Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Education Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Gameplay of Different Sets of Players in an Engineering Mapping Game

Educators in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) field are constantly employing different tools to make the process of education streamlined and fun. The digital gaming platform also called e-gaming platform has evolved as one of the key tools to make STEM education more accessible to students. UNTANGLED III is such an e-gaming platform that is based on STEM concepts and aims to bring in players from all educational backgrounds under a common platform. The data obtained from the game gave us insights on how males and females play the game. It has answered whether there are any significant differences in the gameplay strategies between males and females. The data pertaining to the types of puzzles that players, from both genders, chose and played, was also obtained. Males and females had no stark differences in the strategies that they used in solving the puzzles. They used similar kinds of moves and in fact solved similar kinds of puzzles of similar difficulty levels. During their gameplay sessions, both the males and the females visualized similar patterns in the puzzles as evident in their final solution. The performance of players from both the genders, based on the gameplay data was at par. Suggestions obtained from the current players and outreach events hold the key to increasing the overall participation in the game.

The RoboSTE[M] Project: Using Robotics Learning in a STEM Education Model to Help Prospective Mathematics Teachers Promote Students’ 21st-CenturySkills

Teacher education institutions play a strategic role in preparing prospective mathematics teachers with 21st-century skills to teach mathematics in schools. This study aimed to explore how mathematics lectures employing robotics in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education approach can contribute to the preparation of prospective mathematics teachers with 21st-century skills to teach mathematics in schools. The research was conducted through a project called the RoboSTE[M] Project, in three stages: pre-development, development, and field experiment. The project was run to encourage prospective mathematics teachers to arrange mathematical activities for mathematics learning with a STEM education approach using robotics. The findings indicated that the model, lab and online modules developed and implemented in this project succeeded in supporting the ability of prospective mathematics teachers to design a mathematics learning environment with a STEM-influenced robotics approach that has the potential to support students’ 21st-century skills. This study has contributed to answer the problem regarding how to provide cross-curricular activities for STEM education by implementing STEM in an integrated manner in schools, including lack of training for teachers, which will translate STEM in the lesson plans. This research shows that teacher education programmes can provide adequate training for pre-service teachers in practising STEM education in mathematics classroom. This study fills in the gaps by focusing on designing a lecture model with a “STEM Robotics” approach for prospective mathematics teachers and their students and to explore its potential to promote prospective mathematics teachers’ 21st-century skills.

Problem-Based Learning Integration in Stem Education to Improve Environmental Literation

This study aims to see the integration of problem-based learning in STEM education can improve the environmental literacy of elementary education students. The research is qualitative and uses the literature study method. Searching journals from the Science Direct search engine, Science Education Journal, ERIC, Google search engine, and others with the keywords Problem-Based Learning, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), environmental literacy, scientific literacy resulted in 3,298 journals. Derived from Sciencedirect 2016 journals, ERIC 873 journals, Indonesian Science Education Journal 49 journals. Through the above process, 8 journals were obtained. The appropriate journal was then analyzed and extracted. Journals that mostly show the STEM integrated Problem Based Learning learning method as one of the learning methods which is expected to be able to increase the literacy of students. This achievement is determining environmental problems, initiating ideas, mastering environmental problems, controlling environmental problems, creating products as a form of overcoming environmental problems and testing these products. This is because environment-based learning is effective in improving the attitudes and knowledge of students. Based on the results of the literature review, it can show that the application of STEM education that is integrated with the PBL learning model can improve environmental literacy in basic education students.

Mathematics Teachers’ Practices of STEM Education: A Systematic Literature Review

<p style="text-align:justify">Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is regarded as one of the formulas to embracing many of our imminent challenges. STEM education benefits the learners by encouraging interest in STEM disciplines. This daunting task needs everyone’s concerted efforts in creating and innovating mathematics teachers’ classroom practices Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to identify best practices for STEM education following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) by Moher et al. (2015). The reviewed articles were published from 2016 to 2020 and accessed using the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. Three themes for best practices were identified namely (a) core competencies encompassing 21st-century teaching skills; (b) instructional designs; and (c) requisite STEM execution. Results of PRISMA determined the dominant STEM practices were critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, research-based pedagogy, problem-based learning and project-based learning, technological integration, accessibility, professional development and learning support, evidence of effectiveness, access to materials and practitioner support, and scalability. Mathematics teachers should determine the best STEM practices to employ even though there is a lack of studies on integrated STEM domains. When more students are interested in venturing and exploring into the field of STEM, the high demand for STEM related careers could be met by the younger generation.</p>

Development and validation of the STEM Teaching Self-efficacy Scale (STSS) for early childhood teachers.

