Integrating Engineering Within Early STEM and STEAM Education

Abstract

Despite the ubiquity of engineering throughout our immediate environment and the wider world, early education has yet to capitalise fully on the learning opportunities within the discipline. It is of concern that young children’s capabilities for engaging in engineering experiences have been largely overlooked. It has often been said that young children are natural engineers, who are “primed for engineering thinking”, yet it is only in recent years that some much-needed attention has been given to implementing engineering learning in the kindergarten and primary school years. This chapter highlights some of the learning affordances of early engineering experiences and how they integrate meaningfully and naturally within early STEM and STEAM curricula. Engineering literacy is explored, including engineering habits of mind and engineering design processes. Ways in which engineering experiences can be incorporated within the early childhood years are also explored.