STEM Education Research Articles

STEM-It-Yourself: Increasing Participation of Girls and Minorities in STEM

Have you ever wondered why, when browsing the internet looking for scientists, technologists, engineers, or mathematicians, most of the results show men? Or have you ever wondered if there was someone out there who might look like you doing work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Our research aimed to better understand why STEM fields are not diverse in gender or race, and to empower the next generation of STEM leaders through a project called STEM-It-Yourself (SIY). Through SIY, we introduced middle school girls to women in STEM who are representative of the girls’ races. By hearing about the STEM journeys of the presenters, who were women, and Black, Indigenous, and people of Color (BIPOC), the girls participating in SIY could cultivate STEM identities, which could motivate them to stay in STEM and help diversify the STEM workforce.

Concept of flexible no-code automation for complex sample preparation procedures

Driven by demographic changes and dwindling Science Technology Engineering Mathematics enrolments, our research introduces no-code automation as a strategic response, aimed at mitigating labor shortages while enhancing productivity and safety in the laboratory environment. Employing a user-friendly, no-code software platform, we automated a complex HPTLC assay, enabling laboratory personnel to configure and modify workflows without requiring specialized programming skills. The manuscript outlines the deployment of a collaborative robot (cobot), a programmable logic controller (PLC), and the utilization of self-developed open-source hardware components to establish automated stations for sample handling, incubation, spraying, detection, and storage within the assay process. The research addresses challenges such as the handling of fragile HPTLC plates and the seamless integration of automated stations, solved through innovative design solutions and adaptive programming methods. This investigation demonstrates the feasibility and efficiency of no-code automation in overcoming skilled labor deficits.

Developing Skills and Attitudes for Preparation Future Workforce: STEM Education Strategies

This paper investigates the methodologies teachers could integrate into the STEM lessons of general secondary education to develop the skills and attitudes required in the workplace as a fundamental component of career readiness development. The conclusions about good practices in teaching STEM are provided by: a) participatory observation for six months in a sample of 27 students aged 16 years old of Evangeliki Model High School of Smyrna in Greece and b) simultaneous integrated design of the mixed methodological approach based on (i) descriptive statistical analysis of students’ skills scores and (ii) qualitative analysis of the data justifying how the learning activities implemented contributed to these scores.

The mediating role of creative problem solving between design thinking and self-efficacy in STEM teaching for STEM teacher candidates

The mediating role of creative problem solving between design thinking and self-efficacy in STEM teaching for STEM teacher candidates

Promoting STEM Teacher Candidates’ Views and Understandings of Differentiated Instruction

To promote inclusive practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms, this research explores teacher candidates’ (TCs’) views and understandings of differentiated instruction (DI). The article addresses the following research questions: (1) What are intermediate-senior STEM TCs’ initial views and understandings of DI? (2) What is the impact of a curriculum and pedagogy course enriched with DI practices, on TCs’ views and understandings of DI? The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, in which data sources include pre–post surveys and semistructured interviews. Participants are 19 TCs enrolled in the teacher education program at a Canadian university. Findings suggest that the course resulted in a notable improvement in TCs’ DI views and a deeper understanding of DI strategies. The article highlights the importance of contextualizing practical applications of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles in teacher education courses.

Advocates for STEM education: Developing advocacy identity in STEM teacher leadership

AbstractScience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher advocacy is a particular skillset within STEM teacher leadership, but little is known about how STEM teacher leaders develop their identity as advocates for STEM education. To glean a more nuanced and deeper understanding of developing advocate identity among STEM teacher leaders, we conducted a duoethnographic study to critically reflect on our lived experiences as STEM teacher leaders engaged in advocacy. Drawing upon identity theory to frame our study, we co‐developed and individually responded to a set of questions and prompts that critically interrogated our experiences, leading toward identifying as advocates for STEM education. Multiple subsequent critical discussions about our responses led to a recorded dialogic conversation, which acted as our site of research. Emergent themes from duoethnographic analysis revealed having increased awareness of STEM education policies and their impacts, recognizing injustices affecting marginalized communities, and acknowledging systemic barriers preventing community voices in policymaking helped to strengthen our advocacy identities. The dialogue also emphasized the importance of reaching out to communities to understand needs when developing policy recommendations. We conclude the study by making recommendations to support STEM teacher leaders interested in engaging in advocacy at the individual classroom, school, and district levels.

The impact of the university social responsibility on LGBTIQ+ inclusion and gender segregation in STEM fields

The impact of the university social responsibility on LGBTIQ+ inclusion and gender segregation in STEM fields

Active Learning Pedagogies in High School and Undergraduate STEM Education

Active learning (AL) typically involves (1) students applying knowledge and higher-order thinking (2) individually and in groups to (3) problems, cases, scenarios, or questions while (4) reflecting on their learning [...]

