Teaching Practices around STEM Integration
The research on teaching integrated mathematics and
science provides a good basis for teaching integrated STEM
education. Successful integration of science and mathematics
depends largely on teachers’ understanding of the
subject matter (Pang & Good, 2000). Many teachers have
holes in their own subject content knowledge (Stinson et al.,
2009) and asking math and science teachers to teach another
subject may create new knowledge gaps and challenges
(Stinson et al., 2009).
What is known from research on effective practices in
science and mathematics education provides insight into
effective practices in STEM integration. Zemelman,
Daniels & Hyde (2005) list ten best practices for teaching
math and science:
(1) use manipulatives and hands-on learning;
(2) cooperative learning;
(3) discussion and inquiry;
(4) questioning and conjectures;
(5) use justification of thinking;
(6) writing for reflection and problem solving;
(7) use a problem solving approach;
(8) integrate technology;
(9) teacher as a facilitator;
(10) use assessment as a part of instruction.
A focus on connections, representations, and misconceptions
can also aid teachers’ pedagogy (Walker, 2007). The
benefits of using an integrated STEM approach is that
M. Stohlmann et al. / Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research 29
many of these practices lend themselves naturally to
integrated STEM activities.
Integrated STEM activities also allow teachers to focus
on big ideas that are connected or interrelated between
subjects. Berlin & White (1995) provide recommendations
on how teachers should approach student knowledge:
(1) build on students’ prior knowledge;
(2) organize knowledge around big ideas, concepts, or
themes;
(3) develop student knowledge to involve interrelationships
of concepts and processes;
(4) understand that knowledge is situation or context
specific;
(5) enable knowledge to be advanced through social
discourse;
(6) understand that knowledge is socially constructed
over time.
Recommendations five and six tie in nicely with many of
the best practices of math and science given by Zemelman
et al. (2005)