Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Curriculum Research Articles

Unleashing the potential: illuminating pedagogical strategies employed by early childhood educators in stem education for cultivating algorithmic thinking skills in young learners

ABSTRACT In the digital age, it's crucial to equip children with twenty-first-century skills, including programming and other competencies such as creativity, analytical thinking, and collaboration. This study introduces an integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum focused on computer science for educators. It explores the pedagogical strategies employed by early childhood teachers to enhance children’s algorithmic thinking skills. Descriptive analysis of videos depicting coding instruction in three cases revealed that teachers used question & answer and unplugged strategies to support algorithmic thinking. However, these practices primarily targeted lower-order thinking skills. Teachers employed algorithm design, reading and tracing code as programming-specific approaches. Additionally, worksheets with puzzles/grids and grid board games were commonly used as scaffolding materials in coding activities.

Exploring STEM Education for Real-World Climate Change Concerns to Empower Students as Change Agents

This article explores the application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum to real-world problems, with a focus on increasing the relevance and community involvement in climate change projects. Students are empowered to actively contribute to the resolution of problems in their communities when they are involved in community-based activities. This method encourages student involvement, critical thinking, and a sense of social responsibility. STEM projects must be aligned with suitable grade levels and selected major real-world problems to be successful and appropriate. Climate change was chosen as a real-world topic because of its urgency and far-reaching repercussions, which necessitate multidisciplinary approaches and innovative solutions. Students gain critical thinking skills, problem-solving ability, and a sense of environmental stewardship by immersing them in the subject of climate change. The article outlines a qualitative approach that involves literature review, group discussions, and educator observations to lay a solid theoretical foundation and ensure the strategy's success. The debate focuses on the significance of meaningful educational experiences, ways for preparing educators for community involvement, and the need to recognize and celebrate accomplishments. Students get a deeper knowledge of scientific principles while developing the skills and mindset to address global concerns as responsible global citizens by integrating STEM education, community involvement, and climate change.

Problem spaces in STEM inquiry: a case analysis of an integrated curriculum

ABSTRACT Many empirical studies about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curriculum present problems for students to solve. This paper draws upon the data collected from the enactment of an integrated STEM curriculum to discuss problems as constitutive of problem spaces where four Grade 5 Singapore students engage with the materialities and relationships to generate solutions from these spaces. The study seeks to address the nature of the problem spaces in STEM inquiry. Derived from the emergent coding of 12 hours of lesson videos, the findings illuminated that problem spaces emerged from familiar and dissimilar contexts in the curriculum. These problem spaces embodied epistemic infrastructures and epistemic emotions within which students exercised agency to collaborate productively and learn. Implications for STEM curriculum making that foregrounded epistemic considerations, rather than outcome-based learning, were discussed. This paper helps to further the field of curriculum studies in STEM education by contributing to the theorization of STEM curriculum by applying a process lens to deepen understanding of problems as problem spaces.

Personalized Design of Student Autonomy in STEM Curriculum

This paper explores the implementation of personalized design approaches to enhance student autonomy in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. The current state of STEM curriculum in China is examined, highlighting existing challenges in its implementation. The role of autonomy in learning is discussed, emphasizing its definition, importance, and its correlation with effective STEM learning. The paper then delves into personalized design approaches, including the customization of learning paths, integration of real-world applications, utilization of educational technology, and the adoption of project-based learning. Barriers to implementing personalized design are identified, encompassing teacher training, resource challenges, and cultural considerations. The advantages and implications of personalized design are discussed, focusing on improved student engagement, performance, and alignment with educational goals. The paper concludes by emphasizing the transformative potential of personalized design in STEM education.

Toward asset-based LatCrit pedagogies in STEM: centering Latine students’ strengths to reimagine STEM teaching and practice

