In this paper, we explore how students’ engagement varies in different STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) learning environments. More specifically, we focus on the significance of a learning environment applying an integrated STEM (iSTEM) approach and the significance of STEM learning environments’ student-centredness. Moreover, we explore the relative importance of different student-centred principles (lesson plan and implementation, communicative interactions, student-teacher relationships) for students’ engagement in the STEM learning environment. Applying a mixed-method approach, we draw from observational data of 24 STEM lessons in combination with data from seven focus groups with 67 grade 9 students. The quantitative findings, based on the observational data, show that a learning environment applying an iSTEM approach seems to support students’ engagement. Further investigation made it clear that the student-centredness in this learning environment is especially significant. Regarding the specific student-centred principles, all principles had a significant impact on students’ engagement. The focus group data make clear that, besides student-centredness, the integrative aspect and the use of authentic real-world problems in iSTEM can also be engaging for students. These results indicate that iSTEM is a good practice to engage students in the STEM learning environment, as it facilitates teachers’ implementation of a general student-centred approach.

Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (iSTEM) education is a promising approach to attracting more qualified and better motivated students to STEM fields. In this study, we respond to one of the salient challenges facing integrated STEM educational research, namely investigating its educational impact. We developed a large-scale intervention where all STEM components are integrated and examined the impact this integrated STEM curriculum has had on cognitive performances regarding physics, mathematics, technological concepts, and integrated physics and mathematics. In total, 859 grade 9 students, distributed across 39 Flemish different schools, participated in a long-term study. The results of multilevel analyses show that iSTEM education had positive effects on cognitive performance in terms of mathematics knowledge and application and technological concepts. Also, differential intervention effects were found with regard to student characteristics. Since the impact was only apparent after two years, we stress the importance of a long-term integrated STEM approach.

Informal learning environments (ILEs) like Fablabs and Makerspaces have potential to facilitate development of STEM skills. However, these environments might be difficult for teachers to adopt in t...

The awareness that many problems in our society are interdisciplinary in nature and require the integration of multiple STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) concepts to solve them has given rise to a new instructional approach, called “integrated STEM education”. Integrated STEM education aims to remove the barriers from the STEM fields and has the potential to increase students’ interest and motivation for learning, as well as to lead to improved achievement. It is important to assess the effectiveness of educational STEM initiatives in terms of students’ integrating ability, but to date, no such instruments are available. This study provides a definition of “integrating ability” and establishes a framework for understanding its components. Based on this definition and framework, a multiple-choice instrument for testing integrated physics and mathematics in the ninth grade (IPM9) was developed and validated. The definition and framework for integrating ability and the construction guidelines for an integrated test, can be used by researchers to assess students’ ability to integrate STEM subjects.