Arts, Humanities, & Robotics in (STEAM) Education

O objetivo desta dissertação é enfatizar a articulação de três importantes temas que definem nosso presente e definirão nosso futuro - Artes e Humanidades, educação (STEAM) e Robótica. Espera facilitar a preparação das gerações futuras para a sociedade e economia do século XXI, bem como auxiliar na resolução de problemas de questões mundiais e minimizar os desafios colocados pela relação entre o homem e tecnologia complexa. O objetivo principal é compreender a forma ideal de incluir o 'A' na educação STEAM (K-12) com Robótica, também descobrindo como as escolas europeias estão a implementar STEAM (com ou sem Robótica) e o que especialistas e profissionais nessas áreas têm a dizer sobre esses assuntos. Para além da robusta revisão da literatura, dezasseis especialistas foram consultados, dez fizeram parte do mesmo painel no processo de questionários do Delphi Method e os outros seis foram entrevistados segundo a Critical Incident Technique. Devido à relevância dos temas em estudo, isto será útil para colegas investigadores e profissionais nestas três áreas. À medida que avançamos para um futuro cada vez mais tecnológico para o qual não parecemos estar preparados, o principal problema é a dissonância entre as disciplinas escolares e a falta de aplicabilidade do seu conteúdo na vida real. As STEAM e o conhecimento transdisciplinar têm ganhado força nos últimos anos e têm-se revelado como técnicas educativas adequadas e bem-sucedidas. A articulação das Artes com as áreas STEM tem mostrado resultados notáveis. Todas as áreas devem, desde que faça sentido, trabalhar juntas para fornecer aos alunos as ferramentas, o conhecimento e a educação certas para terem sucesso não apenas na economia global e no mercado de trabalho do Século XX, como também na vida.The purpose of this dissertation is to emphasise the articulation of three important themes that define our present and will define our future - Arts & Humanities, (STEAM) education, and Robotics. It hopes to facilitate the preparation of future generations for the 21st century society and economy, as well as to aid in the problem-solving of key world issues, and minimise the challenges posed by the relationship between men and complex technology. The main goal is to understand the ideal way of including the 'A' in STEAM (K-12) education with Robotics, by also figuring out how European schools are implementing STEAM (with or without Robotics) and what experts and practitioners in these areas have to say on these matters. In order to achieve such results, besides the robust literature review, sixteen experts were inquired, ten were part of the same panel on the Delphi Method questionnaire process, and the other six were interviewed according to the Critical Incident Technique. Due to the relevance of the study's themes, this will be useful and resourceful for both fellow researchers and practitioners in these three areas. As we go further into this evermore technological future for which we do not seem to be prepared for, the main problem is the dissonance between disciplines and the lack of their content's real-life applicability. STEAM and transdisciplinary knowledge have been gaining traction throughout the last years and have been proving themselves as suitable and successful educational techniques. The articulation between the Arts with the areas from STEM have proven to produce remarkable results. All areas must, while making sense, work together in order to provide students with the right tools, knowledge, and education to be successful not only in the global economy and job market of the 21st century, but in life too

Equity-Oriented Conceptual Framework for K-12 STEM Literacy

We introduce a conceptual framework of K-12 STEM literacy that rightfully and intentionally positions each and every student, particularly minoritized groups, as belonging in STEM. In order to conceptualize the equity-based framework of STEM literacy, we conducted a systematic review of literature related to STEM literacy, which includes empirical studies that contribute to STEM literacy. The literature on the siloed literacies within STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics literacy) also contributed to formulate the necessity of and what it means to develop STEM literacy. The Equity-Oriented STEM Literacy Framework illuminates the complexities of disrupting the status quo and rightfully transforming integrated STEM education in ways that provide equitable opportunities and access to all learners. The Equity-Oriented STEM Literacy Framework is a research-based, equity and access-focused framework that will guide research, inform practice, and provide a lens for the field that will ensure each and every student, especially minoritized students, develop, and are developing STEM literacy

The Future of STEM Education

The purpose of this literature review is to examine what quantifies an elite STEM program, what criteria makes STEM education impactful for students, and where the future of STEM education may lie. Integrated STEM is a key aspect of STEM education. STEM perceptions and understandings must be clarified in order to move forward with STEM reform attempts. Learning by doing, using real-world contexts, is vital to the success of integrated STEM education. Successful STEM learning environments must also focus on student engagement and motivation, as well as the incorporation of social-emotional and 21st century skills. Teacher preparation and professional development cannot be forgotten when working towards best practices and the forward progression of STEM programs