Latine students continue to persist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields despite the numerous obstacles in place that stifle their academic potential and contributions. Instead of fostering the strengths Latine students possess that help them succeed despite these obstacles, the field of STEM education has traditionally examined these students’ experiences and challenges through a deficit lens. Deficit perspectives posit that any existing disparities in educational outcomes in STEM for Latine students are a product of the students’ lack of interest in STEM fields, poor academic preparation and/or motivation, among other ‘faults.’ In this manner, this deficit approach absolves educators, educational institutions, administrators, and researchers from any responsibility in mediating the disparate outcomes and negates the roles that outdated pedagogical practices, structural racism, discrimination and disciplinary bias have in limiting Latine students’ success in STEM. These deficit-understandings of these inequities are pervasive in all aspects of STEM education, guiding curricular choices, pedagogical approaches, assessment designs, interventions and even how STEM fields define knowledge and success. To counter these harmful constructions, this article discusses how STEM educators can draw on Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) and Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) epistemologies to foster learning ecologies that draw on Latine students’ cultural strengths rather than deficits. To this end, this article introduces LatCrit and CCW frameworks in the context of STEM education, and combines them to propose an asset-based LatCrit pedagogical approach to STEM curriculum design and teaching. It also contributes guiding questions and application examples STEM educators can reference to advance asset-based LatCrit pedagogical approaches that promote justice and equity within STEM classrooms and beyond. Contributing to this underdeveloped line of scholarship in the field of STEM, we apply these critical frames to help educators (re)imagine postsecondary STEM pedagogies and reforms around the wealth of skills, dispositions, and cultural practices that Latine students possess.

Structural Equation Model on Pro-Social Skills and Expectancy-Value of STEM Students

<p style="text-align:justify">The objective of the study was to develop a structural model that explores the relationship between Mathematics Performance and students’ self-regulated learning skills, grit, and expectancy-value towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The research collected survey data from 664 senior high school students from 17 STEM high schools, and conducted a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The results of the SEM analysis indicate that the Re-specified Self-Regulated Learning Skill – Expectancy-Value towards STEM – Grit – Mathematics Performance (Re-specified SRL-EV-GR-MP) model is the most parsimonious fit, offering the best empirical support for the theoretical model of the study. The research findings suggest that the mathematics performance of senior high school students in STEM curriculum is attributed to their high expectancies for success and perceived values of the STEM tasks, high grit, and high self-regulated learning skills. Moreover, the research also observed evidence of mediating and moderating grit effects in the concurrent effects of expectancy-values towards STEM and self-regulated learning skills towards students’ mathematics performance.</p>

Shaping science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum in Australian schools: An ecological systems analysis

Improving young people’s engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is being promoted worldwide as a means of addressing projected shortfalls in expertise needed to further nations’ economic, social and environmental goals. Responding to this, schools are reforming traditional discipline-based curricula into interdisciplinary approaches based on problem and project-based designs, to make STEM learning more relevant and meaningful for students. This study drew on a dataset of 449 Australian principal and teacher interviews, to identify factors influencing STEM curriculum in their schools. It utilised Ecological Systems Theory to build understanding relating to the influence of activities and outputs originating at macro, exo and meso system levels, on STEM curriculum and practices in classrooms. Results demonstrated how many innovative schools were able to successfully leverage community, business and national resources to enhance their STEM curriculum, while others struggled due to limitations imposed by geographic or socio-economic factors, or limited access to resources, expertise or advice. Central to achieving this was the powerful influence of principals’ and teachers’ proximal processes and developmental assets in establishing effective and engaging interdisciplinary STEM curricula, despite constraints imposed by, at best, ambiguous national and state curriculum and policies, rigid assessment regimes and compliance-focused reporting requirements.

Graduate Perspectives on the Delivery of the Senior High School – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program

Improving the implementation of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program in the Senior High School (SHS), curriculum evaluation is essential. It is a planned process of change that leads to effectiveness of program delivery and student’s learning experience. This qualitative descriptive research analyzed the graduate perspectives on the delivery of the STEM strand in a private university in the Philippines. Graduates (n=11) who obtained academic distinctions, and currently taking STEM-related courses in autonomous universities were purposively selected. The participants were interviewed using a validated pre-structured interview using Zoom/Google Meet platform. Recorded responses were individually transcribed and returned to participants for final edit and validation. All the participants enrolled in the STEM strand because they wanted to pursue STEM-related courses in college. The research found out that the implementation of the university STEM program has its strengths and weaknesses. It was revealed that the program provides a range of learning activities and experiences for students that hone their academic and character development. The program, however, needs to offer more opportunities to improve students’ practical skills through investing in laboratory facilities and equipment. To further improve the program, the study proposes a more specialized and skill-based approach in the delivery of the STEM curriculum

STEM practices in Science teacher education curriculum: Perspectives from two secondary school teachers’ colleges in Zimbabwe

This study assessed how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is integrated in Science Teacher Education curriculum in Zimbabwe. An exploratory mixed methods research design, within the post-positivist paradigm, was used to guide the collection and analysis of data. Data were sourced from 18 Science teacher educators and 108 final year Science student teachers pooled from two secondary school Teachers’ Colleges through a semi-structured questionnaire, follow-up interviews, focus groups and documents. From the findings, it was evident that although a lot was done to promote STEM literacy in the two colleges, integration of STEM education and practices into the science education curriculum was coincidental rather than planned. Participation in Science exhibitions at local and national level that was common and increased enrolment of teacher candidates in STEM subjects was viewed as major ways to promote the initiative in the Teachers’ Colleges. However, support that targeted a teacher education STEM curriculum and integration/liaison with Engineering and industry was largely found lacking, suggesting the need for practices such as field-trips, work visits and partnerships that foster closer collaboration between colleges, schools, professional scientists and industry.