The preparation of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers for early childhood education (ECE) has clearly become an important issue in recent years. Teacher efficacy can lead to changes in professional beliefs toward and teaching practices in STEM. In this study, we developed the STEM Teaching Self-efficacy Scale (STSS) and validated it in a sample of 225 pre-service and 193 in-service early childhood teachers in Zhejiang, China. Results indicated preliminary evidence of reliability and validity of the two factors of STSS: Pedagogy Self-efficacy and Content Self-efficacy. Items were constructed based on literature and selected through factor analysis to cover the scope of self-efficacy on the behaviors of STEM teaching and ensure the content and construct validity of the scale. Scores on the STSS subscales were positively correlated with early childhood teachers’ working status, age, occupational commitment, and interest in ECE, showing evidence of its criterion validity. The STSS provides a professionally and psychologically meaningful tool for evaluating early childhood teachers’ efficacy beliefs about teaching STEM, which would help obtain evidence for the optimal design of STEM teacher training programs.

STEM vs. STEAM Education and Student Creativity: A Systematic Literature Review

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is an educational approach that is now accompanied by the STEAM (STEM + Arts) variant. Both educational approaches seek to renew the scientific literacy of younger generations, and, with the inclusion of the arts, student creativity is described as a key skill that must receive special attention. A review is therefore presented here of empirical STEM and STEAM-based educational interventions so as to determine their potential to develop student creativity. A systematic search of papers over one decade, 2010–2020, found 14 didactic interventions on the Web of Science and Scopus databases for analysis within the review process. The analysis suggested that: (1) the interventions based both on STEM and STEAM have multiple and even contradictory forms, both in theory and in practice; (2) there appears to be a preference among researchers for the Likert-type test to evaluate creativity; and (3) both educational approaches show evidence of positive effects on student creativity. In the light of the principal findings, it was concluded that arguing for the implementation of STEAM education over STEM education, with a view to developing or promoting student creativity, is not in agreement with the evidence from the empirical studies.

Identifying factors that affected student enrolment in Additional Mathematics for urban areas of Kuantan district

The skilful and qualified Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforces are expected to be in high demand in the 21st digital economy. In Malaysia public education system, the principal key to STEM education is Additional Mathematics. However, the statistics depicted that the number of upper secondary students enrolled in Additional Mathematics have been severely delineated. Furthermore, the prerequisite to enrol in STEM and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses in tertiary education is achieving a minimum grade C for Additional Mathematics. Therefore, the principal objective of this article is to identify the significant factors that affected the upper secondary students enrolled in Additional Mathematics using Pearson’s chi-square test without Yates continuity correction and unadjusted odds ratio (OR). A validated questionnaire comprised nine potential factors that affected enrolment in additional mathematics was distributed to 389 Form Four students’ cohort 2020 from four selected urban government schools to pursue this objective. Based on the finding of this article, several initiatives might be taken by the policymakers, such as the teachers may enhancing and throughout the broad of STEM and TVET careers in the 21st digital economy era, while the students’ parents can participate in schools in building the communicating and coordinating mechanism. Consequently, the number of upper secondary enrolled in STEM education might be increased to pipeline the future STEM and TVET human capitals in sustaining and stabilising the national economy in the digital era.

TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION AND CAREER IN THE EARTH OBSERVATION AND GI SECTOR

Abstract. Gender inequality is omnipresent in our society and in the field of education and training, the gender gap is especially evident in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines. While different studies have been conducted about potential reasons explaining this gap, little is known about gender inequality and underlying factors in the Earth Observation and Geoinformatics (EO*GI) domain. To close some parts of this knowledge gap, the initiative Women in Copernicus was established with the overall goal to make women working in the EO*GI field and especially in the Copernicus ecosystem more visible. This paper analyses the results of a survey of 462 women identifying reasons for not choosing STEM education and the barriers related to educational choices in their career path. The main obstacles that hinder choosing a STEM education for these women are stereotypes in society, missing female role models but also culture, television and society message transmitted by the media. The lack of self-confidence is an essential factor in this choice and is also experienced as a barrier during individual career paths. This analysis provides insights valuable for political decisions making targeting at a gender-balanced work environment and emphasizes the importance of attracting more girls and young women towards a STEM education and supporting them during their career to reach skills and occupational equality and strengthen the economic development of the EO*GI sector.

