The STEM teacher
Evenementen
Quality education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
has become a major concern for governments and policy-makers all over
the world. Indeed, neither technology-driven economies nor democratic
societies can develop without a critical mass of STEM skilled knowledge
workers and a population of citizens with sufficient STEM literacy.
Unfortunately, the scientific literacy of the population is often
inadequate in most of the developed countries. Moreover there is a
dramatic lack of interest among the youth to opt for STEM studies and
STEM careers.
The independent and multidisciplinary Royal Flemish
Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts recognized the importance of
this issue and invited Professor José Mariano Gago (1948-2015) as a
“Thinker” to reflect on this question, whether Flanders is indeed on its
way towards an enthusiastic, curiosity and innovation driven knowledge
society. One of his most striking conclusions, confirmed by other
stakeholders in Flanders, can be summarized as follows:
Flanders is
in urgent need of a review of the curriculum, teaching methods and
learning outcomes in primary but mainly secondary education. There is
even more urgency to upgrade our teachers’ status and to thoroughly
reconsider the way teachers are trained, coached and retained in and for
STEM education today.
As a follow-up of these recommendations, a
working group of fellows of the Academy and other Flemish experts in the
field focused on the “STEM teacher” for the present position paper. It
is felt that many of the findings and recommendations here extend beyond
the Flemish region.
This report is addressed to the teachers and
their associations, the school managements, the inspection, educational
supervisors, the professors and deans of the faculties of science and
engineering of the Flemish universities, and educational policy makers
both in the Flemish government and within the umbrella organizations of
school organisers.
This position paper has four chapters:
1. Context
and history, the present scene in Flanders
2. STEM: meaning,
cohesion and importance
3. STEM education
4. The
teacher in STEM education.
The report substantiates nine
recommendations, all in the last two chapters, referred to by (1), (2) …
in this summary.
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
are significant fields of knowledge, each having their own
(r)evolutionary dynamics. They are entangled and have a great influence
on each other. STEM relates to all aspects of our lives and is able to
contribute to the grand challenges of our modern society (energy,
mobility, digitalization, health …) Both STEM professionals and
technology users, like all of us, are exposed to ethical aspects of
STEM. These motivating factors do not receive enough attention in
secondary education.
Three didactical recommendations for quality
STEM education are formulated: (1) STEM teachers should show their
pupils the relevance of their curriculum to bridge the gap with youth
culture, by contextualizing, by responding to the values, interests and
environment of pupils and by answering why the matters to be learned are
so important. (2) STEM education should seek better integration of the
four STEM components, with respect for their individuality. (3) STEM
teachers should involve pupils in the creative learning processes
typical to STEM, such as arguing, investigating, designing and problem
solving.
These recommendations require a major revision of STEM
education, solidly founded on educational research. (4) This process
must be prepared by educational actors.
The persistent shortage
of teachers (especially in science, mathematics and technology),
combined with a lack of attraction for and retention in the profession
is a matter of great concern. Moreover most teachers lack the broad view
on the entanglement between, evolution in and applications of the STEM
disciplines.
(5) To upgrade the status of teachers in society, the
teaching profession should have career incentives and the
professionalism of the teacher should be recognized.
(6) Schools
should strive to have a STEM department, bringing together teachers in
charge of the education in the various sciences, technology and
mathematics, to collaborate on project work, harmonize curriculum and
have consultation with external STEM professionals.
(7) The Flemish
education system provides too little time for professional support for
teachers. STEM teachers should be encouraged and supported to adopt a
lifelong learning attitude. There is a need for further training and
retraining, good mentoring and (international) networking.
To
achieve these recommendations, (8) it is suggested that a STEM education
centre be created, modeled after international examples of successful
STEM centres. It should bring together, develop and disseminate
expertise, learning material and equipment on STEM education.
(9)
Moreover, an initial Master program in STEM education should be
installed. It should be open to all academic bachelors in a STEM field.
It should lead to teaching qualification for the subject in which the
degree of the student is situated (academic degree in a STEM field).
This degree would require a total of five years of tertiary education
and should be organized beside the existing teacher programs.
Available documents
Author
-
Joos Vandewalle
-
Irina Veretennicoff
Co-author
-
Bert Seghers
-
Conny Aerts
-
Yvan Bruynseraede
-
Charles Hirsch
-
Rik Hostyn
-
Christiane Malcorps
-
Niceas Schamp
-
Alexander Sevrin
-
Dirk Van Dyck
-
Paul Van Houtte
-
Veronique Van Speybroeck
-
Jacques Willems
-
Katrien Strubbe
-
Wim Dehaene
-
Bernadette Hendrickx
-
Philippe Cara