ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Various cross-disciplinary STEM learning activities were implemented in the early childhood context. Young children and their parents had rather positive attitudes towards STEM learning. In addition to educational values, the economic value of STEM learning for their family was perceived by a good number of parents, which believed that learning STEM could pave a path for their children toward future economic prosperity. Early childhood teachers perceived the values of STEM education from the learning and social perspectives while they realized various practical constrains of time, support and resources, worried about teachers’ capacity and subject knowledge, and considered students, developmental differences and safety. They were not confident to implement STEM lessons with their young students. Practice or Policy: It is urgent to present teachers a holistic picture for STEM curriculum in the EC context, covering strengthening discipline-based content learning, enhancing discipline-based integration, and preparing for the innovation-driven integration. The complete process of transferring professional knowledge (including awareness, acquisition, transformation, association, application, and externalization) should be embodied in the design of STEM professional training programs. Parents also needed more training on how to work with their children in STEM activities and scaffold their children’ learning.

摘要

研究结果：在幼儿环境中实施了各种跨学科的 STEM 学习活动。年幼的孩子和他们的父母对 STEM 学习持相当积极的态度。除了教育价值，STEM 学习对家庭的经济价值也得到了很多家长的认可，他们认为学习 STEM 可以为他们的孩子走向未来的经济繁荣铺平道路。幼儿教师从学习和社会的角度感知STEM教育的价值，同时意识到时间、支持和资源的各种实际约束，担心教师的能力和学科知识，并考虑学生、发展差异和安全。他们没有信心与年轻学生一起实施 STEM 课程。实践或政策：迫切需要向教师展示 EC 背景下 STEM 课程的整体图景，包括加强基于学科的内容学习、加强基于学科的整合，以及为创新驱动的整合做准备。STEM专业培训项目的设计应体现专业知识转移的全过程（包括认知、习得、转化、联想、应用、外化）。父母还需要更多关于如何在 STEM 活动中与孩子合作并为孩子的学习搭建支架的培训。