Follow-The-Money: Policy-Level Engagements for Girl Child STEM Education in Northern Nigeria

In Nigeria in the 1950s, a person with a liberal arts education was considered a truly educated person. The liberal arts education was for personal development and deployment in the administrative services and teaching but had little commercial scientific application. Admittedly, this era of generalists is dying, giving way for a new paradigm. The new paradigm is the knowledge economy. Now, to be an effective player in the knowledge economy, an individual needs specialised knowledge and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is the building block. In Northern Nigeria, there is a problem - STEM is still generally seen as courses for the men while the women are encouraged by their parents to pursue careers in the liberal arts when they did not drop out. The resultant effect is a reinforcement of gender inequality and economic disparities which negates the spirit of Sustainable Development Goals. Disturbed by the trend, Connected Development with support from development partners, is using her innovative Follow-The-Money project to pilot grassroots-based advocacy aimed against STEM-inclined stereotypes and out-of-school syndrome - which disproportionately affects the girl child. The campaign methodology involves surveying and profiling dilapidated schools in rural communities and peri-urban areas in Northern Nigeria and conveying findings to political authorities and policymakers for intervention. While political accountability must be extracted from authorities, we engage social/informal institutions to build up interest for girl child education. Follow The Money is challenging stereotypes, social norms and cultural practices impeding the uptake of STEM education and also strengthening informal structures to demand political accountability. Through high-level engagements, results show unprecedented reconstruction and rehabilitation of dilapidated schools and enrolments are soaring. Undoubtedly, the proportion of girls taking up interests in STEM has improved remarkably. Follow-The-Money is now scaling-up across the 36 states in Nigeria.

STEM Pathways of Rural and Small-Town Students: Opportunities to Learn, Aspirations, Preparation, and College Enrollment

Using the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this study documents that rural and small-town students were significantly less likely to enroll in postsecondary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree programs, compared with their suburban peers. This study also shows that schools attended by rural and small-town students offered limited access to advanced coursework and extracurricular programs in STEM and had lower STEM teaching capacity. Those opportunities to learn in STEM were linked to the widening geographic gaps in STEM academic preparation. Overall, our findings suggest that during high school rural and small-town students shifted away from STEM fields and that geographic disparities in postsecondary STEM participation were largely explained by students’ demographics and precollege STEM career aspirations and academic preparation.

PERANAN KESUKARELAWANAN STEM TERHADAP MODUL iV-STEM MENERUSI PEMBENTUKAN KEMAHIRAN STEM ATAS TALIAN

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic that is sweeping the world today, volunteering continues to be an important agenda in the country's development mission. The participation of the community, especially the younger generation in volunteer activities is very important in creating an empathetic community. Therefore, to produce a national group that has a clear and far-sighted goal, it is very appropriate if the youths can continue to engage in volunteer activities. Nowadays, volunteering in the field of STEM education is very rare we hear, especially its implementation among university students. Not only that, according to the Ministry of Education Malaysia, the number of students taking Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is decreasing every year. Lack of interest and exposure about the enjoyment of learning STEM subjects is a major factor in the lack of student's number in the STEM stream. Thus, this study aims to propose create a team of STEM Volunteers known as iV-STEM@Volunteers STEM, produce an online STEM module that is the iV-STEM capsule module and apply it to among of primary school students. Descriptive statistical methods were used to evaluate the program through organized feedback. A closer approach is implemented through the online STEM program and several competitions to test the level of STEM mastery of students are organized. Each online STEM program organized makes full use of the iV-STEM capsule module developed using STEM elements. Analysis from the study shows that the efforts of the group iV-STEM@Volunteers STEM have a positive impact in efforts to strengthen STEM education until the enrollment of STEM field enrollment reaches 60% by i2023.

