The interaction of history and STEM learning goals in teacher-developed curriculum materials: opportunities and challenges for STEAM education

Abstract

Although the integration of subjects in the curriculum has been advocated in recent years, there exist limited opportunities for teachers of different subjects to implement integrated curricula in schools collaboratively. In this paper, we consider history as a humanities subject that could be integrated with STEM and explore the diverse history-related learning goals found in teacher-developed STEAM curriculum materials. Using integrated STEAM curricula developed by 13 cross-subject teacher teams in Korea, we analyze the presentation of history-related learning goals in the curricula and report several patterns identified across the curricula. First, the majority of the curricula aimed for the learners to identify themselves in their regional and national histories, but other levels of identification were also aimed for. Second, all the curricula included goals related to historical analysis skills, which were sometimes integrated with scientific inquiry skills. Third, we found several goals related to eliciting students’ moral response to history, particularly when the curriculum topic concerned issues at the national level. Fourth, the integration of subjects allowed for exhibiting learners’ historical understanding through various activities and in explanatory, persuasive, and imaginative manners. Overall, the analysis pointed to several ways in which the goals of history learning can interact with those of STEM learning, which can be useful for future research and practice in integrated curriculum. We discuss some potential challenges of integrating history with STEM, such as issues that can arise from the use of the “nation” as a context for STEAM learning.

Through Their Eyes: Gifted Students’ Views on Integrating History of Mathematics Embedded Videos Into Mathematics Classrooms

“…On the other hand, the findings of the current study contribute to mathematics education not only by providing the history of mathematics embedded videos as the conceptual learning tool in mathematics and other disciplines with their evaluation but also by enhancing curiosity, motivation, and attitude toward mathematics. Hence, through the use of history of mathematics videos, the findings from previous study (Park & Cho, 2022) are validated for gifted students.…”

“…In recent years, the educational value of history has been acknowledged not only in mathematics education but also in the context of science, technology, and engineering education. In addition to using history for conceptual learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), it has been used to pique students' curiosity and foster a positive attitude toward such fields (Park & Cho, 2022). Specifically, the integration of the history of mathematics can also make it possible for the way in which such integration opens up different fields of mathematics and expands opportunities to help gifted students to meet their curiosity and intellectual needs (Fauvel & van Maanen, 1997).…”

Secondary teachers’ competencies and attitude: A mediated multigroup model based on usefulness and enjoyment to examine the differences between key dimensions of STEM teaching practice

“…The integrated STEM curriculum has developed from the desire to fulfil the need to understand phenomena and events from reality [ 5 ]. The usefulness and enjoyment of learning in a multidisciplinary context using STEM teaching practice [ 6 ] are necessary for encouraging a positive attitude towards education.…”

Design and Creation of an Educational Scenario for the Junior High School History Course Using Contemporary Technologies

“…The educational value of history has not only been recognized within humanities and social studies education but also in the context of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education [9]. Nevertheless, learning one's local or national history does not seem to have a positive impact on the cognitive and affective aspects of students because the learning media that are often used do not support and promote learning that is interesting and fun, but a tedious, repetitive, and conventional of learning [10].…”

“…Although the integration of various subjects in the history course's curriculum has been advocated in recent years, there exist limited opportunities for teachers of different subjects to implement integrated history curricula in schools collaboratively [9]. In such an approach, teachers from different specialties will be able to support the teaching of the history course by collaborating with the history teacher in a variety of ways and through exploiting adequate technology, which can offer diverse contemporary approaches to learning.…”