نظرة عامة على البرنامج

Course Description

The M.Ed on Education and Innovation: EDUECE5 - Early Childhood STEM Learning Community course explores effective and innovative approaches for implementing STEM education in early childhood settings. It focuses on unified themes which are underpinned by a play-based problem-solving pedagogy. Students will research and critically analyze current research and innovations in STEM and reflect on implications for both practice and policy in early childhood settings.

Course Objectives

The course recognizes the need for high-quality STEM education to begin early in a child's life and prepares early childhood teachers to develop advanced skills in planning, implementing, and assessing STEM in developmentally appropriate ways, using research evidence-based approaches. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of teaching STEM in the early years.

Course Resources

The course utilizes several key resources, including:

• STEM in Early Childhood Education by Lynn E. Cohen and Sandra Waite-Stupiansky
• Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom by Alissa A. Lange, Kimberly Brenneman, and Hagit Mano
• Baby Steps to STEM by Jean Barbre

Course Outline

The course is structured over 11 weeks, with each week focusing on a specific aspect of STEM education in early childhood:

Week 1: Introduction to STEM and STEM Education

• Introduction to STEM and STEM education
• Conceptualizing STEM in early childhood learning environments
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Lange, A. A., Brenneman, K., & Mano, H. (2019)

Week 2: Play and Children's Technological Skills

• Play and children's technological skills: processes, context, research, and practice
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Lange, A. A., Brenneman, K., & Mano, H. (2019)

Week 3: Children as Engineers in Early Learning Environments

• Children as engineers in early learning environments: physical technologies
• Engage-Explore-Reflect cycle, creativity, and innovation
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Lange, A. A., Brenneman, K., & Mano, H. (2019)

Week 4: Developing Children's Sense of Mathematics

• Developing children's sense of mathematics in early learning environments
• Shape, space, orientations, number sense, and relationships
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Lange, A. A., Brenneman, K., & Mano, H. (2019)

Week 5: Play-Based STEM and Higher Order Thinking Skills

• Play-based STEM and higher order thinking skills: imagination, visualization, representation, and argumentation
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Lange, A. A., Brenneman, K., & Mano, H. (2019)

Week 6: Designing an Assessment of Computational Thinking Abilities

• Designing an assessment of computational thinking abilities for young children
• Documenting and sharing STEM experiences
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2021)

Week 7: Engaging Young Children in Engineering Design

• Engaging young children in engineering design: thinking, creativity, and resilience
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Brophy, S., Klein, S., Portsmore, M., & Rogers, C. (2008)

Week 8: Creating Playful Robots of Interest in STEM

• Creating playful robots of interest in STEM
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2021)

Week 9: Applying STEM Beyond the Classroom

• Applying STEM beyond the classroom: links to real-life experiences
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2021)

Week 10: Developing a Supportive STEM Learning Community

• Developing a supportive STEM learning community: making use of nature
• Required readings: Cohen, L. E., & Waite-Stupiansky, S. (2020), Tippett, C. D., & Milford, T. M. (2017), Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2021)

Week 11: The Future of STEM Education in Early Childhood

• The future of STEM education in early childhood: reflections
• Required readings: Daugherty, M. K., Carter, V., & Swagerty, L. (2014), Wan, Z. H., Jiang, Y., & Zhan, Y. (2021)