How to Evaluate the STEM Curriculum in Spain?

There is a wide demand for professionals related to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field; nevertheless, the number of students is decreasing every day, and the presence of women is also scarce. Within the Spanish context, different programs are promoting measures for STEM skills’ development; however, they are neither collected nor evaluated under a common umbrella. For that reason, it seems appropriate to investigate the possibilities of carrying out a STEM certification, involving the management and teaching practice of secondary and high school education centers. The present work has developed an evaluation instrument based on the work by The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation from the North Carolina State University (USA). The model proposed looking at obtaining a high-quality STEM Center certification in the Spanish context, seeking to guarantee that the efforts made are systematically collected and evaluated in a common framework. This model includes an evaluation rubric with 5 dimensions and a series of indicators, classifying the centers in 4 levels of development. The aim is to provide a framework to establish, monitor and guide their STEM culture development with a global perspective, counting with the entire educational community, working on STEM skills in a transversal manner.

Effectiveness of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Programmes Offered in Kenyan Universities

The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs offered in Kenyan universities. The study sought to answer questions about the adequacy of STEM programmes training facilities, qualification of academic staff and competency of academic staff. The study also sought to assess the adequacy of STEM curriculum, and the level of achievement of STEM learning outcomes. The study adopted a census survey and targeted 66 lecturers, 59 laboratory technologists and 275 students from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and Technical University of Kenya which are technology-based universities in Kenya. Data was collected through three sets of questionnaires each for lecturers, laboratory technologists and students. Analysis of the data was done through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings were that there was lack of adequate facilities for training STEM programmes in the Kenyan universities and that the inadequacy varies from university to university with younger universities having the severest inadequacy. The study also found out that all the lecturers and Laboratory Technologists met the minimum requirements in terms of qualification and experience for their responsibilities and were competent. The STEM curriculum and practical sessions were either well or satisfactorily prepared and the graduates were adequately prepared. It was also found out that STEM learning outcomes were achieved by the time of graduation. From the research results, it can be concluded that although there were inadequacies in the STEM training facilities, these inadequacies did not significantly affect the overall effectiveness of the programs. Keywords: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Kenyan Universities DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-21-09 Publication date: July 31 st 2020

EUROPA: A Case Study for Teaching Sensors, Data Acquisition and Robotics via a ROS-Based Educational Robot.

Robots have become a popular educational tool in secondary education, introducing scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical concepts to students all around the globe. In this paper EUROPA, an extensible, open software and open hardware robotic platform is presented focusing on teaching physics, sensors, data acquisition and robotics. EUROPA’s software infrastructure is based οn Robot Operating System (ROS). It includes easy to use interfaces for robot control and interaction with users and thus can easily be incorporated in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and robotics classes. EUROPA was designed taking into account current trends in educational robotics. An overview of widespread robotic platforms is presented, documenting several critical parameters of interest such as their architecture, sensors, actuators and controllers, their approximate cost, etc. Finally, an introductory STEM curriculum developed for EUROPA and applied in a class of high school students is presented.

Data Science as a Foundation for Inclusive Learning

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields such as computer science and statistics have traditionally struggled to increase participation from underrepresented groups such as women and minorities. And while progress has been made in developing more inclusive classroom pedagogies and programs, rates of representation have remained low over the past 20 years. The emerging field of data science with its roots in both computer science and statistics faces the same challenges, but also presents a unique opportunity to build a more inclusive framework for the teaching of STEM. The widening application of data science methods to nearly every field imaginable in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities opens up avenues for engagement based on what students care about and the challenges they are most interested in tackling. Data science therefore provides an opportunity to build an inclusive STEM curriculum from the ground up that connects with multiple disciplines as well as the personal passions of students.Keywords: education, inclusive teaching, pedagogy, STEM, curriculum, statistics, computer science