Positioning social sciences and humanities actors in the ninth European Union Framework Programme:a discourse analysis of Horizon Europe reference documents

Abstract. The topic of this thesis is how social sciences and humanities (SSH) actors are positioned in reference documents of Horizon Europe, the ninth EU Framework Programme for research and innovation. This thesis simultaneously studies and adds to the Discourse of SSH integration, a topic which has gathered increasing amounts of attention and concern from many scholars, stakeholders, and organisations. The theoretical framework for this thesis features previous and ongoing discussion of the contributions of SSH actors in different fields of research, including health, culture, security, digital technologies, space, climate, energy, food, bioeconomy, natural resources, and agriculture. Scholars strongly emphasise the need to include SSH actors in these areas of research. Despite the commitment of the EU and the European Commission to integrate SSH actors into all areas of research, Discourse of SSH integration features dissatisfaction in the efforts of past Framework Programmes. This thesis combines social positioning theory, discourse analysis, and document analysis in the analysis of Horizon Europe reference documents published by the European Commission. Social positioning theory provides an analytic lens through which to examine the roles that are allocated to SSH actors through language. A discourse analytical approach is useful in studying linguistic features, themes, and functions of language, and it allows the analyst to uncover attitudes and priorities that are produced through language. Document analysis supports the analysis with its focus on a structured and comprehensive view of the materials. Analysis of the refence documents shows that SSH actors are positioned in various different roles across the fields of research. Their agency and roles differ based on the topic, as some activities describe the inclusion of SSH actors as a secondary consideration, while other activities have them positioned in a key role. The analysis shows how linguistic features, such as vocabulary, syntax, and placement, affect how the positioning is conveyed and interpreted. These findings align with those of previous studies and contribute to the Discourse of SSH integration. This thesis provides a fine basis for future studies on the topic of SSH integration, a topic that will require more attention and study as Horizon Europe continues. More information will be needed on how the findings of this thesis compare to actual research activities occurring in the programme. Future studies can also compare the findings of this thesis to future Horizon Europe documents.Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoiden asemointi Euroopan Unionin yhdeksännessä puiteohjelmassa : diskurssianalyysi Horisontti Eurooppa -viiteasiakirjoista. Tiivistelmä. Tämä opinnäyte tutkii sitä, miten humanististen ja yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoita asemoidaan Horisontti Euroopan viiteasiakirjoissa. Horisontti Eurooppa on EU:n yhdeksäs puiteohjelma tutkimukselle ja innovaatiolle. Tämä opinnäyte samanaikaisesti tutkii ja kartuttaa diskurssia humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellisten tutkijoiden tärkeydestä kaikissa aloissa. Tämä aihe on herättänyt lisääntyvää keskustelua ja huolta tutkijoiden, osakkaiden sekä järjestöjen osalta. Teoreettinen tausta opinnäytteelle koostuu keskustelusta humanististen ja yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoiden tärkeydestä kaikkien alojen tutkimuksessa. Näihin tutkimusaloihin kuuluvat muun muassa terveys, kulttuuri, turvallisuus, digitaalinen teknologia, avaruustutkimus, ilmasto, energia, ruoka, biotalous, luonnonvarat ja maatalous. Tutkijat korostavat vahvasti humanististen ja yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoiden tärkeyttä näissä aloissa. EU:n ja Euroopan komission sitoumuksesta sisällyttää humanististen ja yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoita kaikkiin tutkimusaloihin, aihetta ympäröivä diskurssi välittää tyytymättömyyttä aiempien puiteohjelmien toiminnassa. Tämä opinnäyte hyödyntää sosiaalista positiointiteoriaa, diskurssianalyysia ja dokumenttianalyysia Euroopan komission julkaisemien Horisontti Eurooppa -ohjelman viiteasiakirjojen analysoinnissa. Sosiaalinen positiointiteoria tarjoaa analyyttisen näkökulman erilaisten roolien ja positioiden havainnointiin. Diskurssianalyysi tarjoaa lähestymistavan erilaisten kielellisten yksityiskohtien, teemojen ja toimintojen tarkasteluun. Se edesauttaa analyytikkoa havainnoimaan asenteita ja prioriteetteja, joita tuotetaan kielenkäytön kautta. Dokumenttianalyysi tukee tutkimuksen jäsentynyttä ja kokonaisvaltaista materiaalien käsittelyä ja analyysia. Viiteasiakirjojen analyysi paljastaa että humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoita asemoidaan moniin erilaisiin positioihin läpi tutkimusalueiden. Heidän toimijuuteensa ja rooleihin vaikuttaa tutkimuksen aihe, esimerkiksi joissakin tutkimusmahdollisuuksissa heitä asemoidaan toissijaisina jäseninä, kun taas toisissa tutkimusmahdollisuuksissa heidät asemoidaan avainrooleihin. Analyysi osoittaa sen, kuinka tärkeä merkitys on asiakirjojen muotoilussa. Muun muassa sanavalinnat, syntaksi ja sijainti vaikuttavat siihen, kuinka asemointia välitetään ja tulkitaan. Nämä huomiot ovat verrattavissa aiempien tutkimusten löydöksiin, ja ne myös kartuttavat aihetta ympäröivää diskurssia. Tämä opinnäyte tarjoaa mainion pohjan tuleville tutkimuksille liittyen humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellisten alojen toimijoiden tärkeyteen, etenkin Horisontti Eurooppa -ohjelman edetessä. Tämän tutkimuksen löydöksiä olisi tärkeää verrata Horisontti Euroopan tutkimushankkeisiin ja toimintaan. Tulevissa tutkimuksissa voitaisiin lisäksi verrata tämän opinnäytteen havaintoja tuleviin Horisontti Eurooppa -viiteasiakirjoihin

