Recommendations

= Recommendations for STEM at Tenacre =

STEM should be taught in an interdisciplinary way because:
Relevance for jobs of the future 21st Century Skills: collaboration, integration, design and problem solving Students see natural connections amongst and between disciplines Apply skills through the engineering process Development of problem-solving process - the Tenacre problem solving process taught throughout disciplines

STEM integration is already taking place at Tenacre (see spreadsheet for full details).
• Computer classes - robotics • Science classes - engineering throughout the grades, heavier in grades 4 and 6, would like to see more in the lower grades, and more even distribution • Not in math classes at all - integration could help students learn math concepts because STEM experiences make math concepts relevant • STEAM integration should be investigated further

STEM integration can take place at four levels.
A good STEM program would integrate the STEM disciplines at many levels simultaneously. Some of these levels may be affected by the developmental level of the students involved

//Classroom level// - A single teacher integrates STEM disciplines in a particular project or unit
example: computer classes program robots to perform tasks. All STEM disciplines are integrated into the unit, but the major purpose of the unit is to teach technology skills. pros - integration happens without difficulty of multiple teachers being involved. Time, space and resources can be planned through one person. Teacher may benefit from meeting with STEM teachers as projects are planned and implemented cons - Teacher may lack knowledge or expertise of the other STEM disciplines, thereby reducing potential for deeper integration. Single teachers often run up against the tension between core curriculum scope/sequence and taking extra time to explore interdisciplinary work.

//STEM teacher level// - Multiple teachers gather to plan, execute and assess STEM projects or units that spread over the classes of several different disciplines
example: A problem solution is designed using CAD software in computer class, built and tested in science class, and the data collected is analyzed in math class. pros - Deeper integration, collaboration brings out wider points of view and improved. balanced goals for instruction cons - Difficulties of scheduling, logistics, meeting and planning time, resource allocation, oversight and accountability

//STEM special subject level// - one teacher takes on new special subject: engineering.
example: Students in grade 4 substitute a term of computer class for a term of STEM class pros - all the benefits of the one-teacher classroom level integration (ease of logistics, planning, time and resource allocation) cons - costs of extra personnel, materials, and space and time in the schedule

//School Level// - A common problem solving process.
engineering is a problem solving process. Imagine a school that espoused, taught and assessed a student's facility with a common problem solving process.This common process could be promoted and implemented in every school discipline, even the social curriculum. If such a process were thoroughly integrated throughout the school, the process would become a powerful tool for problem solving by the time a student graduated from Tenacre.