An attempt to evaluate STEAM project-based instruction from a school mathematics perspective

Abstract

Official documents in several educational systems reflect the importance of integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and consider project-based learning (PBL) as a way of integrating such disciplines in the classroom. Although STEAM-PBL has been characterized and evaluated in different ways, its impact on school mathematics teaching remains unclear. Mathematics is recognized as the fundamental basis of other disciplines; however, many students still perceive it as a difficult subject and abandon it. To analyze STEAM-PBL classroom implementation from a school mathematics standpoint, we examined 41 classroom experiences from 11 Spanish secondary education teachers (five in-field mathematics teachers), who participated in a STEAM training program for more than 4 years. To frame this study, Thibaut et al.’s (J STEM Educ 3(1):02, 2018) and Schoenfeld’s (Educ Res 43(8):404–412, 2014) characterizations of well-designed and implemented projects, respectively, were employed. The results showed that in-field mathematics teachers avoided transdisciplinary projects in which school mathematics is difficult to address, while out-of-field teachers tended to overlook the mathematics in interdisciplinary projects. Unlike out-of-field teachers, mathematics teachers often eluded design-based learning processes for deeply exploiting school mathematics. The latter teachers promoted high cognitive demands and positive perceptions about mathematics in projects where formative environments were generated through discussion and a meaningful feedback loop.

Creative methods in STEM for secondary school students: Systematic literature review

“…Problem and project-based learning (Beswick & Fraser, 2019;Chen & Lin, 2019;Diego-Mantecon et al, 2021;Morrison et al, 2021;Sutaphan & Yuenyong, 2019;Wahono et al, 2020) has been extensively utilized as a creative teaching technique to incorporate STEM education in mathematics. Wahono et al (2020), for example, teachers can incorporate STEM education with a problem and project-based learning method because it would help teachers achieve the class objectives while also benefiting students in acquiring new knowledge and engaging in thinking activities to create creative solutions.…”

“…Mathematics is acknowledged as the fundamental foundation of all other disciplines and many students consider it a challenging subject (Diego-Mantecon et al, 2021). In conjunction with that, a creative educator must build and implement innovative teaching strategies to create a more motivating, engaging, and instructive classroom environment for both teachers and students.…”

Hothousing: Utilising industry collaborative problem solving practices for STEAM in schools

“…The projects were student-driven but the KIKS study acknowledged that projects would not happen if it were not for the support of teachers. Although it may be assumed that teachers on the KIKS project were already convinced of the overall benefit of these Hothousing STEAM activities, it is clear that this cannot be assumed for all teachers, as also suggested by Diego-Mantecon, Blanco et al (2021). Accordingly, a follow-on project STEAMTeach (STEAM Education for Teaching Professionalism, 2020) focuses on teachers' in-and pre-service professional development addressing real and perceived challenges including teacher confidence, concerns and pedagogical creativity (Szabó, Burnard, Harris, Fenyvesi, Soundararaj & Kangasvieri, 2021) in subject integration, technology such as 3D printing, meeting the curricular requirement, time constraints, assessment and student-perceived benefit.…”

“…In particular, may it directly help 'get the grades'? It might be assumed that students will react positively to a stimulating challenge as in affective learning; learning that relates to the learner's interests, attitudes, and motivations (Picard, 2004;Diego-Mantecon, Arcera, Blanco & Lavicza, 2019;Diego-Mantecon, Prodromou, Lavicza, Blanco & Ortiz-Laso, 2021). But Weinhandl, Lavicza, Houghton and Hohenwarter (2020) found also that an important factor in learners' extrinsic motivation is the perceived positive cost-benefit, and in particular the contribution to their tests/grades.…”

STEAMTEACH Austria: Towards a STEAM Professional Development Program

“…The implementation of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education requires the successful integration of content from the aforementioned disciplines (e.g., Egyptian architecture using arts, mathematics, science, and engineering) over a school program (Diego-Mantecon et al, 2021). This is not a trivial challenge, as reported by Haas et al (2020, p.?) "in practice teachers may stay rooted in their core subject expertise and not have confidence to embrace a wider approach".…”