STEM from the start – fostering early childhood educators’ STEM competences

Research shows that the development of scientific literacy fosters creative thinking and innovation in children (DeJarnette, 2018). Children should be provided with experiences through which they can actively engage in various forms of learning (experiments, discussions, and explanations), using learning strategies and constructing new knowledge. This process allows them to reach their own truths and theories, which will change as they grow. Brunton and Thorton (2010) state that inquiry-based learning in early childhood develops through four interrelated and developing phases: asking questions, seeking understanding, reflection and evaluation, and exploration. Inquiry-based learning, which is the foundation of scientific literacy, stimulates a child’s natural curiosity and enables the development of communication skills and teamwork skills (Vujičić, 2016). Learning through inquiry encourages the development of skills inherent to scientific literacy, such as observation, comparison, questioning and concluding, problem identification, and problem-solving. Stimulated by scientific thinking, children adopt values and develop competencies and attitudes that go beyond the framework of scientific literacy. These include curiosity, enthusiasm, motivation, responsibility, originality, independent thinking, respect for evidence, open-mindedness, and critical thinking.

The role of educators is to encourage children’s scientific thinking by providing a stimulating temporal and material environment. This course will contribute to strengthening educators’ competencies in the STEM field.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand, analyse, and synthesize various learning strategies for young and preschool children
• Understand, analyse, and synthesize the role of STEM in early childhood
• Apply acquired knowledge and adapt and prepare materials for working with children 
• Analyse information, experiences, and insights on how young and preschool children acquire scientific concepts 
• Create an encouraging environment, materials, and activities 
• Assess and evaluate activities conducted with children

Overall objectives of the mobility:

• To design, plan and deliver play-based and creative learning STEM models for young and preschool children as optimal for learning about STEM while organizing environments that support children in inquiry-based learning with a focus on various STEM fields.

Recommended for Participation:

• VYL / YL teachers, teachers, teacher educators, trainers
• English level B1- B2

Syllabus of the Education by Days

• Day 1
  Welcome and course overview
  Introduction of participants
  Discussion: STEM activities in early childhood education
  Worldwide STEM activities ECE
  Collaborative hands-on activities
• Day 2
  Role of teachers in fostering STEM activities
  Reflective practice
  Creating the environment that support scientific literacy
  Collaborative hands-on activities
  Presentation of outputs and peer reviews
• Day 3
  Scientific literacy in ECE
  Chemistry for ECE
  Experiments with natural materials
  Collaborative hands-on activities
  Presentation of outputs and peer reviews
• Day 4
  Exploring mathematic in ECE settings
  Playful mathematics – play and playing with relations, numbers, measures
  Collaborative hands-on activities
  Presentation of outputs and peer reviews
• Day 5
  Integrating STEM activities in ECE curriculum
  Presentation of “new” curriculum to group
  Peer review
  Course evaluation