Case study

A rapidly innovating world needs education that connects science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through meaningful learning activities. Integrated education should be designed as such, that it not only broadens pupils’ perspective on the real world applicability, but also deepens their understanding of STEM disciplines. With this challenge, teams of six to eight in-service teachers engaged themselves into the quest of translating a well-constructed theory around integrated-STEM education into workable learning units. During four yearly trials of developing STEM-integrated learning materials, the design process was observed. The findings resulted in an action plan that pinpoints the steps necessary to meet the constructed theory, such as an iterative brainstorm and built-in checkpoints. The action plan also provides guidelines to overcome the encountered difficulties, such as the tendency to overlook instructional research implications, or the deviation towards instruction disconnected from goals and real world practices. This case study will discuss the constructed theory around integrated-STEM education and the action plan of how to design it, by means of two developed learning units for grades 9 and 10. Teachers implementing these units in the classroom reported on evidence of pupils’ successful learning and connection of STEM concepts. The biggest challenges were posed by limited preparation or classroom time, and the struggle to engage every STEM colleague. They also testified of their search for a compromise between providing a perfectly functioning prototype and coaching pupils’ creative, open-ended design process. Giving the learning materials a modular structure therefore proofed to be useful.status: publishe