Ways of Thinking, Working and Acting in STEM Learning at Primary School

Joint research project of Universität Hamburg and Universität Leipzig

Joint project coordination

Prof. Dr. Mirjam Steffensky, Universität Hamburg

Further contact persons

Prof. Dr. Marcus Schütte, Universität Hamburg

Prof. Dr. Kim Lange-Schubert, Universität Leipzig

Institution

TU Dresden

Duration

01.09.2022 – 30.08.2025

Funding volume

XXX,000 € (BMBF)

STEM-specific ways of thinking, working and acting
In addition to content-related knowledge, e.g. about concepts and theories, and motivational orientations, STEM education aims at the development of STEM-specific ways of thinking, working and acting (TWA), which are also referred to as process-related competencies or process-related knowledge. Some of these TWA are rather domain-specific, e.g. experimentation in the natural sciences; others are rather domain-overarching, e.g. exploring, recognising patterns or arguing, which are central in all STEM areas. What all STEM TWA have in common is that they are considered important for participation in STEM-shaped societies, e.g. with regard to understanding how findings are generated and the uncertainty of certain findings. They are also considered indispensable for the acquisition of content-related STEM knowledge.

Implementation of STEM-specific ways of thinking, working and acting in school
Despite the assumed importance of STEM TWA, findings show that TWA are indeed used in lessons (hands-on), but conscious reflection on the TWA (minds-on) only rarely occurs. This contradicts studies from various educational levels which point to the importance of explicitly addressing TWA for their development. This is the starting point of the project Ways of Thinking, Working and Acting in STEM Learning at Primary School (DearH_MINT).

Aims of the DearH-MINT project
The project focuses on 1.) developing domain-overarching approaches for fostering STEM-specific TWA and 2.) investigating the conditions for success of STEM teaching that places ways of thinking, working and acting more strongly at its centre than conventional teaching, without neglecting the subject content.

Approach in the DearH-MINT project
First, domain-specific (mathematics, natural sciences, or technology) and domain-overarching (mathematics/technology, mathematics/natural sciences, and mathematics/natural sciences/technology) learning environments are developed for improving STEM practice at primary school. A design-based research approach is used, bringing together perspectives from practice and from subject-specific educational research.
In a comparison-group design, it is then investigated how primary school pupils learn STEM TWA, how they recognise specifics and commonalities in the STEM approach, and how they engage with STEM TWA.

Transfer of findings
The results and materials of the project will be made available for use by teachers as well as for further training, including by the Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher.