditionally focused on technical skills and knowledge in isolation, this paper will look at the potential role and benefits of incorporating liberal arts education into these technical studies. This concept of integrating the liberal arts into STEM education is known as STEAM. The purpose of the study is to create a foundation for clarifying the role of interdisciplinary education in overcoming the vertical division of academic disciplines and restoring the “integrated nature” of scholarship. This study seeks to show how the humanities, social sciences, and arts can be used to enhance STEM education, and, furthermore, how this STEAM approach to education is key to enabling Japan’s vision for Society 5.0.

scholarly journals Integrating active learning activities and metacognition into STEM writing courses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Zhang ◽  
Yanju Li
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Molecular Cell Biology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Intensive Course ◽  
Biology Laboratory

While active learning is highly recognized and recommended in the educational community, instructors are still struggling with how to incorporate active learning tools into writing courses. In this article, we have 1) described specific challenges that we have encountered in the course of Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory-Critical Thinking through Writing (BIOL3810-CTW); 2) introduced the active learning approaches and metacognition integrated into this writing-intensive course; 3) demonstrated the effectiveness of these active learning approaches, and 4) shared the principles of integrating active learning activities into writing courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and beyond.

Music and Mathematics— Creating the Sublime

2019 ◽  
pp. 191-260
Author(s):  
Tom McLeish
Keyword(s):  
String Quartet ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Robert Schumann ◽  
Music Notation ◽  
Fluctuation Dissipation ◽  
The World ◽  
Music And Mathematics ◽  
And Mathematics

The third mode of imagination is the abstract—the world shared by mathematics and music. Once held together in the ‘quadrivum’ of medieval liberal arts, they have now lost their obvious connection. This chapter explores their deeper commonalities, starting with Andrew Wiles’ proof of Fermat’s last theorem, and Shostakovich’s eighth string quartet, the shared role of number in rhythm, volume, and pitch leads to a deeper world of multi-layered structure and the unconscious imagination. The writing of, and writing about music of Robert Schumann, including a detailed examination of his Konzertstück for four horns and orchestra, is contrasted with writing about mathematical creativity by Hadamard. The collision of beauty, structure, and universality is illustrated by a close encounter with the Fluctuation–Dissipation Theorem. In both cases of mathematics and music, notation is explicitly displayed in an exploration of how it serves as an extension to imaginative thought.

scholarly journals Contemporary Issues in Group Learning in Undergraduate Science Classrooms: A Perspective from Student Engagement

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. es3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda C. Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Group Learning ◽  
Student Response ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Undergraduate Science

As the use of collaborative-learning methods such as group work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes has grown, so has the research into factors impacting effectiveness, the kinds of learning engendered, and demographic differences in student response. Generalizing across the range of this research is complicated by the diversity of group-learning approaches used. In this overview, I discuss theories of how group-work formats support or hinder learning based on the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, passive) framework of student engagement. I then use this model to analyze current issues in group learning, such as the nature of student discourse during group work, the role of group learning in making our classrooms inclusive, and how classroom spaces factor into group learning. I identify key gaps for further research and propose implications from this research for teaching practice. This analysis helps identify essential, effective, and efficient features of group learning, thus providing faculty with constructive guidelines to support their work and affirm their efforts.

scholarly journals Experiences of Teaching Basic Design as Foundation Course to Beginners with no Background in Drawing Skills: A Case of Architecture Department at NED University of Engineering & Technology

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-21
Author(s):  
Saadia Bano ◽  
Safia Asif
Keyword(s):  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Design Studio ◽  
Basic Design ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Secondary School Education ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
Exercise Design ◽  
Sizable Number

Primary and secondary school education in Pakistan has virtually no component, module or dedicated course to enable students to learn and practice drawing as a skill. However, many aspiring young people join architectural studies and are exposed to challenges that are common in this discipline. The major obstacle is the lack of sufficient background to help in creative thinking and design process. Despite the struggle, a sizable number of students perform well in the Basic Design Studio and later phases of work. This paper deals with the concepts and methods used in training the fresh minds towards architectural realm and explores the commonly found factors responsible for adequate performance and later stages of work in design studios. The methodology of this research is based on observation and experience gained after conducting basic design studio for couple of years at the Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan. In the later part of the research, a survey was conducted to evaluate the course via student feedback in the form of questionnaires, in order to understand the role of Basic Design course in helping students’ creative thinking and approach towards design solutions. Lastly, interviews were conducted of various basic design instructors in order to analyse their experience and pedagogy of teaching students who have no background in fine arts studies. Key Words: Basic design, non-art background, design exercise, design pedagogy

scholarly journals Sustainable development and the role of African scientific research centres

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anour Dafaalla ◽  
Mohammed Khalil Saeed ◽  
Suad Badri ◽  
Mohamed Alhaj
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
High Quality Research ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
Research Centres ◽  
African Journal

Scientific research in the engineering and technology domains plays a centric role in realizing sustainable development in Africa. In particular, a multidisciplinary research (and sometimes even cross-disciplinary) approach is required when tackling Africas complex challenges such as poverty, climate change, energy access, water resources management, energy-water-food nexus, sustainable urban environment, cybersecurity, and others. To advance this research, African researchers should be empowered to conduct high-quality research and communicate their findings and recommendations to all stakeholders in open-access platforms. Building on the above, the Sudanese Researchers Foundation (SRF) is proud to announce the launch of the African Journal of Engineering & Technology (AJET); our inaugural open-access peer-reviewed journal focusing on engineering, technology, and sustainable development.

Working Memory and Number Sense as Predictors of Mathematical (Dis-)Ability

2015 ◽  
Vol 223 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn H. Kroesbergen ◽  
Marloes van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Number Sense ◽  
Mathematical Learning ◽  
Visual Spatial ◽  
Mathematical Learning Disabilities ◽  
Visual Spatial Working Memory ◽  
And Mathematics

Recent research has pointed to two possible causes of mathematical (dis-)ability: working memory and number sense, although only few studies have compared the relations between working memory and mathematics and between number sense and mathematics. In this study, both constructs were studied in relation to mathematics in general, and to mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) in particular. The sample consisted of 154 children aged between 6 and 10 years, including 26 children with MLD. Children performing low on either number sense or visual-spatial working memory scored lower on math tests than children without such a weakness. Children with a double weakness scored the lowest. These results confirm the important role of both visual-spatial working memory and number sense in mathematical development.

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