Effective Teaching Methods for STEM Education.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and is a curriculum based on educating students in these four specific areas using an interdisciplinary approach.
The interdisciplinary approach to teaching STEM Education defines the use of a combination of methods and insights from several established disciplines or traditional fields of study. It involves the teachers and students, connecting and bringing together various perspectives in the pursuit of a better understanding of STEM.
Student performance in learning, particularly STEM is largely influenced by the method adopted by the teachers. In Nigeria today, teaching and learning of science is rather teacher-centred. This means the learning experience revolves around the teacher, oftentimes making the students passive. It is also worthy to note that with this current practice, the teachers are seen as conveyors of knowledge and because they rarely apply innovative teaching techniques that would engage the students and stimulate their interests, we lose whatever interest in STEM would have been developed by the students.
When STEM is effectively taught to students here are some of the skills the students are likely to develop
- Problem Solving
- Critical thinking
- Team Work
- Independent thinking
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- ..and most importantly, Digital Literacy.
Understanding that regardless of the methods with which STEM is taught in schools in Nigeria, the students would still be required to compete on the same turf with other students who have been exposed to better learning methods and opportunities, it is then important to look deep into the effective methods with which STEM Education can be taught in schools.
This piece intends to highlight the effective teaching methods in practice, identify the similarities and areas of the best application for them.
Project-Based Learning ( PBL)
This is an instructional methodology that encourages students to learn and apply knowledge and skills through engaging classroom experiences. In this learning method, the teacher is seen more as a facilitator than a bearer of knowledge and information. The projects may be suggested by the teacher but they are all executed and planned by the students themselves.
Many have however argued about the demerits of using PBL to teach STEM, stating that it is not a very cost-effective method of learning as it requires space and resources for the projects to be carried out. Another argument put forward is that the PBL cannot exhaust all the topics of learning in the various STEM subjects as thus hindering knowledge in certain areas.
These, however, do not take away the fact that this method is highly effective when working with early learners in STEM as it excites them by improving their sensory, cognitive and critical thinking skills, enhancing teamwork and achieving more interest in the STEM.
Problem-Based Learning:
This is a method of teaching which requires a high level of thinking. Here the students analyse, create and evaluate a problem posed. Such problems are often open-ended and might not have solutions, however, the students can proffer probable solutions and questions already set principles or narratives. The problem-based learning which is similar to another learning method — Inquiry-Based Learning(IBL) — encourages students to ask questions and work in groups whereas, in IBL, the students are required to work individually.
Problem-Based Learning is oftentimes paired with Project-Based learning as they are both collaborative, requiring the students to work in groups and involves active learning. The teams of students could be interdisciplinary cutting across various fields in the sciences all working together to proffer a solution. Often this problem is provided by corporates as is seen in hackathons where the problem is presented and the groups apply critical thinking skills to analyse and proffer solutions.
Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL):
The learning method focuses on questioning, critical thinking and problem-solving. In this, the students are very involved in the learning process with them allowed to ask exhaustive questions on everything concerning the subject matter. Often sometimes confused with Problem Based Learning where the problems provided are open-ended and most times without a definite/set solution, IBL questions have definite answers and solutions.
Using IBL to teach STEM helps students understand the various set principles that are involved in the final answers to the problems posed which ensure that they fully understand and can apply the knowledge where necessary. With IBL for teaching STEM, students are encouraged to think and individualise the learning as opposed to memorising principles or hiding in groups as might occur with the other methods.
Here the teacher acts as a scaffolding to the students, providing them with support and assistance while guiding them to discover the answers to the problems asked.
In conclusion, it has been projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), that more than 50% of today’s jobs require some degree of technology skills and experts say that percentage will increase to 77% in the next decade. To ensure that Africa is not left behind, we need to better focus on effectively teaching STEM Education to school kids, to ensure that the interest is harnessed early and sustained.
If more teachers are equipped with the right tools to apply innovation in teaching STEM as evident in the different teaching methods above, we would well be on our way to educating children in Nigeria that can compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world.
