EDUC 7771 Exploring STEM Education

The goal of this course is to provide candidates with a broad foundation in STEM education, the STEM student, and the STEM learning environment. Candidates will be immersed in exemplary STEM learning environments, through case studies and in-person participation, to collect and analyze data in an effort to synthesize findings toward development of a STEM mindset. Candidates will understand and describe STEM education as interdisciplinary, collaborative, and a process-driven endeavor exploring the literature of STEM including economics and careers in STEM, community and global perspectives, and technology applications. Field-based experiences will include job shadowing STEM businesses or scientists. Each candidate will also complete a personal STEM dispositional and content knowledge assessment and development plan..

Credits

3

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the candidate will be able to:

1. Candidates will be able to articulate a clear definition and understanding of what STEM education is and what it looks like in practice as both interdisciplinary and process driven.
2. Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of the benefits of STEM education for all citizens enabling them to make informed decisions about challenges facing the next generation, for future STEM workforce development and related career opportunities and the skills necessary to be successful in them.
3. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to think critically, evaluate complex data, draw evidence-based conclusions, engage in effective argumentation and communicate effectively in written format (formative).
4. Candidates will demonstrate the dispositions necessary to be effective interdisciplinary STEM educators (i.e., life-long learning, value collaborations, flexible, high tolerance for ambiguity, risk taker, innovative, committed to the profession, self-reflective perseverance) (formative).
5. Candidates will show evidence of an interaction with a STEM related business or externships with STEM professionals to gain perspective of what it is to work in a STEM or STEM related field.
6. Candidates will show evidence of field-based experiences that include observation of classrooms, collaborative planning and interview of teachers in an integrated STEM education environment that is evidenced by reflective documentation (continues in Course II).