Stem Initiatives: Stimulating Students to Improve Science and Mathematics Achievement
Robert Quinlyn Berry, Philip Anthony Reed, John M. Ritz, Cheng Yuan Lin, Steve Hsiung, Wendy M. Frazier · ODU Digital Commons (Old Dominion University) · 2004
The article focuses on how concepts in science, technology education, and mathematics show powerful relationships when it comes to student learning. Learning theorists believe that, through designed learning environments (contexts) and learning with hands-on projects, new knowledge can not only be learned, but learned in such a way that the knowledge can be transferred for other applications. Scholars in the applied sciences (school science, technology, and mathematics) believe that these subjects have transfer among themselves and that engineering activities can establish the contexts to learn these subjects, plus aid in the transfer of knowledge. This collaborative movement is referred to as STEM — integrating instruction in science, technology education, engineering, and mathematics. For more information on the national standards, conduct a web search for National Science Education Standards (1996), Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology (2000/2002), and Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, (2000).