Supporting STEM Curriculum Implementation with Professional Learning: The University of Sydney STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy

Based on the need for schools to improve students’ capabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to develop students’ 21st Century skills, school systems are implementing a range of STEM education initiatives. As there is no STEM curriculum in many countries, teachers are faced with designing new lessons and new subjects as well as developing new learning approaches. While secondary school teachers may have expertise in one of the STEM subjects, few have expertise in more than one so the need for professional learning support is critical to the success of such initiatives. A group of experts at the University of Sydney has developed one program that has produced positive outcomes for teachers and students. Members of the group from the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy work with school teams to help them identify a clear purpose for their STEM initiative, to design a program to address the purpose and to support them in implementing and evaluating the program with their students.

Moving Forward in STEM Education, Challenges and Innovations in Senior High School in the Philippines: The Case of Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College

This qualitative research focused on school experiences of 20 females and 14 males senior high school (SHS) students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC), the Philippines from Academic Year 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. This study aimed to identify both the positive and negative points on Senior High School (SHS)- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) track in terms of curriculum, instructional materials, laboratory equipment, faculty educational qualification, research output and courses to be taken in NIPSC of SHS-STEM students. Purposive sampling was used for the selection of the informants. Interview, focus group discussion, and observation were employed in the study. The students’ responses in the interview revealed teachers’ qualifications and their passion for enhancing SHS-STEM curriculum. Besides, the availability of facilities was a strong point of NIPSC as a model school in implementing STEM curriculum in the district. However, lack of time management for teachers to hold classes, limited science textbooks and classroom, and unavailability of the laboratory for hands-on activities need proper attention by concern authorities. Around 46% of SHS-STEM graduates take civil engineering at NIPSC because of the well-trained teachers, and the high rating in board examination. Also, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) allowed non-STEM to enroll in science-related courses, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) allowed them to apply for the scholarship program. However, the bridging program is a waste of time, effort, and money for both teachers and students. NIPSC as a model school in SHS-STEM track has to enhance facilities as well as the guidance office to correctly assist students in future endeavors and to take courses similar to their tracks and interests.

Scaffolding design thinking in online STEM preservice teacher training

AbstractDespite growing awareness of the importance of incorporating integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning into K‐12 education, formal classroom implementation still faces obstacles. Teachers lack the knowledge and skills, especially design‐thinking competence, required to design an interdisciplinary STEM curriculum. The goal of this study was to investigate different scaffolding modes that may influence the design‐thinking competence development of STEM teachers. Twenty‐four preservice teachers participated in this study, which was carried out in an online STEM preservice teacher training environment. The participants were assigned to six groups of two cohorts. Each group designed a STEM learning module. To support their online design meetings, the three groups from the static scaffolding cohort (SSC) received pre‐defined guiding questions, while the other three groups from the adaptive scaffolding cohort (ASC) received contingent scaffolding from a human tutor. The Log data on the participants’ conversations in the design meetings were collected and analysed using the epistemic network analysis (ENA) approach. The results revealed that the SSC and ASC had divergent design‐thinking development trajectories and established distinct design‐thinking patterns. Conversation analysis of the two cohorts confirmed the findings of the ENA analysis and provided evidence that the two scaffolding modes can help address challenges to collaborative STEM learning design and cultivate design‐thinking competence from different perspectives. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Integrated and interdisciplinary STEM curriculum should be incorporated into K‐12 education. Teachers lack the design‐thinking competence required to design an integrated and interdisciplinary STEM curriculum. What this paper adds Static scaffolding and adaptive scaffolding help STEM preservice teachers to develop process‐oriented and result‐oriented design‐thinking patterns, respectively. STEM preservice teachers present divergent design‐thinking development trajectories during collaborative STEM learning design under these two scaffolding modes. Implications for practice and/or policy Integrated STEM learning design should leverage the complexity in the design process and creativity in the design solutions. Different scaffolding modes can complement each other in support of design‐thinking competence development in collaborative STEM learning design practice.

