Highly Effective Teaching: Primary STEM

Abstract

STEM education integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in an interdisciplinary and applied approach to learning and teaching. STEM draws on knowledge and skills of the scientific and technical disciplines to pose, ponder and solve complex, real-world problems. To be successful in STEM, children need to be skilled investigators, innovative thinkers, problem solvers and communicators, as well as have confidence in their abilities in STEM, and view STEM as personally relevant and important. In this subject, students will be required to develop engaging STEM learning experiences that integrate syllabus content which is applied in project, problem or inquiry-based learning situations that are authentic and contextual. Students will also explore a strengths-based approach to differentiate their practice and strategies to integrate the general capabilities such as: critical and creative thinking, information and communication technology capability and personal and social capability into STEM learning experiences.

Syllabus

STEM and STEM education - real-world, authentic, integrated and problem drivenSTEM educator capacities and dispositions - the importance of educator's own competence, confidence and positive dispositionsSTEM capabilities - knowledge and higher-order thinking skills, such as critical and creative thinking, innovative thinking and problem solving, and the Australian Curriculum general capabilitiesSTEM … For more content click the Read More button below.

STEM and STEM education - real-world, authentic, integrated and problem driven
STEM educator capacities and dispositions - the importance of educator's own competence, confidence and positive dispositions
STEM capabilities - knowledge and higher-order thinking skills, such as critical and creative thinking, innovative thinking and problem solving, and the Australian Curriculum general capabilities
STEM engagement - STEM learner motivation and dispositions
Opportunities in the primary curriculum for integrating STEM - focus on mathematics/numeracy, science and technology content, processes and skills
STEM pedagogies - inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, problem-based learning, and using ICTs and digital technologies to support STEM education
Programming and assessment in STEM
Equity in STEM education and a strengths-based approach
STEM learning environments, educational leadership, and STEM across the learning journey

Assessment items

1. The STEM learner and a STEM learning experience

2. The STEM classroom and planning for STEM education

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

be able to identify cross-curricular links and describe pedagogical approaches to integrating the learning areas of Mathematics and Science and Technology, as well as the general capabilities in STEM education;

be able to describe and promote effective strategies to foster children's STEM capabilities, including knowledge, creativity and innovation, and higher-order thinking skills, within authentic STEM contexts;

be able to develop, promote and evaluate quality STEM learning experiences that use integration, inquiry and project-based learning strategies;

be able to design STEM units of work using a framework for effective STEM education and incorporating appropriate use of ICT and digital technologies, and assessment to facilitate and evaluate learning;

be able to apply a strengths-based approach to design STEM units of work that support diverse learners and inclusive student participation in STEM learning activities;

be able to evaluate and present to peers emergent research and policy directions that inform effective STEM instruction; and

be able to present an argument for adopting an integrated, real world approach to STEM education and justify the strategies that could be used to foster student and educator engagement and self-efficacy in STEM.

Assumed knowledge

This subject has assumed knowledge from the following subjects: (EMM209 or EMM418) and (EMM410 or EMM503) and EMS406.

Enrolment restrictions

This subject is only available to students enrolled in the Master of Teaching (Primary) and the Bachelor of Educational Studies.

Students who are undertaking an extended primary curriculum area study in Science and Technology or in Mathematics should complete EMS406, (EMM209 or EMM418) and EMM503 prior to enrolling in EMS501.

This subject is not available to students who have completed EMS407.

Incompatible

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