STEM 3.0
After volunteering over 3 years at MIT Edgerton Center for STEM education outreach. At 2017, together with Dr. Gurvan Jodin and Dr. Ang Li, we proposed a new STEM studying and teaching concept of "STEM 3.0". It is featured with a learning style of project-and-task-based and knowledge-using role play. (The accepted abstract for IEEE EDUCON 2020 can be downloaded here.)
From 2017, "STEM 3.0" has been experimentally implemented in Shanghai with 2 newly established STEM education center and in different middle/high schools, as well as in the department of Ocean Engineering at SJTU.
Concept of STEM 3.0
![图示描述已自动生成](/__local/4/36/58/5D212C29EC49ADB93779F73E831_F9A1F685_EBD8.jpg)
Fig. 01, Concept of the “STEM 3.0” learning and teaching method and its relationship to the “Traditional”, “STEM 1.0” and “STEM 2.0” methods.
![图片包含 图示描述已自动生成](/__local/A/2A/6E/BAA531D4BAEE19E1F65DAE2DBDE_B896C1B0_2EC70.png)
Fig. 02, Framework for the implementation of STEM 3.0 in the classroom.
With Dr. Gurvan Jodin and Dr. Ang Li, we propose a new idea of “STEM 3.0” teaching methods, which can be dated back to Prof. Harold “Doc” Edgerton’s idea (early 50s) [1] of learning via scientific principle demonstration using interactive devices (“STEM 1.0”) and Prof. Kim Vandiver’s idea (late 90s and early 00s) [2] of hands-on learning experience via a well-defined step-by-step project (“STEM 2.0”). The key elements of “STEM 3.0” teaching method is first to use interactive scientific demonstrations and step-by-step projects to prepare students with required theoretical and practical backgrounds, and then via the announcement of a given task for a simulated real-world problem to encourage them as hands-on thinkers to find their creative solutions.
Fig. 1 demonstrates the concept of the “STEM 3.0” learning and teaching method and describes its relationship with the “Traditional”, “STEM 1.0” and “STEM 2.0” methods.
Fig. 2 displays a flowchart that lists out the key steps in the framework for a successful implementation of the “STEM 3.0” method in classroom teaching.
For more detail, please refer to the paper to IEEE EDUCON 2020.
[1] Gray, P. E. (1991). Harold E. Edgerton. Physics Today, 44, 126.
[2] MIT Edgerton Center. (2014). https://edgerton-dev.mit.edu/file/dont-let-them-know-theyre-learning-0
Example: an Experimental Summer Camp for Hands-on Thinkers with "Sea Perch"
"STEM 3.0" has been implemented into tens of middle/high school and Department of Ocean Engineering, SJTU.
One of the successful example shows here is an experimental summer camp for hands-on thinker at Shanghai in 2019 summer with "Sea Perch" underwater robots (originally developed by Dr. Thomas Consi from the concept of [3]). More than 120 students attended the camp with 14 teachers, led by me.
Based on the framework of “STEM 3.0” teaching shown in Fig. 2, we divided the 6-day camp into two phases:
a. Learning the technical background with standard “Sea Perch” robot building (the first to the third day);
b. Creative problem/task solving as a hands-on thinker (the third to the sixth day).
![](/__local/3/4E/F6/D18ADC23FD51FB37E92E8326B24_8C80A92B_72565.png)
Fig. 03, Course Structure for "Sea Perch" Robot
[3] Bohm, H., Jensen, V., & Johnston, N. (1997). Build your own underwater robot and other wet projects (Vol. 9594). Westcoast Words.