scholarly journals An early grade science, technology, engineering and mathematics dialogue reading programme: The development of a conceptual framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanrie S. Bezuidenhout

Background: The South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) aims to expand science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning in the national curriculum through a Digital Skills for All Curriculum (DSfAC) for Grade R – 9. The DSfAC intends to educate a STEM-literate future citizenry with refined computational thinking (CT), and coding and robotics skills. As with all learning, foundations are ideally laid when children are young and when they form habits of thinking that can ultimately serve as their first building blocks for successful learning. Current theoretical frameworks describe how teachers can include CT, coding and other STEM related constructs in their teaching. In the curriculum plan, a conceptual framework that underpins the design of teaching materials to support STEM literacy teaching, has, however, not yet been forwarded.Aim: Presenting a conceptual framework that has served as the design heuristic for a dialogue reading programme (DRP) for young children. The programme consists of three picture books, created to develop young children’s digital skills and related vocabulary as outlined in the DSfAC through story texts and pictures.Method: I implemented an iterative participatory approach to develop the conceptual framework.Conclusion: The development of teaching materials, like a DRP, should have its genesis in a confluence of three interdisciplinary components to develop a conceptual framework: (1) scientific research and theories; (2) an iterative participatory approach which involves teachers, parents, children, and other role players in the development process; and (3) systematic utilisation of existing examples of relevant teaching materials.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Khurnia Budi Utami

This research begins with observations in schools that the learning process of mathematics has not fully achieved the learning objectives. Students 'interest in learning mathematics is still lacking and students' self-efficacy is still low. During the learning process, unsuitable teaching materials are used to solve these problems. From the existing problems, we need a new breakthrough that requires teachers to create appropriate teaching materials and be able to increase the self-efficacy of students. One of the breakthroughs referred to is by creating teaching materials in the form of Student Worksheets (LKPD) with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning model. This study aims to develop teaching materials in the form of LKPD using the STEM learning model to improve students' self-efficacy.This research is a development research that uses a 4-D development model which consists of 4 stages, namely 1) define, 2) design, 3) development (development) and 4) disseminate (deployment). LKPD developed and validated by several experts. Furthermore, it was tried out to see the practicality and effectiveness of LKPD in class XI Clothing 3 at SMKN 6 Padang. Practicality is seen through the results of the student and teacher response questionnaire analysis. Effectiveness is seen through the results of the final analysis of the student self-efficacy questionnaire.The results of the validation of LKPD by experts found that LKPD with the STEM learning model was categorized as valid. The results of using LKPD by teachers are obtained by practical LKPD, while the use of LKPD by students is obtained by LKPD which are very practical. The effectiveness of LKPD is seen from the results of the final analysis of the student self-efficacy questionnaire, the results of the study show that LKPD with STEM learning models can increase student self-efficacy. Thus, it can be concluded that the LKPD with the STEM learning model developed is valid, practical, and effective.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-243
Author(s):  
Ivelina Velcheva ◽  
◽  
Kosta Garov ◽  

The following work is devoted to the description of an innovative approach to kindergarten learning through the application of the methods of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, better known as STEM learning. The aim of the work is to increase popularity of the approach and stimulate teachers to implement it more often in the learning process. STEM increases children’s knowledge and skills, thanks to the interdisciplinarity, research approach, learning by playing, learning by doing, project-based and problem-based learning and the opportunity for touching to real-life situations. This paper addresses the main principles of STEM and the possibilities for realization different STEM situations, based on the kindergarten curriculum. Different digital tools are described, like programmable toys and devices and LEGO constructors. Various ideas for conducting experiments are presented, too. They are useful for increasing children’s motivation and interest in the approach. An example version of a plan for work on a STEM project is proposed, which includes the steps for its implementation and which is adapted to the expected learning results in the kindergarten.


