Introduction
.docx
School
COMWAVE Institute, Haripur**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
ED 215
Subject
Psychology
Date
Dec 17, 2024
Pages
8
Uploaded by ChancellorWallaby4783
IntroductionEarly STEM education is necessary for children wishing to learn how to be creative, criticaland problem solver. The importance of this justifies the successful strategies for thepromotion of STEM education and structural obstacles. The purpose of this essay will be toargue that the early STEM education helps explore the skill development at the fulcrum ofmaking a high school student successful academically and favourably for lifelong learning.This essay will briefly review and summarise the results of two studies on early childhoodSTEM. It will consider particular studies in this field, comparing and discussing implicationsfor early education methods, curriculum, and policy.
Discussion: Children’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM)Review of Research Article 1The article STEM Starts Early examines the way in which STEM is incorporated into earlyeducation. The study explores how early STEM education affects academic, social, andlearning development. The research employs focus groups with educators, expert interviewsand a review of the literature to analyse systemic hurdles to STEM learning. The researchersalso examine gaps in teacher preparation and parent involvement to inform the developmentof better children’s STEM learning experiences. The report provides some helpfulsuggestions for improving early STEM education processes and regulations. Key discoveriesemphasize the need to start STEM education at a spearhead from early life. This is done inorder to cultivate critical thinking, problem solving, and long-term academic achievement.Early STEM exposure positively impacts a child’s ability with science and math skills later inlife. The importance of matching play based and developmentally appropriate with STEMactivity is emphasized. It also stresses improvement of teaching methods as well as need forgood professional growth and interdisciplinarity. The article’s strongest point is the multifaceted approach which combines research withparent and educator practical viewpoints. The ways different surroundings shape children'sSTEM development is contextualized through the use of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systemstheory. The suggestions that the article provides are policy reform, family involvement andteacher preparation. The utility of these findings may be limited in their ability to go beyondfocus groups and to secondary data. There are missing parts of our knowledge base on thelong-term effects of early STEM intervention largely due to lack in longitudinal studies. The
study clearly shows STEM’s support for educational fairness and the development of lifelongskills. This research will provide strategies which will greatly help incorporating STEM intoearly learning environments. One of the main theses is point out how parents, legislators, andeducators all need to work together to remove the barriers. This study provides a basis forimproving the early STEM learning experiences by addressing systemic issues andmisunderstandings.
Review of Research Article 2The second paper STEMPractise in the Early Years investigates practical ways ofincorporating STEM into early learning environments(Campbell et al., 2018). It stressesSTEM-based activities' role in helping a young learnerto become creative, problem-solvingand teamwork by doing things. In this article, the responsibilitiesof the educator areconcentrated on facilitating an inquiry-based, developmentally appropriate learningexperience. The study focuses on finding out how STEM is included in preschoolactivities,how teachers are involved in STEM, and how children’sinterests drive STEM investigation.The study takes a qualitative case study methodologyand examines four preschools in ruralAustralia using questionnaires, interviews and observations. Research indicates that integrated STEMpractises organically emerge in early childhoodsettings, especially through play and themes related to children’s interests. The findings ofthe study indicate that early STEM exposure leads to increased self-belief in STEMskills,creation of positive attitudes and highlights the importanceof teacher support to maximiselearning potentials. Important conclusions underscore that STEMeducation is mostsuccessful when it is embeddedwithin play based, inquiry driven activities, and is alignedwith children’s interests(Dewey, 1938). Teachers are important in allowing students to learnby fostering the ability for them to selected, study, and discovery. The authors also identifyobstacles to teachers' ability to make use of successful STEM methodsincluding theirvarying degrees of confidence and access to resources. One advantage to this article is that itprovides real world situations in which STEM is brought into early childhoodeducation. Itsmixed methods approach enhances the findings' dependabilityand offers a deepunderstanding of STEM practises(Campbell et al., 2018).
