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What is STEM ?
What is STEM ?
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. It is an interdisciplinary approach that helps students succeed in college and in their future careers. The focus of a STEM education is hands-on, problem-based learning.
What is STEAM ?
What is STEAM ?
STEAM is an educational approach that incorporates the Arts into the more-familiar STEM model, which includes science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEAM programs can include any of the visual or performing arts, such as dance, design, painting, photography and writing.
What does STEM education mean to you and how do you apply it in school?
First of all, a challenge - and we really like challenges, because they generally bring exploration, growth, something new or development in a new sense of an already existing idea.
I find the idea of interweaving several school subjects brilliant. In general, everything we learn at school in pieces - different subjects, school programs, skills, etc., in real life is applied together. This interdisciplinary approach helps students find logical and relevant connections between different theoretical levels in the classroom, in subjects, applying theory to solve a practical problem, to find and test a solution in everyday life or in a simulation of everyday life.
The Buck Institute for Education (BIE) defines PBL as “a teaching method in which students acquire knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and answer an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.”
Project-based learning is, in short, a student-centered method, with work in small groups; which involves students in real-world tasks, simulating a professional situation; which includes processing multiple sources of information, proposing and testing solutions, adjusting - an approach in which the teacher acts as a facilitator for learning and resource guide.
It develops critical and creative thinking, leadership skills, collaboration, decision-making, adaptability, a lot of soft skills. And it prepares children not only for a career in the field, but also for life.
How do you think the integration of STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) in Transylvania College influences the development of students?
I think that first of all it facilitates the understanding of concepts and the ability to apply them. Thus, it increases the motivation to learn. The attitude towards these subjects improves significantly and students may begin to discover that they like them more than they thought, to develop their skills and abilities, to have satisfaction and even to want a career in these domains.
What are the biggest challenges you face when you want to organise a STEM event or project?
Time is more of a challenge. However, if we get used to prioritising, it is enough to start such a project, such a collaboration between teachers who contribute through their subjects, then between students, that satisfaction is not long in appearing and from there the road is open.
Previously, we also had challenges, such as the ability to design collaboratively, to respect the project stages, to provide qualitative resources, even some preconceptions related to how much you can break away from the textbook, the curriculum, the traditional planning of the subject.
However, keeping up with modern teaching strategies, we gradually got out of our comfort zone and discovered that more creative options for approaching the curriculum are much more appreciated by students, much more effective in terms of academic progress, the soft skills they develop, the motivation for learning, the relevance for life.
What learning methods do you consider to be the most effective for stimulating students' interest in STEM fields?
It is inevitable here to bring into discussion several methods that intertwine: competency-based teaching, critical thinking, problem-solving/solution-finding, design thinking…
We started applying project-based learning at Transylvania College. Now our focus is on increased quality, consistency, empowering students to take leadership and own their learning journey.
I find a project all the more valuable when it contributes to solving a community need, diagnosed in a target group. In this way, the curriculum combines with leadership and active citizenship. PBL becomes Service-Learning. It really supports a real problem, not just a hypothetical one. It not only simulates everyday life, but actually lives it, educating as well as community involvement, forming support networks, partnerships, modeling for other factors that can contribute to the common good.
How do you connect theory to practical application of STEM concepts for students?
PBL always starts with a key question that aims to find a solution - usually to a real problem. After actively exploring a topic, collecting information and gaining new perspectives, each student or group of students will likely come up with different solutions to answer the same question. These solutions are based on research, studied theory, opinions of specialists in the field, etc. At the same time, they come up with an innovative application, a creative solution that they test, polish based on process feedback - it's a whole spiral of trial & error and learning from mistakes. In the end, an improved product is obtained.
What is the role of technology in STEM teaching and how do you use digital tools to enrich the student experience?
Digital tools are used for research, providing access to various information sources, tutorials, communication and collaboration, remote meetings with specialists, access to virtual laboratories, etc. Even the products developed can be digital. Also, for recording and storing process information, for data analysis and statistics, for evidence and review, and for adapting steps.
What are the most important skills that students can acquire through school STEM projects?
PBL develops skills in all essential categories - learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learning to live together. PBL develops skills of concentration, critical and creative thinking, autonomy, adaptability, resilience, problem-solving skills, data analysis, decision-making, collaboration, valuing diversity, teamwork, project management, leadership.
All of these are essential in adult life, they are the most necessary aspects for employment or for the success of your own business.
What kind of STEM projects have students implemented in your school? How do you encourage leadership among students?
Transylvania College STEM projects start as early as kindergarten - of course adapted to the specific age. From observing nature and applying knowledge in design thinking and problem solving for characters in stories or for the little birds in the park…
or healthy eating in primary grades - there is a project now in year 3 - to reduce sugar consumption and prevent childhood obesity…
to more complicated aspects in middle school - financial education combined with interior design or cosmetic companies, with greenhouse design or even with the design of an eye with superior sharpness of vision…
Or the robotics team project - a project that is constantly developing and that never ceases to amaze us with new stages and new barriers to overcome, simply at the initiative of an extraordinary team of brave and involved students.
What new projects do you want to implement in school?
One aspect that makes us very happy is that of multiplication of PBL in the other faculties in TC. Cross-curricular approach, transversal skills, applicability and the search for solutions for real life. Our colleagues from the Humanities department recently started a PBL - you would say it's not STEM... and yet ... It started in the Art classes with the study of medieval fortresses, fortified churches, castles... - art, history, geography ... a little design, a little research on heritage, conservation, restoration techniques, and it's just one step until STEAM subjects appear on the scene... and look, we bring together more and more subjects and more and more curricular areas - just like we used to say "Mathematics is not everything, but it's in everything" ... we will end up saying something similar about STEAM.
Have you noticed any change in students’ attitudes towards STEM subjects in these years? What factors do you think have contributed to this change?
TC students understand chemistry better – many are passionate about chemistry – after their project last year was to create a company that produces healthy cosmetics. They even applied for jobs, got funding, produced the cosmetics and sold them for a cause, supporting the community.
This year, the 6th graders are building a greenhouse, analysing the factors that influence the maximisation of the harvest on different types of crops. They are very motivated by the experiments.
The Robotics Club has more and more followers, children who want to master different skills well, in order to be accepted before the minimum age.
Middle school students who, in the documentation stage - organise online interviews with specialists - for example, even with an international marine biologist, to obtain opinions of the highest level in their journey to find solutions for the Computer Science project.
There is a whole hustle and bustle in the process of completing a project, collaborating, testing solutions, giving constructive feedback, adjusting .... With an enthusiasm and involvement that we, as teachers, do not find in everyday classes teaching in the traditional manner.
How do you think STEM education will evolve in the next 5-10 years and what do you think will be the dominant trends in STEM / STEAM education?
We hope that STEAM education, Project Based Learning and Service-Learning will be more and more implemented in schools.
And that the global efforts efforts will be directed in 2 main directions:
- innovation, finding creative solutions in as many areas as possible, with a positive impact on the planet's resources, with care for the environment, with an impact on health, on nature in general.
- the second direction would be: increasing general wellbeing, solutions for the 17 SDGs, concern for supporting less advantaged communities, on joint efforts to preserve heritage, valuing diversity, interhuman relationships based on rights, on respect and colaboration, on "learning and growing together".
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