STEM is a vital part of children’s learning as it’s the best subject to fully prepare them for the future. This is due to the advancements in science, maths, engineering and technology that are continuing to evolve into the future. They need to be prepared by having successful and engaging STEM lessons to be able to succeed.
STEM is always growing and changing rapidly, so teachers can find it difficult to keep up and understand how to implement it in the classroom. You need to take an adaptable and creative approach to STEM as you don’t only want to give information to your class and correct their mistakes, you need to let them learn from themselves with hands-on learning. Discover how to successfully implement STEM in the classroom to give your students a varied, hands-on and adaptable STEM learning environment where they can independently learn, think and problem-solve.
What is STEM?
STEM basically stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. This applies to anything that falls under these categories and those that blend them together, meaning there’s a lot to cover! So, what does each subject include?
- Science: Biology, physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy and psychology.
- Technology: Software development, computer science, AI and programming.
- Engineering: Chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.
- Maths: Geometry, fractions, algebra, statistics and subjects related to economics.
Methods to teach STEM
There are various methods you can use to teach STEM to your students in a unique and engaging way. Each method is a wonderful way to let students learn and understand all aspects of STEM, so it may be best to mix it up a bit for your lessons.
Problem-based learning
This is where students have a problem that is posed to them, and they need to analyse and evaluate it. It makes them think critically to a high level because, usually, the problem doesn’t have just one solution. Using this method encourages teamwork, leadership and creativity.
Project-based learning
This method focuses on encouraging children to learn new skills and apply what they know by being part of a project. The project allows them to work for a certain amount of time where they will research and create a solution to a problem or query. As a teacher, you should facilitate and encourage them to be in control of their project from beginning to end.
Enquiry-based learning
The purpose of enquiry-based learning is to allow students to learn from their initiative and actively participate in their lessons. You should encourage them to ask as many questions as they want about the subject topic. Through this, children can develop skills such as questioning, problem-solving and critical thinking. This is a student-led method, so the types of questions they ask need to be their decision.
Best ways to implement STEM in the classroom
Trying to implement STEM lessons that cover a wide range of topics can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be quite easy to incorporate STEM in the classroom. Use these best ways to implement STEM in the classroom to help you come up with a detailed and successful curriculum.
Mimic real-life scenarios
A hugely vital aspect of STEM learning is that it helps children learn skills that can be transferred to the outside world. Due to this, it’s important to mimic real-life scenarios in your STEM lessons as it can give students practical experience of real-world situations. This helps them deal with problems and tasks in the future, preparing them for real life.
Combine maths and science into projects
Try to combine maths and science into the STEM projects you set for your students. Implementing maths and science that are relevant to the current project allows students to deepen their knowledge in these topics. You should also make sure that the maths and science learned are applicable in the real world and serve a purpose.
Go on a field trip
Allow students to have a change of scenery to see first-hand STEM topics in the real world. Head on an exciting field trip to learn STEM in various settings. This is particularly useful for the topics of STEM that are difficult to emulate in the classroom environment, like engineering and manufacturing.
Covering the engineering and manufacturing aspects of STEM can be difficult without the right technology. You can head to various manufacturers to show children first-hand what they do and how their machines work. This will be a fun lesson as it’s a change of scenery and something new to do, making your class eager to learn and retain the information shared with them. You could delve into 3D printing with the help of an expert and even let your class have a go themselves. There are also many other engineering methods to explore, such as plastic machining and other machining techniques, so make sure to visit a business that does a mixture. Doing this will help children see how engineering works and how science and technology come into it.
You can also go to energy production facilities, transportation hubs and science museums to allow students to experience various STEM topics in the outside world.
Allow play
Let your students play with STEM equipment and find out for themselves how to work with technology or any other resource. If they play around with equipment and problems posed in STEM projects, they can figure out how to work equipment independently and solve problems by themselves. Don’t view play as unproductive and messing around because if they don’t get to play around with their STEM learning, they won’t get the opportunity to think for themselves and take initiative (which is what STEM is all about).
The same goes for you as the teacher too! If you have a new piece of STEM equipment or resource that you’re unsure about, play around with it. Have a go yourself when your class isn’t around and see what it can do. Doing this will make you more confident when using it with your class.
Get hands-on
STEM focuses on hands-on learning, so you need to give your class the freedom to figure things out for themselves and get hands-on. Allow them to work out how technology, equipment and resources work. You should also encourage small group work to enhance teamwork skills. Move desks around to encourage group work, laying the desks out to promote face-to-face interaction. Let them work together and experiment while engaging in hands-on activities.
Challenge your class
Because STEM learning encourages students to ask questions and focuses on enquiry-based learning, you should challenge your class. Push your students out of their comfort zone and mentally challenge them by giving them a problem that needs solving. Doing this can allow them to learn and provide them with high-quality learning experiences through investigation and solutions. They may not come up with the correct solution, but they’ll learn a lot (and more) through the process of elimination.
Try to make the challenge applicable to the real world that’s relevant to your class’s lives. Maybe it can be coming up with a recycling programme and system if there’s a problem with littering on school grounds.
Use these methods to successfully implement STEM in your classroom, providing your students with quality learning experiences that can be transferred to the real world. Prepare your class for the future with a mixture of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, helping them to tackle real-life issues and succeed when they’re older.