ARTICLES
What Does Effective STEM Integration Look Like In Schools ?
By Claire Rich
What does effective STEM integration look like in schools ? Inclusion of the word ‘ effective ’ indicates the requirement for data collection and analysis . Any new direction for a school must have flexible parameters designed from intentional data collection and analysis . Inclusion of the word ‘ integration ’ denotes a move away from the current trend of having a separate subject for STEM – but instead embedding the principles , skills and strategies into the current curriculum . Current data clearly indicates that the future workforce will be vastly different from the one we have today ( Dr Linda Pfeiffer , 2017 ). The students we are working with today will be entering that workforce – it is imperative that we equip them with the skills , strategies and knowledge to be able to participate effectively in the workforce .
The purpose of this critical literature review will be to focus on literature regarding the main areas of STEM integration in schools , investigating literature demonstrating what is being done and what should be done , and culminating in some final conclusions about this critical review of the literature . This review will focus on literature from all education sectors detailing how STEM subjects are integrated into schools .
At the moment in Australia both the State and Federal Governments are proudly announcing their policy focus on STEM subjects due to their importance for students as they move into the future . The Hon . Malcolm Turnbull , Prime Minister , was quoted in 2016 as saying " We ' ve got to get back to that , and ensure that everyone is very literate in STEM subjects . Science , maths , technology – that ' s the future .” ( Quintus Potgieter ’ s June , 2016 ). Breiner et al . echo this proposal from the USA perspective , with recognition at a government level of the need for students to be educated for the 21st century , and prepared for the many jobs that have yet to be conceptualised ( Breiner , Harkness , Johnson and Kochler , 2012 p3 ). Given that governments in Australia , USA and other countries around the world now recognise the urgent need to skill our students in the principles and practices of STEM , what are the current practices ? Are they effective ?
Literature about the current practices of STEM education focus on three main areas :
• effective integration of STEM ;
• the need for effective TPL with teaching resources ;
• the requirement of a shared understanding of what STEM is .
The official curriculum is struggling to keep up with the government plans . ( Blackley and Howell 2015 ; Brenier , Harkness , Johnson and Kochler , 2012 and Sahin and Top , 2015 ). Lack of a targeted engineering curriculum , and only recent technology-specific curriculum with little or no teacher training , have led to funds being thrown at STEM / PBL in schools , with little or no forethought concerning the outcome / plan . Blackley and Howell , 2015 , allude to the current situation . Referring to what they call the “ frenzied focus on STEM ”, they discuss how schools are being forced to jump on the STEM / PBL bandwagon without thought as to how this will be implemented in K-6 education . From my own observations , the typical model is that one or two teachers start a project , which is then embraced and implemented by other teachers , with little coherence of design or implementation across the school .
Blackwell and Howell , 2015 note the “ the silo-ing of the four distinct discipline areas , rather than their integration ” ( Blackley and Howell p104 ) Is this effective ? Becker and Park , 2011 state the importance of effective integrative approaches : “ Students who were exposed to integrative approaches demonstrated greater achievement in STEM subjects .” ( Becker and Park , 2011 p31 ) clearly highlighting the need for schools to ensure that their current practice is directed closer to the integrative approaches in Becker and Park and further away from the “ frenzied ” approach noted in Blackley and Howell 2015 . Moore and Smith 2014 also refer to the importance of integration of STEM subjects – alluding to the use of content and context integration approaches to clearly show students the connectedness of the subjects . “ Research shows that integrative approaches improve students ’ interest and learning in STEM ” ( Becker and Park , 2011 , p 23 ) Engineering , N ., Honey , Margaret , ed , Pearson , Greg , ed , & Schweingruber , Heidi , ed . ( 2014 ) also discuss the importance of ensuring that STEM is integrated to " build knowledge and skill ".
Moore and Smith , 2014 , write about the need to “ focus on challenge-based learning ”; this is often the method of STEM introduction and teaching in Primary Schools today ( Moore and Smith , 2014 , p8 ). However , in many schools I have taught in or have had contact with , the focus is frequently on a global scale , such as portable sleeping for refugees in camps having fled their countries . Students have little or no frame of reference for this type of issue – there is no real world connection for them . Challenge-based learning is valuable provided the challenge is focussed locally , and enables the students to see a connection to their own world , ( Moore and Smith , 2014 ). Other literature has explored concepts such as STEM SOS student own , context and or content-based teaching ( Moore and Smith , also quoted in Blackley and Howe p108 ), project-based learning and the use of design thinking . However , my belief is that whichever ‘ system ’ is
30 SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 3