Using Fan Fiction to Bridge Students' Understanding of Science

2022 ◽  
pp. 335-354
Author(s):  
LaShay Jennings ◽  
Renee M. Moran ◽  
Blake Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Science Learning ◽  
Classroom Community ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Fan Fiction ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Pedagogy And Curriculum ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Educational Field ◽  
Grade Classroom

The purpose of this chapter was to present current literature focused on integrating science and literacy and describe the teaching of a science unit of study that incorporated fanfiction literature in a fourth-grade classroom. Ms. Bardon's instructional techniques were focused on integrating science learning with reading and writing based within a fictional text read together as a classroom community throughout the unit of science study. The unit of study was presented alongside background literature to illustrate how such teaching is indicative of a larger movement in the educational field toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based pedagogy and curriculum. The account of teaching was presented according to the close reading of the fictional text, the hands-on science activities, and the culminating student writing of a fanfiction narrative that constituted the assessment of science learning.

Using Fan Fiction to Bridge Students' Understanding of Science

2021 ◽  
pp. 142-161
Author(s):  
LaShay Jennings ◽  
Renee M. Moran ◽  
Blake Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Science Learning ◽  
Classroom Community ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Fan Fiction ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Pedagogy And Curriculum ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Educational Field ◽  
Grade Classroom

The purpose of this chapter was to present current literature focused on integrating science and literacy and describe the teaching of a science unit of study that incorporated fanfiction literature in a fourth-grade classroom. Ms. Bardon's instructional techniques were focused on integrating science learning with reading and writing based within a fictional text read together as a classroom community throughout the unit of science study. The unit of study was presented alongside background literature to illustrate how such teaching is indicative of a larger movement in the educational field toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based pedagogy and curriculum. The account of teaching was presented according to the close reading of the fictional text, the hands-on science activities, and the culminating student writing of a fanfiction narrative that constituted the assessment of science learning.

scholarly journals Implementation of STEM-Robotics as High School Intra-curricular

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Abdul Latip ◽  
Aristo Hardinata
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Teacher Teams ◽  
School Year ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Creative Learning ◽  
And Mathematics

The study aim to describe STEM-Robotic implementation as an intra-curricular in regular curriculum. STEM-Robotics is usually implemented as an extracurricular program in many schools. In the 2019/2020 school year, Edu Global Senior High School Bandung implemented STEM-Robotics as an intra-curricular for the ten-grade science program. STEM-Robotic implementation as an intra-curricular based on the challenges of 21st-century learning that lead to innovative creative learning and skills development. The method in this study is descriptive qualitative research method through the observations, questionnaires, and interview with teacher teams. The results of this study show that, 1) The implementation of STEM-Robotic as an intra-curricular has a curriculum that focuses about robots NXT and Arduino to provide the basics of engineering and technological skills in robotics and coding, while the concepts of science and mathematics have not been directly linked in STEM-Robotic, 2) The implementation of STEM-Robotic dominated by hands-on and mind-on activities in the learning process and its assessment. 3) Generally, students responded positively to the implementation of STEM-Robotics as an intra-curricular that makes learning more interesting, useful, fun, challenging, and develop engineering and technology skills. This result indicates that STEM-Robotic is an alternative subject or learning strategy in regular curriculum to accommodate science learning with educational robotics.

Adult Education at Biological Field Stations: Building Capacity for Science Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 074171362110447
Author(s):  
Jill Zarestky ◽  
Lauren Vilen ◽  
Rachel A. Short ◽  
Rhonda Struminger ◽  
A. Michelle Lawing
Keyword(s):  
Science Learning ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Science Educators ◽  
Biological Field ◽  
Field Stations

An understanding of science concepts is important for living in modern society. Supporting adults’ science learning can be particularly challenging because most adults no longer attend formal educational institutions where access and opportunities are facilitated by teachers and school-sponsored programs. Biological field stations (BFSs) are a newly recognized educational venue that hold considerable intrinsic value for adult science education. In this study, we conducted a survey of 223 U.S. BFSs about their nonformal and informal educational outreach programs for adults. Results show BFSs offer a wide variety of science learning programs for adults, focused heavily on experiential learning to engage learners. These experiences promote interactions with the natural environment and are perceived to increase participants’ knowledge and skills. This study has implications for how adult educators can better support the professional development of science educators at BFSs and enrich the general public's science learning.

scholarly journals How STEM Academy Teachers Conceptualize and Implement STEM Education

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Teruni Lamberg ◽  
Nicole Trzynadlowski
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Teachers ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Teacher Interviews ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Subject Areas ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Reading Activities ◽  
Science Activities

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has been gaining increasing nationwide attention. While the STEM movement has ambitious goals for k-12 education, a lack of shared understanding exists of what STEM is as well as how to implement STEM in the elementary classroom. This study investigates how seven elementary teachers in three STEM academy schools conceptualize and implement STEM in their classrooms. Teacher interviews were conducted. The findings reveal that the majority of teachers believe that STEM education involves integrating STEM subject areas. STEM activities consisted of student-led research and reading activities on STEM topics. Two teachers described STEM as involving “hands-on” science activities. Teachers at each STEM academy school conceptualized and implemented STEM differently. How STEM was implemented at each school was based on how teachers interpreted STEM and the resources they had access to. The STEM coaches played a central role in supporting the elementary teachers to plan and implement lessons. Teachers relied on them for ideas to plan and teach STEM lessons. The results of this study indicate that as more schools embrace the STEM movement, a unified understanding and resources are needed to support teachers.

