Comenius Teaching Fellows 2022 Teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in primary education: an innovative approach to new pedagogy teaching concepts

Modern learning environments that make use of digital technology are an integral part of contemporary education. The use of high-visibility ICT learning environments in the pedagogical training of primary school teachers (PABO), in addition to comparing the effectiveness of digital interfaces with regular educational interventions, requires specific affordances and skills from PABO-teachers to make the transfer from simulations in the classroom to realistic practice in their teaching. This requires adjustments to the curriculum so that teacher-training students can understand the concepts underlying STEM and can subsequently transfer knowledge and skills to primary school pupils in a more effective way.

New experimental science-learning environments that make use of digital interfaces have become more available to primary and secondary schools and pedagogy-students. Applying these laboratory-based environments requires teaching skills and techniques that emphasize both digital knowledge and the capability to make the transfer from experimental simulations to real-life. Such an integrated approach can be seen as a state-of-the-art to gain more understanding of STEM-concepts by making use of digital learning environments. The educational innovation is a) the acquisition of research competences and handling skills that enable pedagogy-students to make effective use of digitized, experimental learning environments, and b) to be able to apply these more effectively in the transfer of knowledge and skills by teachers. Preparing pedagogy-students for adequate use of such environments requires adaptations in pedagogy and curricula. This project aims to develop and implement a new pedagogy that allows students to improve their teaching capabilities using highly visualised, digital STEM-learning environments. It addresses how students obtain required skills that elevate the positive effects provided by digital STEM-learning environments that can provide and facilitate the link between theory and practice. To analyse the effect of implementing digital experimental-based STEM-approaches in education, and to make strong contributions to pedagogy, several different treatment conditions will be compared (Flui.Go as a new experimental, digital learning environment compared to using traditional materials and science-boxes) with control groups. From the findings distinct changes to curricula will be inferred to enhance skills and pedagogy of both students and teachers to effectively apply and implement digital STEM-teaching.