“Can We Build the Wind Powered Car Again?” Students’ and Teachers’ Responses to a New Integrated STEM Curriculum


 
 
 Recently, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has become a focus in the Australian context, particularly since the release of government-initiated reports into Australia’s falling performance on international tests and fewer enrolments in senior school STEM subjects and university STEM degrees. Since student engagement in STEM subjects begins to decline in primary school (Kindergarten to grade 6 in Australia [5-12 years of age]), addressing engagement and achievement in the STEM subjects requires support for teachers to design curriculum that enthuses students and develops their understanding of the role of the STEM subjects in solving real-world problems. To that end, a year-long professional learning program was developed to assist small teams of teachers from each of 13 primary schools in designing integrated STEM curriculum approaches. To determine the impact of the program on teachers’ capacity to design integrated STEM curriculum and on students’ STEM attitudes and aspirations, data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. This paper presents a case study of one of the participating primary schools. From the 44 grade 3 students who completed both pre- and post-surveys, students’ attitudes and aspirations towards the STEM subjects showed significant positive shifts. Analyses of school documents and transcripts of interviews with four teachers and a group of four students from the school enabled.
 
 

Exploring Teachers’ Beliefs and Science Curricular Alignment: Cases of Senior High School Philippine STEM Teachers

This study determined the efficacy beliefs of completely enumerated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teachers in a government-owned school in Rizal Province, Philippines and their role in the alignment of the intended, enacted and received Grade 11 science curriculum during the AY 2017-2018. Descriptive case study (qualitative research design) utilizing both qualitative and quantitative strategies, thoroughly examined the STEM curriculum and the teacher participants’ teaching efficacy beliefs. Proper alignment of the intended and teacher efficacy beliefs-influenced enacted curriculum confirmed from the class interaction and students’ engagement, resulted to a high passing rate of students in their final examination and a high percentage of students who obtained passing grades (received curriculum). These high level of efficacy beliefs helped the teacher cases come up with a better enacted curriculum consistent with the intended curriculum, which stimulated the received curriculum. These results may inform STEM teacher-trainings and in-service programs curricular assessment and evaluation as well, for improved implementation of the curricular reform. Furthermore, identification of congruence and gaps within the intended, enacted and received curriculum can be done to analyze the current status of the curriculum. Significantly, results may improve enacting the new curriculum (K to 12) that may better highlight the spiral progression of content standards and learning competencies for each grade level and emphasize connections and inter-relations in STEM to better prepare our Generation Z learners for the new industrial era.

Hegemonic Language Practices in Engineering Design and Dual Language Education

With the goal of achieving bilingualism and biculturalism, dual language education (DL) has a social justice orientation. As the program option with the best track record of closing the achievement gap between Latinx and White students, DL programs can potentially create environments in which learners can develop knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in two languages. In this article, we present findings from a two-year ethnographic study of engineering design curriculum in a K-5 DL program on the U.S.-Mexico border. Our team researched the implementation of a hands-on, highly interactive, inquiry-based STEM curriculum because immigrant emergent bilinguals from border communities are sometimes excluded from these learning opportunities. During the first year of implementation, the STEM curriculum was not taught following DL goals. Essential principles of DL education, including the use of two languages for instruction and equal status for both languages, were not followed. Lack of familiarity with the STEM curriculum and emerging expertise of engineering design explained this decision partially. Due to a dearth of resources, training, and expertise in engineering and in inquiry-based learning, the implementation failed to meet its counterhegemonic potential. In fact, it may have reproduced hegemonic practices that marginalized emergent bilingual Latinx students.

Competency Maps: an Effective Model to Integrate Professional Competencies Across a STEM Curriculum

Curricula designed in the context of the European Higher Education Area need to be based on both domain-specific and professional competencies. Whereas universities have had extensive experience in developing students’ domain-specific competencies, fostering professional competencies poses a new challenge we need to face. This paper presents a model to globally develop professional competencies in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree program, and assesses the results of its implementation after 4 years. The model is based on the use of competency maps, in which each competency is defined in terms of competency units. Each competency unit is described by a set of expected learning outcomes at three domain levels. This model allows careful analysis, revision, and iteration for an effective integration of professional competencies in domain-specific subjects. A global competency map is also designed, including all the professional competency learning outcomes to be achieved throughout the degree. This map becomes a useful tool for curriculum designers and coordinators. The results were obtained from four sources: (1) students’ grades (classes graduated from 2013 to 2016, the first 4 years of the new Bachelor’s Degree in Informatics Engineering at the Barcelona School of Informatics); (2) students’ surveys (answered by students when they finished the degree); (3) the government employment survey, where former students evaluate their satisfaction of the received training in the light of their work experience; and (4) the Everis Foundation University-Enterprise Ranking, answered by over 2000 employers evaluating their satisfaction regarding their employees’ university training, where the Barcelona School of Informatics scores first in the national ranking. The results show that competency maps are a good tool for developing professional competencies in a STEM degree.