The Implementation of Integrated Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Instruction using Robotics in the Middle School Science Classroom

Abstract

The research study reported here was conducted to investigate the implementation of integrated STEM lessons within courses that have a single subject science focus. The purpose also included development of a pedagogical theory. This technology-based teaching was conceptualized by school administrators and teachers in order to provide middle school science students with a formal classroom instructional session in which science curricular were modified to include an integrated STEM activity. To this end, the authors examined and generated an account of the implementation processes including: the nature of the instruction, type of scaffolds, challenges teachers faced, the interaction among teachers, and students and teachers' perceptions of the integrated STEM instruction. Qualitative data were collected from interviews and classroom observations and then analyzed using grounded theory methods, specifically the constant comparative method. The results of study showed that teachers required support in the form of an expert technology teacher in order to accomplish a successful classroom implementation of integrated STEM with robotics. Additionally, it was found that teachers did not revise their existing science curriculum but rather selected integrated STEM activities that fit into the overall science course objectives and goals.

Lehrerausbildende als Akteure für die Digitalisierung in der Lehrerbildung: Ein Review

“…Insgesamt wird auch kritisch angemerkt, dass durchaus die Gefahr einer Überlastung sowohl des Lehrpersonals als auch der Schülerinnen und Schüler bestehe (Yildiz, 2018, S. 1). Degirmenci, 2018;Kearney et al, 2018;Ntemngwa & Oliver, 2018;Pima, 2019;Swertz, 2018 folgen. 22 Dabei sei wichtig, dass die Kompetenzentwicklung von Lehrpersonen über die Bedienung der Technik hinaus auch die pädagogisch-fachdidaktische Dimension umfasse.…”

American STEM Education in Its Global, National, and Linguistic Contexts

“…Despite its buzzword status, an ambiguity exists in the definition of STEM (Madden, Beyers, & O'Brien, 2016). The ambiguity has led to different definitions and occupational applications among stakeholders across the United States (Ntemngwa & Oliver, 2018), because several programs within various scientific communities have utilized it (Breiner, et al, 2012). Thus, the definition differs depending on who has employed it (Sanders, 2009).…”

“…Some argue that STEM education explains only science and mathematics; others believe that STEM education is a variety of activities that include more inquiry and projectbased teaching strategies instead of traditional lecture-based ones (Breiner, et al, 2012). From a broader perspective, STEM education could be described as a systematic teaching and/or learning process in the STEM fields (Ntemngwa & Oliver, 2018). Consequently, no certain operational definition exists because it is variously perceived by the stakeholders; therefore, focusing on the goals of STEM education is needed to best understand the concept.…”

“…Sanders (2009) explained integrated STEM education as the approaches that "explore teaching and learning between/among any two or more of the STEM subject areas, and/or between a STEM subject and one or more other school subjects" (p. 21). In other worlds, it is the interdisciplinary approach that tries to meld two or more STEM subjects into a single project (Ntemngwa & Oliver, 2018). Another definition is that integrative STEM education is a means to increase a student's understanding of a course, a unit or a lesson by integrating two or more STEM fields (Brown et al, 2017).…”

Quality of Teachers in STEM Learning at Secondary School

“…Untuk peningkatan kualiti guru-guru, STEM perlu disampaikan secara terpadu dalam kehidupan nyata (Ntemngwa & Oliver, 2018;Thibaut, Knipprath, Dehaene, & Depaepe, 2018). Kajian Pryor, Pryor, and Kang (2015) (Kyriakides et al, 2009).…”