Multidisciplinary impact – the arts join informal STEM programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-94
Author(s):  
Betsy Tretola ◽  
Eloise Coupey ◽  
Laurie Meamber
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Hands On ◽  
School Programs ◽  
The Usa ◽  
And Mathematics

Purpose Middle school participants in the USA attending an on-campus university informal science program indicate an increase in interest toward careers and disciplines in STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the arts). Parents or guardians confirm the change. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Participants attended “inquiry-based” lectures by scientists and “hands-on” activities conducted by volunteers on campus at a public university over four months, four Saturdays. Participants completed surveys before each lecture and guardians completed surveys afterwards. Findings Interest increased significantly according to paired samples t-tests for each STEM discipline for students who reported low interest on the initial pre-lecture survey. There was a significant linear improvement in interests in engineering using a repeated measures general linear model. Guardians or parents reported that they observed a higher interest in STEM disciplines resulting in more technical-related interaction among peers and within the family. Social implications Findings support STEM with arts “out-of-school” programs sponsored by museums, corporations, government, higher education and others. Inclusion of the “hands-on” activities, some with arts content, to the science and technical learning appears to spark enthusiasm. Originality/value The value is multidisciplinary. The theory of reasoned action from social psychology, sociology, along with related research in science education and the arts are synthesized. Informal extracurricular experiences sustained and improved interests in the disciplines and careers on which the formal educational career pipeline can build.

Bringing the Background to the Foreground: What Do Classroom Environments That Support Authentic Discussions Look Like?

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xenia Hadjioannou
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Classroom Community ◽  
Fifth Grade ◽  
Classroom Environments ◽  
Student Beliefs ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Grade Classroom

Authentic discussions are dialogically oriented classroom interactions where participants present and consider multiple perspectives and often use others’ input in constructing their contributions. Despite their instructional effectiveness, authentic discussions are reportedly rare in classrooms. This qualitative case study examines the features of the environment of a fifth-grade classroom community where authentic discussions were frequent. The examination used recorded class sessions, interviews, and field notes to identify seven aspects of the classroom environment that appeared to be essential to the presence of authentic discussions: physical environment, curricular demands and enacted curriculum, teacher beliefs, student beliefs about discussions, relationships among members, classroom procedures, and norms of classroom participation.

Investigating bridge design

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-260
Author(s):  
Lukas J. Hefty
Keyword(s):  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Bridge Design ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
And Mathematics

Teachers making the transition to integrated, student-centered science instruction benefit from sharing resources, and this bridge design unit offers one example. The unit uses the engineering design process to give students time to develop critical thinking skills while helping teachers assess understanding of science and mathematics content. Each month, iSTEM (Integrating Science, Technology, and Engineering in Mathematics) authors share ideas and activities that stimulate student interest in integrated STEM fields in K–grade 6 classrooms.

scholarly journals And the Students Shall Lead Us: Putting Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Conversation With Universal Design for Learning in a Middle-School Spoken Word Poetry Unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick Coppola ◽  
Rebecca Woodard ◽  
Andrea Vaughan
Keyword(s):  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Classroom Community ◽  
Cultural Pluralism ◽  
Spoken Word ◽  
Spoken Word Poetry ◽  
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Grade Classroom

This case study explores how a research-practice partnership worked to cross-pollinate culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) over the course of a 9-week spoken word poetry unit in a seventh-grade classroom. The unit reflected CSP’s commitment to linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism (e.g., centering culture- and identity-focused writing) while also intentionally embedding principles of UDL (e.g., multiple means of representation, action, expression, and engagement). The analysis examines how and why some students in this classroom centered dis/ability in their poetry writing and how the design and implementation of the unit invited more complex understandings of cultures and identities. Findings suggest that CSP supported students in making their identities more visible in the classroom, while the integration of UDL principles eliminated barriers for participation. Both were integral in focal students’ engagements with aspects of their identities throughout the unit. Ultimately, the unit’s design facilitated the movement of the focal students from the periphery to more centripetal roles within the classroom community.

scholarly journals Scientific Performance and Mapping of the Term STEM in Education on the Web of Science

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco-Javier Hinojo-Lucena ◽  
Pablo Dúo-Terrón ◽  
Magdalena Ramos Navas-Parejo ◽  
Carmen Rodríguez-Jiménez ◽  
Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Scientific Performance ◽  
New Era ◽  
Word Analysis ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Women And Science ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Educational Field

Technological progress is causing terms such as “STEM”, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, to burst into the educational arena, marking a new era in the application of innovative and motivating teaching and learning processes. The objective of this research is to analyze the trajectory and the transcendence of the “STEM” concept in the educational field, having as reference the reported literature of Web of Science. The methodology applied in this research is based on bibliometrics, analyzing both the performance and the structural and dynamic development of the concept through a co-word analysis. The total number of documents analyzed is 4390. The results show that the scientific community mainly uses English and research papers to present their results. From 2015 onwards, the main lines of research are beginning to be established, which focus on “women” and “science”. It can be concluded that the term “STEM” in education is beginning to have a greater incidence and impact on the processes of teaching and learning, especially in the field of science, although there are currently discrepancies between men and women in its use.

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