Below is an overview of the STEM education online course content overview for the 7 units and 31 modules that have been developed for this online course. The course will take approximately 24 weeks (2 semesters/terms) to be implemented. That is approximately two periods of 40 minutes per week.
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Course Outline
Unit 1 – What is STEM, and why is it important?
- Module 1: What is STEM education and why important?
- Module 2: STEM pedagogies
Duration: 2 weeks
This first unit focuses our attention on a variety of definitions of STEM and claims regarding the importance of STEM. We will come back to these ideas throughout the unit, and in other units. But this introduction to the what and why of STEM will provide us with some basic or common understanding, upon which we can begin to examine our own practices and compare them to the practices of others, including those reported upon in literature.
Unit 2 – INTEGRATED STEM & SBC CURRICULUM
- Module 1: Standards-Based Curriculum design and STEM connections
- Module 2: How to use a syllabus and teacher guide
Duration: 2 weeks
| In this module we will explore the structure of the Papua New Guinea Standards-Based Curriculum regarding its design, the STEAM disciplines, parts of the syllabus such as Aims and Goals, Overarching Curriculum Principles, STEAM Rationale, Aims and Goals and Guiding Principles, Core Curriculum, Essential Knowledge, Skills, Values, and Attitudes, STEAM practices and pedagogies in the teacher guides. In doing this we will be looking for connections between students’ learning in STEAM within the PNG SBC curriculum. By the end of this unit, you should be able to: Understand the design of the Standards-Based Curriculum. Describe your own work as a STEM educator using the SBC documents such as the syllabus and teacher guide to identify and explain your practice in context. Identify and describe similarities and differences between the STEAM learning areas of the PNG Curriculum (Grade 9-10)Identify opportunities for making connections between the learning areas Understand features of SBC syllabus and TG that captures integrated STEM concepts |
Course Outline
Unit 3 – STEM THINKING SKILLS & PEGAGOGIES
- Module 1: STEM thinking skills
- Module 2: Inquiry-based learning approaches
Duration: 5 weeks
| In this unit, we will look at STEM skills, practices, and pedagogies to support students’ learning in STEM, with a focus upon STEM skills, inquiry-based learning, project -based learning and problem-based learning. We will explore deeply STEM with STEM skills, practices and pedagogies and the PNG SBC curriculum, identify opportunities for making explicit connections between students’ learning in and between the STEM disciplines. By the end of this unit, you should be able to: Propose a project (or problem) upon which the learning of the different STEM concepts, skills, practices and pedagogies, STEM frameworks and the development of 21st century skills could be based, and which is aligned to the intentions of the SBC curriculum. Explain what your role as a teacher would be in supporting students as they engaged in the project or problem-based activity. |
Unit 4 – PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
- Module 1: How does project -based learning connects with STEM pedagogies?
- Module 2: STEM education training in PNG
Duration: 2 weeks
| In this unit you will understand that integrated STEM learning can be done by adopting a Project- Based Learning (PBL) approach across STEM disciplines by engaging students in an integrated STEM project. Based upon this exploration together with your knowledge and experience from your STEM education context, you will propose a teaching unit, activity or project plan. Your teaching project plan can incorporate the following: A description of your proposed real-world project together with a rationale that focusses on questions such as – Why is the project that integrates STEM appropriate for the identified learners? How does it fit with your context and how will it be implemented? What will the students learn? A list of the key concepts that students will learn in technology, science and mathematics. A teaching sequence that demonstrates how the pedagogies would be implemented to deliver the intended outcomes. Your sequence should demonstrate how it facilitates structured collaboration and adopt a student-driven approach. The teaching sequence should also incorporate some general ideas for assessment. A list of resources and how they will be incorporated into your activity. By the end of this unit, you should be able to: Understand STEM PBL Understand STEM PBL connections with STEM subjects through STEM practices |
Course Outline
Unit 5 – CONNECTING LEARNING IN STEM
- Module 1: STEM integration frameworks