Attitudinal Differences towards Robotics Competitions of Male and Female Students Participating in a Southeastern State Robotics Competition

Some of the most dynamic and demanding careers are in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, when analyzing gender, there are great disparities among gender in STEM. Statistics indicate females are vastly underrepresented and males are employed double the rate of females. Leading STEM companies are creatively trying to attract future STEM laborers by means of science and engineering competitions. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study was to investigate if there are differences in attitudes between male and female students participating in a robotics competition. A convenience sample of public school students (N = 194) from grades 7-12 that participated in a southeastern state robotics competition were used in this study. The sample consisted of 69 females and 125 males. The researcher administered a modified version of the Student’s Attitude toward Science Fairs Survey customized for use at a robotics competition. The instrument measured students’ overall attitudes toward science and engineering competitions and further explored two constructs: usefulness (utility value) and enjoyment (intrinsic value) of the competition. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine if differences existed between male and female students’ attitudes towards science and engineering competitions and results were disclosed. The MANOVA results determined that there are no significant differences found among male and female students and their enjoyment, value (usefulness), and total (overall attitude) values towards a robotics competition, Wilks’s Λ = 1.00, F(2, 191) = 0.10, p \u3e .05, partial η2 = 0.001. Thus, the researcher failed to reject the null hypothesis. Implications of this investigation and future recommendations for future studies were discussed

Translating STEM education research into practice

This translational research project from the Centre for Education Policy and Practice sought evidence-based practical applications, programs or interventions that can be implemented in the primary classroom to address STEM learning. A literature search for STEM education interventions in primary years was undertaken in order to identify integrated STEM programs that have had a proven impact on student outcomes. This paper outlines the scope and methodology of the review. It then considers the findings in terms of four key themes and translates them into short messages for teachers. The recent literature on STEM education was found to centre around four major themes: teacher capacity, integration of STEM disciplines, active learning and student engagement and participation. A small set of STEM education programs and frameworks are also presented

Development of Workforce Skills: Student Perceptions of Mentoring in FIRST Robotics

In today’s global economy, new workforce competencies are needed for success at both individual and societal levels. The new workforce skills extend beyond basic reading, writing, and arithmetic to include higher order processes such as critical thinking and problem solving. Technical job opportunities have grown by approximately 17%, yet the United States continues to decline in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Further, U.S. students earn average or below average test scores when compared to other developed countries. Researchers cite the need to incorporate the learning of workplace skills into secondary education curriculum, and advocates call for new teaching methodology and contextual experiences to enhance learning. A popular and expanding method for teaching students is the use of technical mentors to develop workforce skills. Education studies demonstrate learning is a social activity, and mentors can play a vital role in understanding and learning skills. The FIRST Robotics program relies heavily on mentor expertise for student instruction. This study uses FIRST Robotics teams as a population to investigate student perception of the effectiveness of mentors on the development of workforce skills. Findings show students perceive mentors have a positive effect on the development of workforce skills, and, furthermore, students’ perceptions of mentors impact student learning