Outreach as Research Activism: Using STEM Outreach as a bridge to Social Change

The STEM Explorers outreach project, headed by a Faculty of Education at a University in Ontario, Canada, brings free, hands-on, and in-community science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach events to children and their families from groups under-represented in STEM education and careers. The project provides pre-service teachers with experience facilitating inclusive approaches to STEM education and also creates a context to explore their conceptions of activism. The purpose of this phenomenographic research is to describe the experiences of these aspiring teachers to better understand the ways that outreach initiatives can impact their role as STEM education activists. Findings suggest that a positive STEM educator identity, a program of integrated and student-centered STEM learning, and possessing an activist sense of purpose, contribute to the degree to which pre-service teachers regard themselves as STEM education activists.

Assessing Teacher Acceptance of Augmented Reality Games for Stem Education

Assessing Teacher Acceptance of Augmented Reality Games for Stem Education

PULSE Ambassadors program: empowering departments to transform STEM education for inclusion and student success.

The Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) is a non-profit educational organization committed to promoting the transformation of undergraduate STEM education by supporting departments in removing barriers to access, equity, and inclusion and in adopting evidence-based teaching and learning practices. The PULSE Ambassadors Campus Workshop program enables faculty and staff members of host departments to 1) develop communication, shared leadership, and inclusion skills for effective team learning; 2) implement facilitative leadership skills (e.g., empathic listening and collaboration); 3) create a shared vision and departmental action plan; and 4) integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the department and curriculum. From the first workshop in 2014, teams of trained Ambassadors conducted workshops at 58 institutions, including associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral institutions. In their workshop requests, departments cited several motivations: desire to revise and align their curriculum with Vision and Change recommendations, need for assistance with ongoing curricular reform, and wish for external assistance with planning processes and communication. Formative assessments during and immediately following workshops indicated that key outcomes were met. Post-workshop interviews of four departments confirm progress achieved on action items and development of individual department members as agents of change. The PULSE Ambassadors program continues to engage departments to improve undergraduate STEM education and prepare departments for the challenges and uncertainties of the changing higher education landscape.

“Strategic and Steady Can Win the Race”: Incremental Exposure to Novel Multidisciplinary Pedagogies in STEM Fields Can Help Change Faculty “Teaching and Learning” Attitudes and Practices

“Strategic and Steady Can Win the Race”: Incremental Exposure to Novel Multidisciplinary Pedagogies in STEM Fields Can Help Change Faculty “Teaching and Learning” Attitudes and Practices

DEVELOPMENT OF STEM-BASED E-MODULES (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS) ON CIRCULAR MOTION MATERIAL TO ENHANCE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

This research aims to determine the feasibility of developing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) based e-mdoul on circular motion material to train Bengkulu City High School students' critical thinking skills. This research method uses R&D research with the ADDIE type. The instruments used were interviews, observations and needs analysis questionnaires. The results obtained were 81.07% with the category of strongly agreeing with the development of e-modules. The design of e-module learning media will be developed according to what has been prepared. At the development stage, the instrument used was an expert validation sheet with an average percentage of 87.42% categorized as very suitable for use. At the implementation stage, the instrument used was a student perception questionnaire with a percentage of 83.19% categorized as very good. Thus, it can be concluded that the development of e-module learning media based on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) on circular motion material to train students' critical thinking skills is a very viable product.

Editorial: Centering humanism in STEM education

Editorial: Centering humanism in STEM education

Multi-version interactive assessment through the integration of GeoGebra with Moodle

AI systems are now capable of providing accurate solutions to questions presented in text format, causing a major problem in assessment integrity. To address this issue, interactive material can be integrated with the questions, preventing current AI systems from processing the requirements. This study proposes a novel approach that combines two important tools: GeoGebra and Moodle. GeoGebra is a widely used tool in schools and universities for creating dynamic and interactive material in the STEM field. On the other hand, Moodle is a popular learning management system with integrated tools capable of generating multiple versions of the same question to enhance academic integrity. We combine these two tools to automatically create unique interactive questions for each student in a computer-based assessment. Detailed implementation steps that do not require prior coding experience or the installation of additional plugins are presented, making the technique accessible to a wider range of instructors. The proposed approach was tested on a group of students and showed enhanced performance in animation-based questions compared to traditional question formats. Moreover, a survey exploring the students’ opinions on the proposed approach reported strong student endorsement of animated questions.

The Gender-Equality Paradox in Intraindividual Academic Strengths: A Cross-Temporal Analysis.

