A Framework for Implementing an Engineering-Focused STEM Curriculum

Fan, Szu Chun; Yu, Kuang Chao; Lin, Kuen Yi

doi:10.1007/s10763-020-10129-y

Cited by 36 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Therefore, investigations of this aspect are important from an academic and practical perspective. For example, in studies about engineering design, some common concerns are the cognitive structures of expert practitioners in engineering design (Atman et al, 2007) and the characterization of the engineering design process (Hannah, Joshi, & Summers, 2012); the findings of these studies are usually applied in different educational settings (Capobianco & Rupp, 2014;Fan, Yu, & Lin, 2020). Therefore, if technology teachers are to implement STEM education using the processes of technology-learning activities based upon engineering design, the teachers' own cognitive structure of engineering design is of great significance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking

et al. 2021

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Background This study focuses on probing preservice technology teachers’ cognitive structures and how they construct engineering design in technology-learning activities and explores the effects of infusing an engineering design process into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ cognitive structures for engineering design thinking. Results The study employed a quasi-experimental design, and twenty-eight preservice technology teachers participated in the teaching experiment. The flow-map method and metalistening technique were utilized to enable preservice technology teachers to create flow maps of engineering design, and a chi-square test was employed to analyze the data. The results suggest that (1) applying the engineering design process to STEM project-based learning is beneficial for developing preservice technology teachers’ schema of design thinking, especially with respect to clarifying the problem, generating ideas, modeling, and feasibility analysis, and (2) it is important to encourage teachers to further explore the systematic concepts of engineering design thinking and expand their abilities by merging the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning. Conclusions The findings of this study provide initial evidence on the effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking. However, further work should focus on exploring how to overcome the weaknesses of preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking by adding a few elements of engineering design thinking pedagogy, e.g., designing learning activities that are relevant to real life.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking

et al. 2021

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“…For instance, Zhou et al (2020), based on the Australian education context, a design-led STEM curriculum framework was elaborated to guide the implementation of STEM teaching (Zhou et al, 2020). Fan et al (2020) constructed a STEM curriculum framework which was used to integrate STEM content knowledge into engineering design (Fan et al, 2020). However, the key problem is that the existing framework lacks a systematic articulation of the ground rules and design principles for STEM curriculum content, resulting in inconsistent depth and breadth of designed curriculum content (Bybee, 2013).…”

Section: Design Principles Of Stem Curriculum Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…How to integrate content knowledge of multiple disciplines and bridge the STEM competency development of students at different age levels is considered the key to STEM curriculum content design (Fan et al, 2020). Therefore, based on the characteristics and objectives of STEM education, combined with the analysis of the existing theoretical framework of STEM curriculum, we explained how to systematically build a framework for STEM curriculum content from two perspectives: cross-disciplinary content knowledge integration around core ideas from a horizontal perspective and content articulation based on learning progression from a vertical perspective.…”

Section: Design Principles Of Stem Curriculum Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on this, TBIT proposed the pedagogical principle of self-monitoring, which refers to the active planning, checking, reflecting evaluation, feedback, control, and regulation by teachers and students continuously during the teaching process toward the accomplishment of learning objectives. As a complex learning process, STEM requires teachers and students to design and implement learning plans based on learning objectives, to evaluate and reflect on the learning process and results in a timely manner, and to continuously adjust cognitive strategies to complete learning objectives based on feedback results (Zhou et al, 2020;Fan et al, 2020). Therefore, self-monitoring is one of the key principles of STEM teaching.…”

Section: Basic Principles Of Stem Teaching Based On Tbitmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Students do not have a deep understanding of interdisciplinary concepts, the nature of scientific practices, as well as their scientific thinking, attitudes, and responsibilities are not developed (Zeidler, 2014). At the teacher level, their difficulties lie in designing appropriate teaching activities and choosing appropriate instructional strategies to integrate STEM interdisciplinary content knowledge, further developing students' STEM key competencies in a holistic manner Fan et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward the Development of Key Competencies: A Conceptual Framework for the STEM Curriculum Design and a Case Study

Guo

2021

Front. Educ.

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National attention has been given to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, which is well recognized as an effective way to cultivate the key competencies of 21st-century talents. However, current STEM education falls short of the desired results. The fundamental reason is that there has not been a clearly and structurally explained systematic construction and effective implementation of STEM curricula. Accordingly, this article systematically expounds on the construction of the STEM curricula system from four aspects. Specifically, we first proposed the components of the STEM competencies as the goal of STEM education to provide a guiding direction for other parts of the design of the STEM curricula. Then, we elaborated on how to cultivate the STEM competencies from two aspects: the design principles of the STEM curricula content and the implementation strategies of STEM teaching. Finally, we explained how to effectively evaluate to monitor and improve the implementation of the STEM curriculum. In addition to the above mentioned, we then presented a case study of STEM courses constructed under the guidance of “think-based instruction theory” (TBIT) to help readers further understand the nature of the STEM curricula.

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How science teachers deal with STEM education: An explorative study from the lens of curriculum ideology

Tan,

Wei

2024

Science Education

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To gain a holistic understanding of how science teachers dealt with STEM education, this study explored two science teachers’ perceptions and practices at primary schools via the lens of curriculum ideology. By examining their perceptions and practices from six essential aspects (i.e., aim, content, student, teaching, learning, and assessment), we aim to provide deeper insights into what STEM education visions they have, why they promote it, and how they enact it in primary school settings. Combining deductive and inductive approaches, we analyzed data collected from multiple sources, including two rounds of semi‐structured interviews, field notes of school visits, artifact like students’ works, and documents like lesson plans and classroom videotapes. Results showed that the two teachers dealt with STEM education differently: one focused on teaching how to think and work as scientists or engineers with a scholar‐academic orientation, whereas the other was devoted to laying a foundation for students’ development and future lives with a learner‐centered orientation. Based on different value stances and aims, two teachers conceptualize STEM education and translate it into school courses and instructional activities differently, leading to varying degrees of curriculum integration, distinct cognitions of worthwhile content, and different teaching orientations. These findings have implications for researchers and practitioners to comprehend and reflect on how teachers deal with the issues involved in STEM education in school settings. The identified tensions and harmonies between different orientations provide insights into coordinating different values and interests to promote STEM education.

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A Framework for Implementing an Engineering-Focused STEM Curriculum

Cited by 36 publications

References 34 publications

Effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking

Effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking

Toward the Development of Key Competencies: A Conceptual Framework for the STEM Curriculum Design and a Case Study

How science teachers deal with STEM education: An explorative study from the lens of curriculum ideology

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