HT5007 Children’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Essay Sample

HT5007 Children’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Essay

Assignment Details

Description

Students are required to analyse the contexts, theories, and policies in the first six weeks of the unit, and to situate and critically evaluate these with reference to STEM. The research essay engages students’ analytical and writing skills.

Requirements

This research essay is designed to support students in developing a comprehensive understanding of STEM in early childhood education by critically analysing and synthesising information from two research articles available in the references. The essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion and present a depth of understanding of STEM concepts in early childhood education and critical engagement with the research articles.

To complete this research essay students should:

• Provide an overview of the importance of STEM education in early childhood

• Introduce the research articles chosen for analysis

• Present a clear thesis statement outlining the main argument or focus of the essay

• Summarize the key points, findings, and arguments of each research article

• Discuss the relevance and significance of the articles to STEM in early childhood education Analyse

• how findings contribute to understanding of STEM education in early childhood.

Key references include:

• Campbell, C., Speldewinde, C., Howitt, C., & MacDonald, A. (2018). STEM practice in the early years. Creative Education, 9(01), 11.

• McClure, E. R., Guernsey, L., Clements, D. H., Bales, S. N., Nichols, J., Kendall-Taylor, N., & Levine, M. H. (2017). STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early childhood. New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.

This essay is a key chance to:

• Articulate and critique key theories and practices regarding children’s learning of STEM;

• Appraise the major documents regarding STEM;

• Analyse and debate contemporary Australian and international teaching and learning practices as they pertain to STEM; and

• Appreciate the perspectives of teaching STEM within a rapidly changing landscape.

The research essay should be 1,500 words in length.

Solution

1. Introduction

The influences of STEM education in early childhood enable their confidence and ability to perform as active learners when they are moving for primary schooling. Additionally, the quality delivered through STEM education comes from the development for adopting observational skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking. In simple terms, all these practical skills make the children ready for the life journey coming towards them with a new lesson. The engineering part of STEM creates the opportunity for children so that they can be considered engineers who are capable of planning, and building this knowledge growth. For example, at the time children get to know about how a structure can be built like how many bricks are required all make sense about engineering. Likewise, when they experience technology ability to make work efficient and productive easier for them.

Figure 1: STEM Education
(Source: Gowrie New South Wales, 2023)

In the current research essay, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education-oriented detail investigation is generated. It has been focused on selected article-based review development to create an argument dimension in the essay. Additionally, critical analysis of the chosen article's specific findings and key aspects are explored to determine their perspective of STEM education's importance.

2. Review of Research Article 1

Summary of the Article

The first article that is used for the research essay is “STEM Practice in the Early Years” by Campbell et al. (2018). In this article early year focused STEM education practices and its approach are explored. Furthermore, the use of critical observation in this article is mainly explored in the context of preschool centers, researching science and technology pedagogy. A flow of SEM education practices and the potential changes can be easily set through this paper findings for MBA assignment expert.

Key Findings

In the first article research findings interpreted the STEM education context by the influences of resources, children, and teacher practices in educational settings. As in the previous discussion, the approach of exploring different STEM education forms is included in the article of Campbell et al. (2018). It extracted that formal and informal both are used as a STEM education approach within early childhood settings. As examples of approaches this article mentioned are in the form of science and mathematics. Like to include as an example then this article found the rearrangement of prehistoric animals as play education settings used for STEM practices.

Critical Analysis

In this study mainly accommodation, influences of learning, and opportunities created by STEM play are explored more than analyzing importance; it linked the information with the versatile nature of STEM. The study example this article considered informs that STEM education aporia play can be arranged for the external and internal environment based on that types can be changed.

3. Review of Research Article 2

Summary of the Article

The selected second article by McClure et al. (2017) “Stem Starts Early: Grounding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in Early Childhood”. It showed that STEM learning comes into practice due to sharing fundamental knowledge with children about science and the natural world. A simple concept is discussed which later reached with the in-depth process of arranging STEM education for early childhood. In this paper, different forms of STEM education are explored to inform about the relation it has for children and others. The benefits this selected second article holds are about knowing the fundamentals of STEM, its operational framework, policy, and funding & others. All covering can help to create the value-based importance for STEM education in early childhood in real context.

Key Findings

The player-based findings referred that participant of teachers and parents faced issues with STEM education efficiency. A higher tendency to face anxiety and low confidence among parents always tends to pass for the children. The scope of knowledge sharing about developmentally informed education then the use of block play, and gardening all are effective. A need to focus more on teacher training is observed makes the success of pedagogy practices. Furthermore, the inclusiveness of teachers of STEM in the teaching domain encourages better adoption. The expectations of connectivity are generated through parents and technology connections that improve STEM learning.

