The pathway to create a STEM-based topic for education
The development of STEM education into high schools brings many meanings, in line with the orientation of reforming general education. Based on the goal of STEM education, the process of developing a STEM topic can be done through the following steps:
Step 1: Select a topic, including the title of the lesson, the related subjects, and the subjects’ contribution to the lesson. To select a topic, teachers need to analyze the curriculum framework and the learning outcomes of each subject to find a common and practical topic that is suitable for the students’ level and local circumstances.
Step 2: Determine the set of guiding questions (core questions and suggestive questions) to be solved in the topic. This step helps figure out the content that needs to be involved. Core questions are general and essential in STEM topic design. Suggestive questions are more specific. They are learning objectives specified in the form of questions.
Step 3: Develop solution/product criteria to solve the problem of the topic. After defining the problem to be solved/product to be manufactured, teachers should also clarify all the solution/product criteria.
These criteria are a significant basis for proposing scientific hypothesis/problem solution/product design.
Step 4: Identify the knowledge that needs to be applied to solve the problem. Teachers will determine the necessary knowledge based on core questions and suggestive questions. Knowledge of the topic needs to be connected between subjects, ensuring scientific accuracy and diversity.
Step 5: Develop the learning objectives of the topic, including knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies development for students. In order to determine the goal of the STEM topic, teachers need to review what knowledge of each subject needs to be taught and what skills of each subject needs to be trained through the topic. Goals should be specific and quantifiable.
Step 6: Develop the content of the main teaching activities. It is necessary to clarify: What activities does the topic include? What role does each activity play in achieving the learning objectives? Activities can be divided according to the problem to be solved or according to the structure of the topic.
Step 7: Develop criteria to evaluate the content of the STEM topic. The assessment will help teachers determine the effectiveness of the topic in forming and developing students’ competencies and recommend more appropriate improvements. 3 Teachers need to assess the following aspects: relevance, feasibility, level of achievement of students’ goals, students’ interest.
Authors: Nguyen Minh Ngoc1,2, Tran Dinh Minh2,* 1 IvyPrep Education Center, Hanoi, Vietnam 2University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam * Corresponding author: Dr. Tran Dinh Minh (dinhminh2609@gmail.com)