Factors that Influence High School Female Students’ Intentions to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Malaysia

Despite the increase in the number of female students in education indicating a reversal in the gender gap, their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Malaysia is still a matter of concern. This study extends empirical explanations for this gender gap and identifies factors influencing high school students’ intentions to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Malaysia. The present study aims to develop a framework of female intention to pursue STEM education by examining the impact of five independent variables on STEM self-efficacy and in turn the impact of self-efficacy on intention. The independent variables include attitude towards STEM, self-concept, gender stereotype, motivation, and teacher stereotypes. The study also examines the independent and moderating impact of career outcome expectancy on the relationship between self-efficacy and intention. Data was collected from 211 secondary school female students in Forms 4 and 5, studying at eight secondary schools in two states in Malaysia. The data was analyzed using SmartPLS. The results of the study show that attitude, motivation, and career outcome expectancy are positive and are significant predictors of STEM self-efficacy, whereas gender and teacher stereotypes are the negative predictors. The results of the study also highlight that self-efficacy is a strong predictor of intention to pursue STEM education. These findings of the study would assist policymakers to develop suitable strategies to improve female participation in STEM education in Malaysia.

Investigating Perceptions and Skills of Gifted Students in STEM Education

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) provides a noteworthy conceptual lens for many countries when it comes to labor recruitment. For many countries, providing opportunities for gifted students at school and quality STEM education should be included. A limited number of qualitative study has focused in-depth on the skills and perceptions of gifted students in STEM education. Therefore, this article aims to explore gifted students' perceptions and skills by applying STEM education. The study was conducted with 17 middle school gifted students. It includes data collection, a series of interviews, student diaries focusing on the STEM experiences of gifted children, and a self-assessment form that allows students to evaluate themselves in activities. As a result, it was concluded that STEM education practices are important in discovering the perceptions and skills of gifted students, and that students improve their scientific inquiry, argumentation, technological inquiry, and creative thinking skills, and enable career choice to them. In addition, it seems that STEM activities need more work with gifted students.

Online Formative Assessment in Higher STEM Education; A Systematic Literature Review

Online formative assessment in higher education Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is gaining attention in recent years based on the increasing use of online learning. This study, aimed at critically reviewing studies on online formative assessment in Higher education STEM between 2011 to 2020. The study adopted a qualitative research design to analyze studies based on specific themes. 1402 articles were systematically searched through Scopus, web of science, and google scholar databases. However, only 12 studies were included in this study after satisfying the inclusion criteria. All data analyses were done using the Endnote X9 reference manager. The findings reveal that, evidence about online tools used, theories used in the learning and assessment process, the domain of learning outcome assessed, assessment of practical skills, and form of assessment used have been implicitly described. However, the online formative assessments have shown great potential of yielding immediate feedback. Therefore, future studies can engage in a more extensive study on areas such as online assessment tools for assessing practical skills and strategies that can enhance the effectiveness of online formative assessment which encompasses all domains of learning outcome within STEM higher education.

Considering Young People’s Dislocation From STEM Education: Looking Beyond the Narrow Focus of Teaching and Learning Practice Within School

Rural, regional and remote (RRR) communities and industries in Australia cannot currently produce or attract the workforce needed to survive, making skills and qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) increasingly important. Yet student engagement in STEM education in RRR schools remains low, with limited numbers of young people either moving into further STEM education post-secondary, or accessing readily available STEM-related jobs in RRR areas. Currently many rural children and young people are not exposed to, nor recognize the diverse ways in which STEM knowledge is required and used in their world. We propose that if young people are to increasingly engage with STEM and continue onto STEM-related careers, they must be able to see connections between their “school” learning of STEM and the STEM knowledge that is enacted in rural work and life. We also suggest that for this to change, there should be increased visibility of “place-based” knowledges, including Aboriginal STEM knowledges, in RRR communities to promote enhanced student engagement with STEM. In this paper we explore these ideas by drawing on Foucault and Bourdieu understandings to develop a methodological framework – thePlace-based STEM- alignment Frameworkfor the purposes of exposing alternate STEM knowledges. We argue that the nuanced and critical methodological approach applied in the development of thePlace-based STEM-alignment Framework, is necessary in order to generate this analytical tool and provide data that will allow us the scope to “reset” current understandings of STEM knowledges. The framework design provides us with the methodological vehicle to identify possible reasons for the invisibility of STEM knowledge and practices in the local fabric of RRR communities and to examine enablers and/or barriers to engagement in STEM learning. The framework must be a practical tool for use in the field, one that can be used in RRR communities to engage, children and young people, in STEM, in a way that is meaningful and that aligns with their everyday experience of RRR life. Finally, the framework has to work to enable alternative perspectives to be exposed that will advance methodological considerations of STEM.

