Professional Educator Diploma in Science, Technology, Engineering Arts and Maths (STEAM)

The overall goal of these modules is to help educators to understand how students learn in a STEAM integrated approach. In this course, we will discuss how do we learn and dig deeper into the learning theories. We will also learn about the nature of our learners, their cognitive development stages and the different abilities of the multiple types of learners. The main objective of this course is to reflect the theories learnt on the participants’ classroom practices and modify their application according to their context. Learners explore several learning theories directly connected with STEM education like connectivism, cognitive and social constructivism and work on building a STEM friendly learning environment.

The STM 502 Course is designed for participants to explore the need to adopt alternative modes of assessment interwoven in the curriculum, as well as cutting-edge assessment tools that are accommodative to the STEAM comprehensive pedagogical approach. While it is the educator’s role to show students how to take tests effectively, due to the prevalence of standardized exams, educators will also learn how to facilitate student learning through assessment. The participants will have the opportunity to look in depth at the different modes of alternative assessment, practice using them in class, reflect on these modes and evaluate their effectiveness.  The course will explore the concepts and tools of formative and summative assessments, and participants will design both to be able to fully understand the difference and learn how to apply them to their context. Through this course, educators will also explore the critical thinking skills, their importance in the learning process and specifically in the assessment topic. They will get to practice and develop some of the critical thinking skills.

This course provides teaching methodologies for different subject matters through interdisciplinary projects. Participants will explore the diverse  methods to integrate disciplines; and will dive deeper into the purpose, benefits and limitations of integrated curriculums. Techniques for integrating subjects within traditional courses will be explored. Participants will analyze the role of teacher, student, school and community in creating an integrated STEAM learning environment; they will relate this to their context and develop their own ideas for how to implement these concepts. Within STEAM practices, collaboration, engagement and inquiry are core. These will be the core concepts explored in depth in this course with a focus on inquiry and inquiry-based learning.. Through group discussions, group and individual projects, and presentations, students will learn how to apply these concepts in a STEAM class and design an integrated STEAM unit.

This course provides an overview of engineering as a process (engineering design) and how such understanding of engineering design thinking can be utilized to teach the different disciplines. The presence of engineering design in the K-12 classroom is critical due to the implications for the future of STEAM. Learning Engineering design in K-12 is claimed to improve student performance and lead to increased interest in STEAM careers. This course will examine how to include engineering design in the K-12 classroom and study examples of such integration. It will also explore the impact of the engineering design process on the instructional strategies of STEAM. It will focus on project and problem-based learning strategies as applications of utilizing engineering design thinking in the learning process. The course will also explore the active learning and teaching techniques that would engage learners more in the learning environment. Participants will study various lessons and then create their own, utilizing the principles and strategies developed within the course. Through group discussions, group and individual projects, and presentations, participants will learn how to develop and critique an integrated STEAM unit according to given standards and criteria. Participants will also be introduced to some contemporary research findings, practical ideas and resources that they can build upon to use in their classrooms. Reflective thinking and writing skills are very important 21st century skills that students and educators need to be able to do. Throughout this course, there will be an opportunity for educators to explore these skills and practice them; and discuss how to help students acquire these skills.

This course provides specific methods for integrating Arts (fine and liberal arts) into STEM education. Participants will design their own interdisciplinary activities where Arts is integrated with the science based disciplines of STEM education. This course will also expose participants to creative thinking, its stages, how to foster creativity and how to assess it. Through group discussions, debates, group and individual projects, and presentations; participants will learn how to design and integrate the Arts into a STEAM experience. Participants will also be introduced to some contemporary research findings, practical ideas and resources that they can build upon and use in their classrooms.

Considering that recent research literature continuously points to the fact that what teachers know and are able to do, greatly enhance student learning, the STM 507 Course is an effective practicum course built or designed for carefully guided reflective practice to help participants practice their skills and receive feedback from their peers. The STM 507 Course is a Clinical Practicum course (an alternative for a field-based component) that aims at upgrading and promoting STEAM pedagogic practices through immediate, thoughtful and reflective feedback from Critical Friends Groups and Group feedback and support Sessions.