Redesigning and Expanding WPI’s Summer STEM Programs for Middle School Girls

The underrepresentation of females in STEM fields limits innovation. The purpose of this project was to develop resources for the Office of Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to aid them in their expansion of summer STEM programs, increasing opportunities for middle school girls to get involved as well as increasing female engagement in STEM. We analyzed the effectiveness of previous activities and developed 25 modules as frameworks for designing effective STEM outreach programs for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls

Observing Environments

> Context • Society is faced with “wicked” problems of environmental sustainability, which are inherently multiperspectival, and there is a need for explicitly constructivist and perspectivist theories to address them. > Problem • However, different constructivist theories construe the environment in different ways. The aim of this paper is to clarify the conceptions of environment in constructivist approaches, and thereby to assist the sciences of complex systems and complex environmental problems. > Method • We describe the terms used for “the environment” in von Uexküll, Maturana & Varela, and Luhmann, and analyse how their conceptions of environment are connected to differences of perspective and observation. > Results • We show the need to distinguish between inside and outside perspectives on the environment, and identify two very different and complementary logics of observation, the logic of distinction and the logic of representation, in the three constructivist theories. > Implications • Luhmann’s theory of social systems can be a helpful perspective on the wicked environmental problems of society if we consider carefully the theory’s own blind spots: that it confines itself to systems of communication, and that it is based fully on the conception of observation as indication by means of distinction

What do Undergraduate Engineering Students and Preservice Teachers Learn by Collaborating and Teaching Engineering and Coding through Robotics?

This research paper presents preliminary results of an NSF-supported interdisciplinary collaboration between undergraduate engineering students and preservice teachers. The fields of engineering and elementary education share similar challenges when it comes to preparing undergraduate students for the new demands they will encounter in their profession. Engineering students need interprofessional skills that will help them value and negotiate the contributions of various disciplines while working on problems that require a multidisciplinary approach. Increasingly, the solutions to today\u27s complex problems must integrate knowledge and practices from multiple disciplines and engineers must be able to recognize when expertise from outside their field can enhance their perspective and ability to develop innovative solutions. However, research suggests that it is challenging even for professional engineers to understand the roles, responsibilities, and integration of various disciplines, and engineering curricula have traditionally left little room for development of non-technical skills such as effective communication with a range of audiences and an ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams. Meanwhile, preservice teachers need new technical knowledge and skills that go beyond traditional core content knowledge, as they are now expected to embed engineering into science and coding concepts into traditional subject areas. There are nationwide calls to integrate engineering and coding into PreK-6 education as part of a larger campaign to attract more students to STEM disciplines and to increase exposure for girls and minority students who remain significantly underrepresented in engineering and computer science. Accordingly, schools need teachers who have not only the knowledge and skills to integrate these topics into mainstream subjects, but also the intention to do so. However, research suggests that preservice teachers do not feel academically prepared and confident enough to teach engineering-related topics. This interdisciplinary project provided engineering students with an opportunity to develop interprofessional skills as well as to reinforce their technical knowledge, while preservice teachers had the opportunity to be exposed to engineering content, more specifically coding, and develop competence for their future teaching careers. Undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a computational methods course and preservice teachers enrolled in an educational technology course partnered to plan and deliver robotics lessons to fifth and sixth graders. This paper reports on the effects of this collaboration on twenty engineering students and eight preservice teachers. T-tests were used to compare participants’ pre-/post- scores on a coding quiz. A post-lesson written reflection asked the undergraduate students to describe their robotics lessons and what they learned from interacting with their cross disciplinary peers and the fifth/sixth graders. Content analysis was used to identify emergent themes. Engineering students’ perceptions were generally positive, recounting enjoyment interacting with elementary students and gaining communication skills from collaborating with non-technical partners. Preservice teachers demonstrated gains in their technical knowledge as measured by the coding quiz, but reported lacking the confidence to teach coding and robotics independently of their partner engineering students. Both groups reported gaining new perspectives from working in interdisciplinary teams and seeing benefits for the fifth and sixth grade participants, including exposing girls and students of color to engineering and computin