Biological Field Stations Promote Science Literacy through Outreach

Abstract Biological field stations (BFSs) are well positioned through their informal STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programs to improve levels of science literacy and support environmental sustainability. A survey of 223 US BFSs revealed that their outreach programs strive to promote conservation and environmental stewardship in addition to disseminating place-based knowledge and/or skills. In this article, we unpack the educational approaches that BFSs use to engage learners, the aspects of science literacy most often addressed, and the perceived learning outcomes. Most notably, the BFSs reported that their participants develop an interest in and excitement for science, increase or change their knowledge of program topics, identify more with the scientific enterprise, and engage in scientific practices. The results indicate opportunities for BFSs to conduct more rigorous assessments of participant learning and program impact. By focusing on learner engagement, science learning, and participant outcomes, BFSs and other place-based informal education venues can expand their efforts and better support conservation and science learning.

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.

Teaching and Assessment Methods: STEM Teachers’ Perceptions and Implementation

This study explores Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers’ perceptions of teaching and assessment methods. We investigated 125 STEM subject coordinators and teachers using interviews and questionnaires. We examined the most commonly implemented teaching and assessment methods, and the reasons teachers chose them. Then, we compared teachers from different school levels, subjects, teaching experience and cultural backgrounds. The teaching methods implemented the most were lectures and presentations, followed by class discussions and collaborative classwork. The most implemented assessment method was tests with open- and closed-ended questions, followed by project portfolios and experiment reports. Subject coordinators preferred methods that integrate formative assessment more than teachers. The study contributes to a better understanding of the teaching and assessment methods implemented in schools and the gap between recommendations and actual implementation. Conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this research sets a baseline for similar future post-COVID research.

Assessing the problem-solving skills among foundation level students: A STEM case study

The level of unemployment among fresh graduates in Malaysia is worrying with one in five graduates still jobless after six months of graduation. One of the reasons for this scenario as claimed by employers is the poor quality of graduates with regards to attitude and skills. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education could help students by developing their problem-solving skills. The STEM module will encourage critical thinking skills, which is essential in troubleshooting a complicated scenario. This case study assessed the initial level of this vital skill at the beginning of the university study pipeline: the foundation-level. Four groups of students from different foundation programs in Universiti Selangor were selected for the assessment. It was revealed that 70 % students had the drive to work smartly until the problems were resolved. The rest of the students (30 %) responded that they will seek external sources to solve the problem if the problems were challenging to them. It was fascinating to note that 100 % students were committed to not quit until the problem was sorted out based on their responses. Completing STEM activities therefore, had enhanced the students’ creativity, increased their confidence level and improved their team work.

Awareness of environmental and energy issue in Indonesia K-12 education system

Indonesia is one of the countries that have a strong commitment to reducing greenhouse gases. The transition to the next-generation also plays a significant role in order to ensure the continuation of the world issue, reducing greenhouse gases, and using renewable energy resources. The author does a survey limited to three schools in Medan to understand how far the students in these schools have been taught about the implementation of environmentally friendly energy resources. From the samples taken, only 13% of these students apply technology and prototyping in the energy field. About 87% of these students claimed that they never apply technology and prototyping in the energy field. The result is then tested through hypothesis testing, and within a 10% significant level, there is enough evidence to say that the students are not being exposed to the implementation of these topics optimally. From the same group of samples, the author then offers two courses that cover the application of technology and programming in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. For technology and prototyping purposes, a micro bit is used. While for programming, python is used. After the class ends, another survey was carried out, and 80% of these students claimed that those classes give them insight into the application of STEM in real life and motivate them to be a young scientist. Students who claimed have learned these during school lessons are going through the topics by themselves because the schools required them to run a science fair. This study implied that our education department should pay more attention and should include environmental and renewable energy as one of the compulsory lessons at schools.