Abstract
BotSTEM is an ERASMUS+ project. Its outputs are aimed to provide in- and pre-service teachers in Childhood and Primary Education with a didactical framework, research-based materials and best practices using integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and robot-based approaches for enhancing scientific literacy in young children. Initial results from the implementation of activities following the proposed model in preschools in Spain are presented here. Despite the possible obstacles that preschool teachers initially expressed, the preliminary analysis indicates that the proposed STEM integrated framework, including inquiry teaching and engineering design methodologies, can be used with children as young as 4 y.o. In the case of a project about magnets, the children seem to have learnt some scientific ideas, applied these ideas to design a magnetic toy and learnt about spatial orientation using robots.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bagiati, A., Yoon, S.Y., Evangelou, D., Ngambeki, I.: Engineering curricula in early education: describing the landscape of open resources. Early Child. Res. Pract. 12(2), 1–15 (2010)
Bybee, R.W., Fuchs, B.: Preparing the 21st century workforce: a new reform in science and technology education. J. Res. Sci. Teach. 43(4), 349–352 (2006)
DeJarnette, N.K.: America’s children: providing early exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiatives. Education 133(1), 77–83 (2012)
Toma, R.B., Greca, I.M.: The effect of integrative STEM instruction on elementary students’ attitudes toward science. Eurasia J. Math. Sci. Technol. Educ. 14(4), 1383–1395 (2018)
Kermani, H., Aldemir, J.: Preparing children for success: integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom. Early Child Dev. Care 185(9), 1504–1527 (2015)
Harlen, W. (ed.): Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education. Association for Science Education, Hatfield (2010)
DeJarnette, N.K.: Implementing STEAM in the early childhood classroom. Eur. J. STEM Educ. 3(3), 18, 1–9 (2018)
Chalufour, I., Worth, K.: Building Structures with Young Children. Redleaf Press, St Paul (2004)
Kelley, T.R., Knowles, J.G.: A conceptual framework for integrated STEM education. Int. J. STEM Educ. 3(1), 1–11 (2016)
Dare, E.A., Ring-Whalen, E.A., Roehrig, G.H.: Creating a continuum of STEM models: exploring how K-12 science teachers conceptualize STEM education. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 41(12), 1701–1720 (2019)
Fleer, M., Gomes, J., March, S.: Science learning affordances in preschool environments. Austr. J. Early Child. 39(1), 38–48 (2014)
Barab, S.A., Squire, K.: Design-based research: putting a stake in the ground. J. Learn. Sci. 13(1), 1–14 (2004)
Marton, F., Booth, S.: Learning and Awareness. Lawrence Erlbaum Association, Mahwah (1997)
Marton, F., Tsui, A.B.M. (eds.): Classroom Discourse and the Space of Learning. Routledge, New York (2004)
Marton, F., Runesson, U., Tsui, A.B.M.: The space of learning. In: Marton, F., Tsui, A.B.M. (eds.) Classroom Discourse and the Space of Learning, pp. 3–40. Routledge, New York (2004)
Ortiz-Revilla, J., Greca, I.M., Meneses-Villagrá, J.Á.: La investigación de diseño en el desarrollo de propuestas didácticas STEAM. In: Membiela, P., Cebreiros, M.I., Vidal, M. (eds.) Nuevos retos en la enseñanza de las ciencias, pp. 217–222. Educación Editora, Ourense (2019)
Dare, E.A., Ellis, J.A., Roehrig, G.H.: Understanding science teachers’ implementations of integrated STEM curricular units through a phenomenological multiple case study. Int. J. STEM Educ. 5(4), 1–19 (2018)
Plomp, T.: Educational design research: an introduction. In: Plomp, T., Nieveen, N. (eds.) An Introduction to Educational Design Research, pp. 9–35. SLO, Enschede (2007)
Akerson, V.L., Carter, I., Pongsanon, K., Nargund-Joshi, V.: Teaching and learning nature of science in elementary classrooms. Sci. Educ. 28(3–5), 391–411 (2019)
Rahm, J.: Reframing research on informal teaching and learning in science: comments and commentary at the heart of a new vision for the field. J. Res. Sci. Teach. 51(3), 395–406 (2014)
Van Keulen, H.: STEM in early childhood education. Eur. J. STEM Educ. 3(3), 1–3 (2018)
Martín-Páez, T., Aguilera, D., Perales-Palacios, F.J., Vílchez-González, J.M.: What are we talking about when we talk about STEM education? A review of literature. Sci. Educ. 103(4), 799–822 (2019)
Acknowledgements
botSTEM project is funded by the European Union and the SEPIE Spanish National Agency under the ERASMUS+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships for School Education European programme. We want to thank the teachers who collaborate with dedication in this project, sharing their knowledge and experiences.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
García Terceño, E.M., Greca, I.M., Redfors, A., Fridberg, M. (2021). Implementation of an Integrated STEM Activity in Pre-primary Schools. In: Herrero, Á., Cambra, C., Urda, D., Sedano, J., Quintián, H., Corchado, E. (eds) The 11th International Conference on EUropean Transnational Educational (ICEUTE 2020). ICEUTE 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1266. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57799-5_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57799-5_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-57798-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-57799-5
eBook Packages: Intelligent Technologies and RoboticsIntelligent Technologies and Robotics (R0)