- Module 2: STEM project- based learning
- Module 3: Curriculum connections & backward design process
- Module 4: STEM PBL model
- Module 5: School industry partnership
Duration: 5 weeks
| The solutions to most of the current real-world problems and societal challenges are becoming increasingly cross-disciplinary yet school subjects tend to be taught in isolation. The challenge now lies with teachers especially STEM teachers to effectively promote the integration of different STEM disciplines while at the same time ensuring the integrity of each STEM subject. In this unit will look at numerous STEM frameworks or models for implementing STEM integration or models that connect learning in STEM. |
- Explore different models or frameworks that connect learning in STEM and understand how to apply them in classroom context or in teaching and learning Understand STEM Project -Based learning as inquiry model Identify and understand connections involve in STEM Learning
- Understand concepts behind STEM PBL model and how to use it connecting learning in STEM Explore connections in STEM learning in industries
- Understand STEM Project -Based learning as inquiry model
- Identify and understand connections involve in STEM Learning
- Understand concepts behind STEM PBL model and how to use it connecting learning in STEM
- Explore connections in STEM learning in industries
Unit 6 – PLANNING & PROGRAMMING INTEGRATED STEM
- Module 1: Connections across disciplines or key learning areas of the curriculum
- Module 2: Introduction to planning and programming
- Module 3: Programming integrated STEM
- Module 4: STEM road map
- Module 5: Planning workbook
- Module 6: Designing a STEM unit
- Module 7: A sequence for planning cross – disciplinary stem
- Module 8: Designing Integrated Curriculum Units with STEM Big Ideas in Mind
Duration: 5 weeks
| In this unit, we will investigate different approaches or frameworks to plan and program integrated STEM approach using the PNG curriculum (Standards-Based Curriculum) and identify all connections. The teaching plan should be sequential and student-centered. Most of the different approaches in planning and programming integrated STEM take into consideration the following common areas: |
- Identification of the desired outcomes – learning standards (content standards and benchmarks)
- Identifying and sequencing the different teaching and learning activities involved
- Identifying the different assessment strategies for each activity or group of activities or project
- Consideration of all the connections – connections across disciplines or key learning areas of the curriculum, STEM skills, practices & pedagogies, real-world situations/problem, 21st century skills and technologies.
Teachers can tackle some of the STEM challenges to an extent of developing an integrated plan or program that is student centred and caters for equal discipline attention in all STEM subjects. Through a well structed STEM program or plan that considers equal integration of STEM subjects and identifies all connections will accommodate for the challenges on preparedness, willingness and confidence of teachers to embrace such an integrated curriculum.
Below are the different approaches or frameworks for planning and programming an integrated STEM approach that we will look at in this unit: - PROGRAMMING INTEGRATED STEM
- STEM ROAD MAP
- PLANNING WORKBOOK
- DESIGNING A STEM UNIT
- A SEQUENCE FOR PLANNING CROSS – DISCIPLINARY STEM
- DESIGNING INTEGRATED CURRICULUM UNITS WITH STEM BIG IDEAS
By the end of this unit, you should be able to: - Understand and use different approaches or frameworks to planning and programming integrated STEM using the PNG curriculum (Standards-Based Curriculum)
- identify all connections during panning and programming
- Develop a teaching plan that is sequential and student-centered
Consider the following areas in you plan: - Identification of the desired outcomes – learning standards (content standards and benchmarks)
- Identifying and sequencing the different teaching and learning activities involved
- Identifying the different assessment strategies for each activity or group of activities or project
- Consideration of all the connections – connections across disciplines or key learning areas of the curriculum, STEM skills, practices & pedagogies, real-world situations/problem, 21st century skills and technologies.
Course Outline
Unit 7 – ASSESSMENT IN STEM EDUCATION
- Module 1: Assessment
- Module 2: Overview on assessment
- Module 3: Activities on assessment
- Module 4: What is assessment?
- Module 5: Rubrics
- Module 6: What does authentic assessment look like?
- Module 7: Assessment in project-based learning
- Module 8: Comprehensive assessment
- Module 9: Moderation and accountability in STEM
- Module 10: Making judgements