STEM

I went to a STEM training today. It was mostly fun and we had exciting activities. Although, most of the day I kept asking myself was that really a STEM project. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. They often throw in an "A" making it STEAM by adding an Art component.  I think now they even add an "R" making it STREAM with Reading. Which is kind of silly because of course reading was always involved.  Anyhow, were the activities I did really STEM? I think some were and some were not. Many kind of missed that engineering component. The engineering aspect means that students should develop and create models. These could  include diagrams, drawings, physical replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, and computer simulations. I think we may have missed the mark a bit.

Scientific inquiry begins with asking a question and answering that question through investigation. I think that is what we mostly did today. While engineering involves the formulation of a problem that can be solved through design. We asked questions and answered these questions through an activity for the most part. We didn't solve problems with design. That is a pretty big ask. I get why for the most part we do Scientific Inquiry. It is easier. There is tons of information available quickly to do Scientific Inquiry. Which is a really good thing. Engineering practices however, I think force teachers to think a little deeper about how to put them into practice. The products of science are explanations for a phenomena and the products of engineering are solutions. Hmmm... How can I engage my students in true STEM activities!