Reflective Writing Blog (Module 4)
What elements of STEM education have you observed or are aware of in your teaching setting?
In my middle school science classroom, I have personally observed three elements of STEM teaching and learning during our stream study project. After witnessing the pain and drudgery of forced participation in the regional science fair, I knew that everyone involved needed a change. Currently, the entire middle school studies the physical, biological, and chemical properties of the stream nearby our school. The first characteristic of STEM that is present in my classroom during the stream study project is the use of ‘real world’ problems in our studies. My students have to determine the overall ‘health’ of our stream using metrics provided by the Department of Natural Resources. At the end of data collection, we upload our data to the DNR website so that our stream’s data is a part of the statewide watershed report card annually. This aspect of the project helps students to see the real world application of the skills and information they use during the project. Secondly, my students are encouraged to collaborate with their peers during the stream study project. The students’ final projects can take almost any format from a skit to a website. As the students collect data and synthesize ideas into a final product, the students benefit from working in small groups. In small groups, students are more likely to participate and take on leadership roles while they develop interpersonal skills. And, third my students complete authentic assessments that reflect their progress throughout the project. Students present their final products throughout the school (I work at a PreK-8 private school) to different grades. One group of 8th graders goes to Annapolis to present their projects to lawmakers and other stakeholders at the State House, which really lends a sense of authenticity to the project.
2. What instructional activities have your observed or are aware of in your classroom or at your school? If you have not observed any STEM practices, share an example of something you have observed that could be easily created as a STEM activity.
An instructional activity that I have made more STEM-appropriate is making slime with my 8th grade students during their chemistry unit. In this activity, my students solve a real problem by working together to discover the best formula for slime. In doing so, my students go through many of the attributes of STEM teaching and learning. First, I divide up my students into small groups at the lab tables, which already have all the ingredients necessary to make slime. Before we start the activity, we discuss the properties of slime that we appreciate, like elasticity, color, and texture. We talk about which ingredients might give us the desired properties of slime, and after that students can experiment with the materials until they concoct the ‘perfect’ slime recipe. I do not give the students a recipe or guidance for making the slime, and if they ask me questions I respond to them with more questions rather than just giving them the answer. At the end of class, or sometimes the next day, we discuss what the best recipe for perfect slime is and I write down the proportions the class suggests on the board.
3. Are there gaps in STEM learning among any sub-populations of students that you have observed or might predict based on your research the last few weeks?
Since I work at a private school, we take the IOWA assessment instead of any state testing. After reviewing our scores from testing completed this April, I noticed that many of our students could use improvement in what they refer to as extended reasoning skills. According to the IOWA assessment website, these science skills include the ability to: Propose solutions to scientific problems Make in-depth inferences, predictions, and conclusions Evaluate the appropriateness of scientific findings, conclusions, and experimental design Integrate ideas from various scientific disciplines and phenomena (ITP n.d.) I also have observed that my students struggle with these specific skills in other activities throughout the year, such as when we have labs or short answer responses.
4. Are there ways that you can envision improving STEM educational opportunities at your school? What are these based on your research?
One way that I would like to improve STEM education at my school is recruiting other faculty to incorporate and support STEM practices and learning. I work at a small, private, PreK-8 elementary school and my peers are already overwhelmed with the tasks and responsibilities they have throughout the school year. I’m looking for a way for my colleagues to embrace STEM education without stressing them out. I have learned that successful STEM education provides meaningful tasks/assessments for the students in a collaborative work environment. I think that if my co-workers and I worked together with each other and the influence of industry experts that we could build a strong STEM program for all grades.
References
(ITP) Iowa Testing Programs. (n.d.). Interpreting Results from the IOWA Assessments (TM) [PDF]. The University of Iowa. https://itp.education.uiowa.edu/ia/documents/IA_Interpreting_Results.pdf
What elements of STEM education have you observed or are aware of in your teaching setting?
In my middle school science classroom, I have personally observed three elements of STEM teaching and learning during our stream study project. After witnessing the pain and drudgery of forced participation in the regional science fair, I knew that everyone involved needed a change. Currently, the entire middle school studies the physical, biological, and chemical properties of the stream nearby our school. The first characteristic of STEM that is present in my classroom during the stream study project is the use of ‘real world’ problems in our studies. My students have to determine the overall ‘health’ of our stream using metrics provided by the Department of Natural Resources. At the end of data collection, we upload our data to the DNR website so that our stream’s data is a part of the statewide watershed report card annually. This aspect of the project helps students to see the real world application of the skills and information they use during the project. Secondly, my students are encouraged to collaborate with their peers during the stream study project. The students’ final projects can take almost any format from a skit to a website. As the students collect data and synthesize ideas into a final product, the students benefit from working in small groups. In small groups, students are more likely to participate and take on leadership roles while they develop interpersonal skills. And, third my students complete authentic assessments that reflect their progress throughout the project. Students present their final products throughout the school (I work at a PreK-8 private school) to different grades. One group of 8th graders goes to Annapolis to present their projects to lawmakers and other stakeholders at the State House, which really lends a sense of authenticity to the project.
2. What instructional activities have your observed or are aware of in your classroom or at your school? If you have not observed any STEM practices, share an example of something you have observed that could be easily created as a STEM activity.
An instructional activity that I have made more STEM-appropriate is making slime with my 8th grade students during their chemistry unit. In this activity, my students solve a real problem by working together to discover the best formula for slime. In doing so, my students go through many of the attributes of STEM teaching and learning. First, I divide up my students into small groups at the lab tables, which already have all the ingredients necessary to make slime. Before we start the activity, we discuss the properties of slime that we appreciate, like elasticity, color, and texture. We talk about which ingredients might give us the desired properties of slime, and after that students can experiment with the materials until they concoct the ‘perfect’ slime recipe. I do not give the students a recipe or guidance for making the slime, and if they ask me questions I respond to them with more questions rather than just giving them the answer. At the end of class, or sometimes the next day, we discuss what the best recipe for perfect slime is and I write down the proportions the class suggests on the board.
3. Are there gaps in STEM learning among any sub-populations of students that you have observed or might predict based on your research the last few weeks?
Since I work at a private school, we take the IOWA assessment instead of any state testing. After reviewing our scores from testing completed this April, I noticed that many of our students could use improvement in what they refer to as extended reasoning skills. According to the IOWA assessment website, these science skills include the ability to: Propose solutions to scientific problems Make in-depth inferences, predictions, and conclusions Evaluate the appropriateness of scientific findings, conclusions, and experimental design Integrate ideas from various scientific disciplines and phenomena (ITP n.d.) I also have observed that my students struggle with these specific skills in other activities throughout the year, such as when we have labs or short answer responses.
4. Are there ways that you can envision improving STEM educational opportunities at your school? What are these based on your research?
One way that I would like to improve STEM education at my school is recruiting other faculty to incorporate and support STEM practices and learning. I work at a small, private, PreK-8 elementary school and my peers are already overwhelmed with the tasks and responsibilities they have throughout the school year. I’m looking for a way for my colleagues to embrace STEM education without stressing them out. I have learned that successful STEM education provides meaningful tasks/assessments for the students in a collaborative work environment. I think that if my co-workers and I worked together with each other and the influence of industry experts that we could build a strong STEM program for all grades.
References
(ITP) Iowa Testing Programs. (n.d.). Interpreting Results from the IOWA Assessments (TM) [PDF]. The University of Iowa. https://itp.education.uiowa.edu/ia/documents/IA_Interpreting_Results.pdf
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