ARTICLES
Top FIVE STEPS in Championing STEM Innovations (continued)
Figure 2. Three Student-Generated Solutions to Resolve Flooding Issues in Australia
Figure 2. Three Student-Generated
3. Adopt a Transdisciplinary
Approach Solutions to Resolve Flooding Issues in Australia
In our approach, pedagogy not technology drives our STEM innovations. We start with the big ideas and
be solved
a singular
point of tasks
view. Furthermore,
ask a ourselves
what disciplines
are needed for the integration.
In from
other
words, disciplinary
the ill-structured
we
3. Adopt
Transdisciplinary
Approach
in
tandem
with
the
principles
of
designing
ill-structured
design demand our students to use their knowledge from multiple disciplines and each problem cannot be tasks and
In our approach, pedagogy not technology drives our STEM
promoting design thinking, we anchor ill-structured tasks in real
solved
a singular
point
of view.
in tandem with the principles of designing
innovations.
We from
start with
the big disciplinary
ideas and ask
ourselves
what Furthermore,
world contexts so that students appreciate the meaningfulness of
ill-structured
and integration.
promoting In design
thinking,
ill-structured
tasks in real Figure
world 3 shows
contexts
disciplines
are needed tasks
for the
other words,
the we anchor
their STEM
learning experiences.
the so
increasing
ill-structured
we design
demand
students to use of
their
that tasks
students
appreciate
the our
meaningfulness
their STEM
experiences.
3 shows
the Sneider,
levels of learning
integration
in our STEM Figure
innovations
(Vasquez,
knowledge
from multiple
and in
each
cannot
Ivan,
& Michael,
2013). Ivan, & Michael, 2013).
increasing
levels disciplines
of integration
our problem
STEM innovations
(Vasquez,
Sneider,
Multidisciplinary
Disciplinary
• Learning knowledge and skills
separately in each discipline.
• Example: Students learning
separately in science, TAS, and
mathematics classes.
• Learning knowledge and skills
seperately in each discipline but
connected to a common theme.
• Example: Students learning about
flooding separately in science, TAS,
and mathematics classes.
Interdisciplinary
• Learning knowledge and skills from
multiple disciplines which are
tightly linked to each other and a
common theme.
• Example: Students learning about
flooding concurrently through an
integrated science, TAS, and
mathematics program.
Transdisciplinary
• Real-world problem-solving by
applying knowledge and skills from
multiple disciplines and students
shaping their own learning.
• Example: Students direct their own
learning in relation to flooding,
designing novel solutions using key
ideas from science, TAS and
mathematics, and documenting
their processes using technology.
Increasing integration
Figure 3. Levels of Integrating STEM Learning Innovations
Figure
3. Levels of Integrating STEM Learning Innovations
4. Assess for Learning
We adopt an evidence-based approach to self-assess 36
our efforts and constantly refine our approaches based
SCIENCE of
EDUCATIONAL
NEWS VOL 68 NO
1
on the evidence we gather – observations
STEM programs,
students’
reflections, surveys, teachers’