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Project

STEM@school: Introducing integrated STEM education for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to Flemish secondary schools.

Despite the sufficient presence of students in STEM oriented study programs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at the secondary education level in Flanders (Belgium), there are not enough graduates with a STEM degree at tertiary education level. An important reason for this observation is the way by which STEM is taught in secondary education: the coherence between the different STEM disciplines remains unclear for most students. The focus of this strategic basic research project is to introduce integrated STEM education in the Flemish secondary education system. We develop innovative didactics for integrated STEM education to turn the curricula of current STEM oriented study programs at the secondary level intro integrated STEM curricula. Based on quasi-experimental research we evaluate the effectiveness of the didactics in terms of STEM literacy and STEM attitudes. In addition, we study what kind of systemic support can be developed in order to achieve sustainable dissemination of the developed integrated STEM didactics. In order to encourage a widespread implementation of the didactics for integrated STEM education, (pre-service) teacher training institutes will be involved during the project in different ways. In addition, based on the results of the quasi-experiments, recommendations and suggestions will be formulated to adjust curriculum guidelines.
Date:1 Jun 2014 →  31 May 2018
Keywords:Teacher education, Quasi-experimental research, Didactics, Curriculum research, STEM education, Educational effectiveness, theme_educationandll
Disciplines:Instructional sciences