How to make STEM lessons more effective
Inspire children to explore science and technology from an early age, say educators
“We leverage a wide variety of services and applications across the curriculum”
Dr Becky Berg, Interim Superintendent, American School of Dubai (ASD)
How do you introduce STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) education to students in lower grades?
The early learning programme at ASD (PreK-K2) is a student-centered approach with a focus on enquiry-based learning. This experience is formative in providing children the opportunity to begin to develop foundational skills that define themselves and their love for learning. In our Reggio Emilia-inspired play-based environment, children have authentic opportunities to work, play, socialise, negotiate with others, and make sense of their world. Through enquiry, discovery, exploration, and thoughtful intentional teaching, children will engage in interrelated experiences including math, science, social studies, creative art, language arts, music, movement, and Arabic.
Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum and supported by technology coaches who help to develop learning opportunities for students and teach them to become responsible digital citizens.
Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum and supported by technology coaches who help to develop learning opportunities for students and teach them to become responsible digital citizens. The middle school further incorporates Design Thinking and enquiry-based learning to allow the exploration of individual interests, which continues throughout high school.
What are the best ways to incorporate hands-on STEM learning into the classroom?
ASD is reimagining the learning environment through personalised learning and flexible spaces to cultivate collaboration and innovation and to prepare our students to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Technology is an integral component of learning at ASD. We leverage a wide variety of services and applications across the curriculum.
“Students have the opportunity to learn hands-on about the natural world”
Ataullah Parkar, Principal, International School of Creative Science (ISCS), Nad Al Sheba
How do you incorporate STEM learning into the curriculum and build skills for the future?
The reality of what STEM looks like in school has been debated for many years. Some schools dedicate STEM labs and others have days in a year dedicated to it. At ISCS, we have found that to truly embed something into learning, it should feature as a core component of a subject.
With the integration of technology, we have more opportunities to extend learning.
In our science lessons, students have the opportunity to learn hands-on about the natural world that they are exploring. Alongside the observations that they make, the process of enquiry, the projections, logic and evaluation of their experiments are critical to developing a mind that is STEM driven. With the integration of technology, we have more opportunities to extend learning.
In maths and science, despite Covid-19, we are able to provide more opportunities for real-life experiences and more complex ways to express information, building critical skills that our students need for the future, in their workplaces and higher studies.