Independent of overall achievement, girls' intraindividual academic strength is typically reading, whereas boys' strength is typically mathematics or science. Sex differences in intraindividual strengths are associated with educational and occupational sex disparities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Paradoxically, these sex differences are larger in more gender-equal countries, but the stability of this paradox is debated. We assessed the stability of the gender-equality paradox in intraindividual strengths, and its relation to wealth, by analyzing the academic achievement of nearly 2.5 million adolescents across 85 countries and regions in five waves (from 2006 to 2018) of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Girls' intraindividual strength in reading and boys' strength in mathematics and science were stable across countries and waves. Boys' advantage in science as an intraindividual strength was larger in more gender-equal countries, whereas girls' advantage in reading was larger in wealthier countries. The results have implications for reducing sex disparities in STEM fields.

Characterizing teacher support of debugging with physical computing: Debugging pedagogies in practice

Objectives . Physical computing systems are increasingly being integrated into secondary school science and STEM instruction, yet little is known about how teachers, especially those with little background and experience in computing, help students during the inevitable debugging moments that arise. In this paper, we describe a framework, comprising two dimensions, for characterizing how teachers support students as they debug a physical computing system called the Data Sensor Hub (DaSH). The DaSH enables students to program sensors to measure, analyze, and visualize data as they engage in science inquiry activities. Participants . Five secondary school teachers implemented an inquiry-oriented instructional unit designed to introduce students to working with the DaSH as a tool for scientific inquiry. Study Method . Findings drew on video analysis of the teachers’ classroom implementations of the unit. A review of the data corpus led to the selection of 23 moments where the teachers supported an individual or small groups of students engaged in debugging. These moments were analyzed using a grounded perspective based on Interaction Analysis to characterize the teachers' varied interactional approaches. Findings . Our analysis revealed how teachers’ moves during debugging moments fell along two dimensions. The first dimension characterizes teachers’ positioning during the debugging interactions, ranging from a positioning for teacher understanding to a positioning for student understanding of the bug. The second dimension characterizes the inquiry orientation of the teachers’ questions and guidance, ranging from focusing on the debugging process to focusing on the product – or fixing the bug. Further, teachers’ moves often fell along different points on these dimensions in any given interaction given nuances in the instructional context. Conclusions . The framework offers a first step towards characterizing teachers’ debugging pedagogy as they support students during debugging moments. It also calls attention to how teachers do not necessarily need to be programming experts to effectively help students learn independent and generalizable debugging strategies. Further, it illustrates the variety of expertise that teachers can bring to debugging moments to support students learning to debug. Finally, the framework provides implications for the design of professional learning and supports for teachers as they increasingly are asked to support students in computing – and debugging – activities across a range of disciplines.

Research on Project-Based Teaching Mode of Nursing Profession Based on STEM Education Concept

Research on Project-Based Teaching Mode of Nursing Profession Based on STEM Education Concept

Integration of Islamic Values in STEM Learning in Secondary Schools

This research aims to explore the integration of Islamic values into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning in secondary schools. In the era of globalization, STEM education is becoming increasingly important to prepare students for future challenges. However, education that only focuses on technical aspects without paying attention to spiritual and moral values can result in disorientation in students' lives. Therefore, this study proposes an approach that combines scientific aspects with Islamic values to create holistic learning. The research method used is qualitative with a literature study approach. Data was collected through observation and analysis of curriculum documents. The results of the study show that the integration of Islamic values in STEM learning can improve students' understanding of the relationship between science and religious teachings, as well as motivate them to apply the knowledge learned in daily life in accordance with Islamic principles. Consistent implementation and support from all schools are needed to ensure the sustainability of this program.

Longitudinal analysis of teacher self-efficacy evolution during a STEAM professional development program: a qualitative case study

Despite the widespread advocacy for the integration of arts and humanities (A&H) into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education on an international scale, teachers face numerous obstacles in practically integrating A&H into STEM teaching (IAT). To tackle the challenges, a comprehensive five-stage framework for teacher professional development programs focussed on IAT has been developed. Through the use of a qualitative case study approach, this study outlines the shifts in a participant teacher’s self-efficacy following their exposure to each stage of the framework. The data obtained from interviews and reflective analyses were analyzed using a seven-stage inductive method. The findings have substantiated the significant impact of a teacher professional development program based on the framework on teacher self-efficacy, evident in both individual performance and student outcomes observed over eighteen months. The evolution of teacher self-efficacy in IAT should be regarded as an open and multi-level system, characterized by interactions with teacher knowledge, skills and other entrenched beliefs. Building on our research findings, an enhanced model of teacher professional learning is proposed. The revised model illustrates that professional learning for STEAM teachers should be conceived as a continuous and sustainable process, characterized by the dynamic interaction among teaching performance, teacher knowledge, and teacher beliefs. The updated model further confirms the inseparable link between teacher learning and student learning within STEAM education. This study contributes to the existing body of literature on teacher self-efficacy, teacher professional learning models and the design of IAT teacher professional development programs.