Mathematical Content on Stem Activities

Abstract

In this paper, a number of STEM educational proposals are systematically analyzed from the lens of mathematics education. An extensive innovation project was implemented during the 2019/2020 academic year in a pilot study carried out in Schools and Teacher Training Programs in Navarre (Spain), comprising a bibliographical and source analysis as a previous step to characterize the existing material, and ultimately to design and test STEM projects at different educational levels from the point of view of mathematical education. All activities belong to international publications and widely used and contrasted web repositories, and seize the usual interval of compulsory education, i.e., from the beginning of Primary School (age 6/7) to the end of Secondary School (age 15/16). The findings draw a panorama of STEM activities where mathematics is mostly utilitarian, numbers and units are functionally used to measure quantities of magnitudes, and geometric contents serve the purpose of modeling a technological prototype. As it turns out, some STEM-labelled activities do not fulfill their principles and fundamental purposes. In lower levels, there is a common confusion between STEM activities and science laboratory projects; in higher levels, complex mathematical content could appear. Even though some activities are guided science laboratory projects, it is concluded that most STEM activities have the potential of a-didactical situations, i.e., contexts where students put into practice their personal problem-solving techniques before teachers formalize the mathematical content.

An attempt to evaluate STEAM project-based instruction from a school mathematics perspective

“…The mathematics in these projects involved identifying and drawing geometrical shapes, and the application of basic procedures, very much related to project design. This result resonates with those of Burghardt and Hacker (2004), English (2016), Lasa et al (2020), andMacías et al (2020), who exposed the difficulties of addressing mathematical content in proposals centred on design. The transdisciplinary instruction of out-of-field teachers did not facilitate exploiting mathematics and thus promoting cognitive demand.…”

“…However, many of these projects do not necessarily promote mathematical and scientific concepts as a learning goal (Estapa & Tank, 2017). Diego-Mantecón et al (accepted) and Lasa et al (2020) pointed also out that projects with a design focus usually seek to illustrate the functioning of artefacts and hardly promote environments that facilitate the learning of mathematics. Regarding collaborative learning, researchers tend to concur that this dimension is frequently addressed in STE(A)M projects to stimulate divergent thinking abilities (Catarino et al, 2019) and to generate different approaches and solution strategies (Estapa & Tank, 2017).…”

“…Martín-Paéz et al (2019) found that mathematics rarely plays a dominant role in many proposed experiences. Other authors go further, indicating that when mathematics emerges either it does not match curricular content or it relates to basic arithmetic (Diego-Mantecón et al, accepted;Lasa et al, 2020;Siverling et al, 2019). The results of Siverling et al's (2019) study, for instance, revealed that two of the seven analysed projects did not include content aligned with the intended mathematics standards in the USA.…”

Contextualized Learning Modules in Bridging Students’ Learning Gaps in Calculus With Analytic Geometry Through Independent Learning

“…Beginning at context is meaningful and fun, it also sharpens students' minds and focuses (Muslimin, Putri, Zulkardi, & Aisyah, 2020). Activities are put into perspective and linked concepts into practical real-world contexts (Dewi & Primayana, 2019;Lasa, Abaurrea, & Iribas, 2020). In this way, content becomes meaningful and relevant to them (Baker, Hope, & Karandjeff, 2009).…”

“…It is depicted that the jurors are satisfied that contextualization and independent learning features are present in the learning modules. The presence of contextualization implies that they can relate the subject matter conic sections to practical, applicable, and meaningful situations that are relevant to students (Dewi & Primayana, 2019;Lasa, Abaurrea, & Iribas, 2020). These situations are supported by facts and theories that embed the cultural, historical, ideological fabric, and/or personal experiences of students (Ampa, Basri, & Andriani, 2013;Baker, Hope, & Karandjeff, 2009).…”