Engineering Design: The Great Integrator

There is much support in the research literature and in the standards for the integration of engineering into science education, particularly the problem solving approach of engineering design. Engineering design is most often represented through design-based learning. However, teachers often do not have a clear definition of engineering design, appropriate models for teaching students, or the knowledge and experience to develop integrative learning activities. The purpose of this article is to examine definitions of engineering design and how it can be utilized to create a transdisciplinary approach to education to advance all students’ general STEM literacy skills and 21st century cognitive competencies. Suggestions for educators who incorporate engineering design into their instruction will also be presented

Students’ Successes and Challenges Applying Data Analysis and Measurement Skills in a Fifth-Grade Integrated STEM Unit

An understanding of statistics and skills in data analysis are becoming more and more essential, yet research consistently shows that students struggle with these concepts at all levels. This case study documents some of the struggles four groups of fifth-grade students encounter as they collect, organize, and interpret data and then ultimately attempt to draw conclusions or make decisions based on these data. The activities in which the students engaged were part of an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) unit that had students collecting and analyzing data both in the context of learning science concepts and in the context of evaluating prototypes for an engineering design challenge. Students were observed to struggle in a variety of ways, specifically having difficulty (1) properly using certain measurement devices, (2) coordinating quantitative data with the phenomenon being measured, and (3) properly interpreting the significance of variation, uncertainty, and error in the data. Implications for teaching and curriculum design are addressed

Validity of Physics Teaching Materials Based on STEM to Improve Climate Literacy of High School Students

This study aimed to develop physics teaching material based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), which criteria valid. The study employed is development research using the ADDIE development model. The ADDIE which consists of five stages, namely Analyze, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation which is limited to three stages, namely; (1) analysis, (2) design, and (3) development for aspects of validity. The validity of the teaching material was determined with the aid of experts and learning practitioners. The validation results of physics teaching material based on STEM were categorized as very valid with a validity level of 92% and student response with a score of 85%. Based on the results obtained, the climate change physics teaching materials based on STEM are suitable for improving high school students' climate literacy

Inquiry Based Learning STEM Teaching Materials to Improve Students’ Thinking Skills in Stoichiometry

In stoichiometry learning process, mostly educators focus on calculations. Students are not invited to think more critically about stoichiometry application in life. This constraint makes teachers have to develop new learning models, including Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) model, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) based on chemical literacy. This study aims to develop general chemistry teaching materials on stoichiometry using IBL and STEM models based on chemical literacy that are feasible (valid) and capable of improving students' LOTS and HOTS abilities. The development model used is the ADDIE model, with research subjects of 34 students. The result shows that stoichiometry teaching materials using the IBL STEM model based on chemical literacy are valid (feasible) to be applied in learning with an average score of 4.42 for the material aspect and 4.55 for the design aspect. The developed teaching materials have been proven to significantly improve students’ LOTS and HOTS abilities