Author(s):  
Jeffry L. White ◽  
G.H. Massiha

<p>Women make up 47% of the total U.S. workforce, but are less represented in engineering, computer sciences, and the physical sciences. In addition, race and ethnicity are salient factors and minority women comprise fewer than 1 in 10 scientist or engineer. In this paper, a review of the literature is under taken that explores the many challenges women encounter when pursing a career in the sciences. It includes a review of the national landscape and discussion of the guiding general retention theories. Finally it proposes a conceptual framework for persistence and proffers a number of research questions designed to delve deeper into the under representation phenomenon.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. ar61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharotka M. Simon ◽  
Helen Meldrum ◽  
Eric Ndung’u ◽  
Fred D. Ledley

The majority of students who enroll in undergraduate biology courses will eventually be employed in non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) business occupations. This work explores how representations of industry in undergraduate biology textbooks could impact STEM learning for these students and their ability to apply this learning in their chosen work. We used text analysis to identify passages with references to industry in 29 textbooks. Each passage was categorized for relevance to health or environment, for implied positive or negative connotations, and for descriptions of synergy or conflict between science and industry. We found few passages describing applications of STEM learning in non-STEM business occupations and a paucity of content to support context-based learning for students aiming at business careers. A significant number of passages embodied negative connotations regarding industry. Notable passages highlighted irregular or fraudulent business practices or included simplistic caricatures of business practice. We discuss how the representation of industry in these textbooks may impact student engagement, context-based learning, the ability of students to critically apply STEM learning in industry or business occupations, and heuristics that guide intuitive perceptions about the intersection between science and industry.


2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuchi Grover ◽  
Roy Pea

Jeannette Wing’s influential article on computational thinking 6 years ago argued for adding this new competency to every child’s analytical ability as a vital ingredient of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. What is computational thinking? Why did this article resonate with so many and serve as a rallying cry for educators, education researchers, and policy makers? How have they interpreted Wing’s definition, and what advances have been made since Wing’s article was published? This article frames the current state of discourse on computational thinking in K–12 education by examining mostly recently published academic literature that uses Wing’s article as a springboard, identifies gaps in research, and articulates priorities for future inquiries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Falk ◽  
David D. Meier

For generations educators have been supporting children and youth’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning through informal education programming. Such programming includes a wide variety of outdoor education programs, camp programs, and increasingly targeted STEM programs run afterschool, on weekends, and over the summer months. However, despite the positive impacts these programs have, few would argue that these programs could not be improved or be designed to better meet the needs of a broader and more diverse population of learners. Arguably, one major flaw in how most educators have approached the design and improvement of these programs—a flaw that permeates almost all informal STEM education efforts–is that either explicitly or implicitly, the focus of educators has been exclusively on what happens during the program itself. Superficially this seems reasonable. After all, the time children/youth are within the temporal and physical boundaries of the program, class, or museum is the time when educators have maximal control over events. However, given what is known about how people learn (National Academies of Sciences, 2018), we argue that this long-standing approach needs to be reconsidered.


Author(s):  
Hardani Hardani

STEM is a learning approach that integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the problem-solving based activities. The integration of the four scientific disciplines in STEM project activities uses the Engineering Design Process (EDP) stage. This stage is a cycle in the form of repeated steps and might change until a problem-solving solution is identified. The difference of elementary school students’ characteristics and stages of cognitive development as well as the absences of a specific STEM curriculum causes teachers who are new to STEM find it difficult in implementing the existing model. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the stages of the STEM learning model in accordance with the characteristics of teachers and students. This stage was developed with the aim of making STEM easier to apply and easily connecting problems with product development from the STEM project. The variation of the STEM learning model developed includes the stages: create, identify, ideate, plan, build, and communicate. The STEM Learning Model design developed will make it easier for teachers to implement STEM in classroom learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 360-372
Author(s):  
Yovi Imeysa ◽  
Farida Farida ◽  
Suherman Suherman ◽  
Tia Agnesa

This study aimed to determine the effect of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning approach on the ability to understand mathematical concepts in terms of students' Al-Qur'an literacy. This research is a Quasy Experimental Design research with a 2×3 factorial research design. The data collection techniques in this study were in the form of a concept understanding test and an Al-Qur'an literacy questionnaire. The data analysis technique used is the normality test and homogeneity test, and the Two-way ANOVA test. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that there was an effect of the STEM learning approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) on the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts in the material of Building Flat Side Space. There is no influence of Al-Qur'an literacy on the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts in the material of Constructing Flat Sided Space. There is no interaction between the treatment of the STEM learning approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with the Al-Qur'an literacy category on the ability to understand mathematical concepts in the matter of Constructing Flat Sided Space.


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