Critical Analysis

This selected article informs alignment of STEM education and expected success for children's development always influenced by the working environment. The strength of knowing the educational policies, and the connection of parents and teachers all have positive influences on STEM education practices. As this research informs real aspects like funding needed to make educational planning successful, a scope for supportive approach formation becomes functional. Though the paper is weak as it was published more than 2 years back based on its current planning of STEM education has become difficult. However, a connecting flow for what is impacting or what is deficit can be recognized by the use of this article.

4. Synthesis of the Articles

Comparison of Findings

In the first article, the difference in the STEM education approach to trigger the student's interest in participation is noticed. It even highlights the scope for self-ability rising with the use of a proper approach to STEM education whereas in the second article, more than the approach the real context of practices is considered. It highlights the challenges, and benefits as well as its real aspect more than discussing the approaches. The argument for using the approach is based on the accommodation available for children's growth whereas only limiting research with the approach makes the contribution constraints.

Idea Integration

On the other hand, explaining the potential challenges and benefits that come with a policy framework always makes the value of using information in the STEM education framework. In the stand of data exploration then in the first article, school-based information is gathered to understand the practice flow whereas in the second paper, the sesame workshop is considered. Considering the workshop makes the opportunity for stakeholders, policy, and teachers all factors, information by which STEM learning is important can be generated easily. The first article idea about the STEM education approach and the second article promotes the reality of the benefits & challenges that come with it. So, different aspects are covered through the selected article to define STEM education.

Implication in Practices

The application of the first article refers that STEM education engagement with early childhood educators depends on understanding the fundamental concept. However, threats of disruption also align with the nature of educator planning so that the arrangement of training can be a solution for the success of STEM in early childhood education. The other second article informs that science use in early learning always encourages the growth of capability that supports deeper understanding. Within an informal setting if the social plan can be applied it makes the smoother flow of knowledge and skills learning over time.

5. Discussion

Broader Context

As per Campbell et al. (2018), early childhood education always comes with accurate planning and suitable approach adoption for STEM education. This encourages the flow of understanding the need by which educators can form the connected planning for draws upon success within early child learning context. On the other hand, the second article McClure et al. (2017) informs about the planning efficiency that is influenced by funding, framework, policy, and training. Even, the knowledge-sharing importance of STEM education is prioritized to make the better utilized for children's development. Knowledge about the development of STEM education for early learning is possible to develop through these articles.

Recommendation

The application of Victorian Early Years Learning and Development guides children to be competent learners; this knowledge is crucial for educators (Veyldframework, 2016). Likewise applying science and technology study always encourages the scope for children to learn skills quickly. On the other hand, policymakers need to consider the National Quality Framework so that they can make better support for developing quality learning.

Practice

At this point, planning for choosing STEM education in early childhood learning needs to make it connected, well-informed, and useful is essential. As it is a two-way approach for educators and children for which quality, as well as framework, is influencing. In the view of Dewey (1986), education philosophy always denoted the need for authentic and valuable experience so that it can be useful for the learner's future.

6. Conclusion

Restate of research

The essay is developed with the goal of defining the importance of STEM education in early childhood where two selected articles are used to determine their argument aspect. A scope for determining the importance of STEM in early education is discussed.

Key points

Stem Education always works as an influence if the educator's knowledge and connectivity remain qualified for the children in early childhood learning. A standard framework and policy always keep the outcome as high as needed from quality education parameters. However, challenges to knowledge limitation, funding, or poor perception of STEM education may affect the quality of learning.

Final thoughts

The benefits of STEM education come in multiple forms like science skill and technology knowledge formation. Additionally, problem solving ability is also generated under the right influences of quality education framework.

References

Campbell, C., Speldewinde, C., Howitt, C. J., & MacDonald, A. (2018). STEM practice in the early years. Creative Education, 9(1), 11-25. https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/stem-practice-in-the-early-years

Department of Education and Training, & Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2016). Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework: For all
Children from Birth to Eight Years. Accessed via https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf
Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being & becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia V2.0.

Dewey, J. (1986, September). Experience and education. In The educational forum (Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 241-252). Taylor & Francis Group. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00131728609335764

Geordie New South Wales. (2023). The Importance of STEM in Early Childhood Education. Retrieved from: https://www.gowriensw.com.au/thought-leadership/stem-in-early-childhood-education (Accessed on: 25th August, 2024)
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

McClure, E. R., Guernsey, L., Clements, D. H., Bales, S. N., Nichols, J., Kendall-Taylor, N., & Levine, M. H. (2017). STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early childhood. In Joan Ganz Cooney's center at sesame workshop. Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. 1900 Broadway, New York, NY 10023. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED574402