Intro
My STEM philosophy was non-existent until now. Growing out of my research and pre-existing non-STEM philosophies my evolving STEM philosophy is an attempt at a holistic, evidence-based best-practice approach to teaching 21st-century skills (see Figure 1a & 2a). When recording the first video, I believed STEM was merely a focus on my four favourite subjects, but, as I discovered, there is more to STEM than science, technology, engineering, and mathematics added together. STEM teaches students how to live in the real world (Jolly, 2017, p. 8).
Students need to be able to maximise the outcomes of lifelong learning engagements (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2010, p. 9). While a constant feature of human existence change has taken on an unprecedented and accelerating velocity, which makes it difficult to organise the education of students. What we can extrapolate from existing data and have a consensus on is that STEM knowledge and skills will dominate the next few decades (Innovation and Science Australia, 2017, p. 17; Office of the Chief Scientist [OCS], 2014a, p. 43). Further, we know for sure that whatever the near future will bring, learning is human’s adaptation response to surviving environmental change (Boyd, Richerson, & Henrich, 2011, p. 10924). Hence, practising and improving our ability to learn is imperative.
Figure 3.a
STEM In AUS
I believe it is my duty to ensure my charges leave my care with the best tools in hand to succeed and prosper in their future endeavours; this means a well-rounded and rigorous STEM education (OCS, 2014b, p. 5). Looking at current numbers for Australia is staggering. The graph found in Figure 3a shows the decline in STEM graduates in times of rising overall graduate numbers. Educators need to connect their efforts to improve STEM graduation numbers.
More Than STEM
While STEM is an acronym built from four fields of study, STEM lessons are not restricted to these four fields. STEM teaching uses an integrative, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approach (Vasquez, Sneider, & Comer, 2013). Hence, any skill one can think of can be taught using any field-specific method via STEM. STEM does not exclude interpretative dance for explaining molecular motion (Catchen & DeCristofano, 2015). For this reason, I view any discussion wanting to change the acronym as frivolous, misinformed, misguided, and a waste of time. While at the outset of this unit, knowing very little about what STEM entails, I found the debates interesting. I now view them as irritating, attention-seeking, meritless attempts at having their voices heard. Reading Sousa and Pilecki confirmed all my prejudices, but I do appreciate their research into the arts and brain development (2018). However, I don’t buy it. STEM already offers everything advocated for and more. STEM can be anything we want and need it to be. There are just a few rules, and principles STEM lessons need to follow.
Inquiry
STEM lessons utilise the Scientific Method [SM] and the Engineering Design Process [EDP], see Figure 4.a & 5.a. STEM learning is always inquiry-based. To support inquiry and the application of SM/EDP project-based learning [PBL] is implemented, not only because it is regarded as best practice for these kinds of lessons, but it ensures the lesson will be a STEM lesson via PBL’s 21st-century skill focus (New South Wales Department of Education [NSWDE], 2017). PBL demands a project has a problem that needs to be solved (see Figure 6.a). For the PBL lesson to be most effective, it is suggested that the project is authentic, which requires the project to be designed by students. The teacher’s role is that of a guide, nudging students into a lesson and project design that allows for the achievement of the Curriculum’s demanded learning outcomes. At the conclusion of every project each group presents their solution to a qualified panel, they then judge and provide productive feedback to the students.
And More Philosophy
There are additional benefits to the STEM philosophy just disclosed. The fostering of positive inter-human relationships based on mutual respect is one. Further, the championing of failure via SM and EDP is a positive aspect of STEM lessons. SM accepts high risk-taking with a likelihood of failure to gain new insights. During an EDP cycle failure in one form or another is usually unavoidable. Additionally, there is never just one answer or one correct way of doing something in a STEM project, reducing the fear of doing something wrong.
My STEM philosophy finds support and inspiration through my personal and teaching philosophies. For example, I view young humans as exceptionally inquisitive with an insatiable appetite for knowledge and insight. The school system is required to offer a safe space for these natural urges and nourish them, by providing an outlet. STEM by design caters to these demands and shows respect for the child’s human rights. Every STEM philosophy needs to be an advocacy of rights. After all, access to STEM is a human rights issue (Milner, 2015, p. 257). Just one reason to make STEM education compulsory, in spite of the Chief Scientist arguing otherwise, is an evidence-based best-practice to increase STEM skills (Marginson, Tytler, Freeman, & Roberts, 2013, p. 14; OCS, 2013, p. 14). Primary schools especially need to be included in these efforts, planting the seed for future success in STEM fields (Pricewaterhouse Cooper, 2018, p. 3). There is no known better way for a nation to meet its obligations with all stakeholders.
Lastly, STEM education is incomplete if it does not include the explicit teaching of philosophy. STEM has many philosophies it surreptitiously introduces, something I mentioned in my first video and Padlet post. These philosophies offer a window of opportunity. Critical and creative thinking are central to both philosophical thought and 21st-century skills (NSWDE, n.d., p. 3). See Figure 8a, Appendix A, for employers’ future needs in these areas (OCS, 2014a, p. 45). One philosophy we find embedded in STEM is the belief in progress and, with it, the belief in humanity’s capacity to observe, understand and exploit natural phenomena. SM is a philosophy. And so are ethical considerations, for project solutions. It is the questioning of and critical discussion around these philosophies that allow for engaged learning, promoting the development of cognitive skills (NSWDE, n.d., p. 9). Philosophy is a usually dry theory. Talking about values in the abstract is downright boring. But in combination with a STEM project, the matter springs to life and becomes an authentic, hands-on experience with which students can relate. And this is what my STEM philosophy is all about: engaging students in lessons to effectively teach 21st-century skills and prepare students to solve 21st-century problems.
References
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