Synthesis of the articlesThe first and second article have differing ways of placing emphasison early STEMeducation and the role it plays in long term academicsuccess. The implications of playbased, inquiry driven, and developmentally appropriate ways of providing opportunitiesforchildren to learn STEMare addressed in both studies. It is necessary that parents andteachers are facilitated, whose roles are emphasised through the resources, training andconfidence needed for the successful implementation(Vygotsky, 1978). A common findingis that early STEM exposure, concomitant with fostering positiveSTEM attitudes and thedevelopment of fundamental abilities. Both papers say other subjects like literacy and socialemotional learning could help make STEMmore successful. The article STEM starts earlyfocuses on systemic issues, such as mismatched policiesand social beliefs. The second articlefinds that play based and outdoor activities can also foster STEM interest. This contradictionin their conclusions suggests how their findings are complimentarygiven that both papersfocused on macro-level impacts and micro-level behaviours. These concepts can becombined to use to take a grip of early STEM education. These results imply thatencouraging early STEM learning requires community, school and household coordinationwith teachers having the resources and self-confidence to teach engaging lessons. The stakesfor curriculum designers is to prioritise inquiry based, experientiallearning activities thatsuit kids’ interests and developmental stage(McClure et al., 2017).Early STEM education becomes very important for building some fundamentalcapabilitiessuch as flexibility, critical thinkingand problem-solving. Early STEM education teacheschildren to use planned and focused methodsof investigating the world they inhabit. Theseexperiences are well suited to boost cognitive growth, most especially in the domains ofspatial awareness, pattern identification and logical reasoning. These skills prepare kids for
better academic results and for living and working in a technologicalworld. Early educationwith STEM integration is fostered via experientialand trial-and-error learning to createresilience whilst promoting creativity and teamwork(Department of Education and Training,& Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2016). By actively engaging, thetechniques of inquiry help students to actively participatein solving real-world problemscenarios. The value of integrating STEMinto broader educational frameworks that focusnot only on specific STEM competencies but also on other such transferableskills neededfor professional and personal developmentis emphasised. Early STEM education assurespreparation of getting ready for a complex and STEM-oriented world through inclusive andengaging learning settings for specific developmentalstages (Department of Education,2022).
Discussion and RecommendationsFuture work in STEM professionsas well as in the classroom depends on these abilities. Theessay emphasises the importance of experiential, inquiry-based learning to introduce youngchildren to STEMideas. Teachers help kids learn in a way that they can develop with criticalcognitive learning that comes in handy in future educational processes. This process iscongruent with current teaching strategies centred around active learningand practicalproblem-solving. The second piece makes use of these ideas by exploring how early STEMexperience can lead to cognitive advantages, especially in the domain of logical reasoning,pattern identification and spatial awareness. The importance of these abilities is emphasizedas they help to promote an ongoing interest in STEM fields and early academic success(McClure et al., 2017). Recommendationsfor educators to integrate play based, inquirydriven STEM activities that are adapted to the child’s interests and stage of development. Itactively provides outdoor and hands on learning experiencesto promote curiosity and solveproblems. Policymakers are urged to coordinate curriculum, provide funds for professionaldevelopment and raise public awareness to dispel myths regarding the appropriatenessofSTEM for young children. Schools, families, and community organisations must collaborateto create coherent STEM learning environments. Studies in multiple contexts should beprioritised to boost relevance and investigate effective STEM integrationthroughouteducation and culture. Focusing on STEM professionaldevelopment can help educatorsencourage STEM learningand create relationships with families to sustain STEMengagement beyond the classroom. It highlights how teachers can create conditions in whichchildren can learn STEM education. Exposing kids to STEM topics early on builds thefundamental abilities that kids need to succeed in school(McClure et al., 2017).
ConclusionEarly STEM education is very important to address the development of such social,emotional and cognitive skills. Early exposure to STEM ideas helps children develop intoproblem solvers, be creative and work in teams (Campbell et al., 2018). Two researchpublications on STEM in early childhood education has been reviewed and summarised inthis essay. According to the findings, early STEM education is critical to the development ofskills necessary for long term academic and professional success. Some of the major topicscovered include the importance of inquiry driven, play based learning, the role of parents andteachers in STEM implementation. The importance of STEM education in early childhoodhas been discussed in the essay. The findings and arguments of the research articles have alsobeen discussed in the essay. The relevance of the articles to STEM in early childhood hasalso been explained in the essay.