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Two important features in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education are integration and solving real world problems.  Despite the efforts to promote STEM education awareness and interest among students and teachers, documented studies on how to explicitly integrate the existing STEM subjects curriculum standards in solving real world problems are limited. This paper describes the planning of after-school STEM education program focusing on relevant global issues related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that integrates the existing curriculum standards of three STEM subject in the lower secondary level. The data collection is mainly through document analysis of the three individual STEM subjects’ standard documents and the planned curriculum map for the school, along with the document on ‘Education for Sustainable Development Goals Learning Objectives’.  Four possible design challenges were formulated based on the themes in SDG incorporating selected standards from the three STEM subjects as well as addition of a few new related concepts and skills.  The description offers a way to assist educators in planning similar STEM education lesson or programmes or activities through integration of the existing individual STEM disciplines curriculum standards for different level and context relevant to the students.   Keywords: Contextual problem solving, integration, standard-based, STEM education, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Cite as: Loh, S. L., Pang, V., & Lajium, D. (2019). The planning of integrated STEM education based on standards and contextual issues of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(1), 300-315. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss1pp300-315

The Waikato Journal of Education is a peer refereed journal, published twice a year. This journal takes an eclectic approach to the broad field of education. It embraces creative, qualitative and quantitative methods and topics. The editorial board is currently exploring options for online publication formats to further increase authorial options.

Inventori Konsep Daya is an instrument that is adapted from the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). It is an instrument consisting of 30 diagnostic items related to the concept of force and motion. This instrument is widely used in physics education. However, the validity of this instrument in Bahasa Malaysia is not well studied to ensure that the items in the instrument function properly. Based on previous research, one of the major issues that are often questioned in the FCI is the reliability of the instrument when administered to different groups. When studies conducted in this country, researchers often use the reliability analysis under the Classical Test Theory. Various weaknesses are identified when evaluating using the analysis under the theory. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to apply the Rasch model under Item Response Theory in analyzing the items in Inventori Konsep Daya. Several analyzes were selected to determine the validity of the items and instruments. This study will be conducted on three levels of students involved in the learning of force and motion concepts. 300 samples will be taken from school students, elementary or matriculation students as well as undergraduate students who have studied this topic. The data will be analyzed using Windstep software. The results showed that Inventori Konsep Daya was a good instrument with high reliability and separation index, positive polarity value for every item, and fit the Rasch model. However, the instrument was quite difficult for the respondents in this study. This study is important in providing information to other researchers who will use FCI as an instrument in their study. In addition, the findings of this study can also be used to compare with the previous studies to draw more accurate conclusions.

Background and Purpose: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the formal school curriculum can be described as a STEM-related individual subject; as a learning package offering learning pathway for STEM elective subjects and as an integrated STEM learning approach. This study focuses on the needs assessment of STEM education as a learning approach among lower secondary school teachers in a local district in Malaysia. The current and desired situations were analysed as well as the causal factors which guide the choice of any intervention programs to address the actual needs.   Methodology: Three schools were selected through heterogenous purposive sampling. The teachers from each school were selected through criterion sampling based on predetermined criteria.   31 teachers from the lower secondary level who teach STEM related subjects as well as the head of panel and departments of the STEM subjects, were selected as the participants. Focus group and one-to-one interviews were conducted with the participants after receiving their consent.   Findings: There is a gap between the desired situation and the current situation in the implementation of integrated STEM education. The implementation of STEM education at the lower secondary level can be facilitated through various means such as a comprehensive STEM education professional development or training for teachers, collaborations between STEM subjects teachers through lesson studies or professional learning community, and working together with local STEM expertise or community of practice.   Contributions: The findings provide relevant information and guidance on the selection of intervention for the integrated STEM education in addressing the needs. It also initiates the planning of the integrated STEM education programs which focuses on the gaps as the means to achieve the desired results.   Keywords: STEM education, needs assessment, case study, gap, interventions   Cite as: Loh, S. L., Pang, V., & Lajium, D. (2021). A case study of needs assessment of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in lower secondary schools. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(1), 242-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss1pp242-264