Using Contemporary Science to Enhance STEM Learning

KEY POINTS

• Address concepts through student inquiry.
• Stress the importance of the scientific method.
• Immerse students in modern science topics and careers.

There are few things more exciting and intriguing than exploring the mysteries of the universe. Science has come a long way over the course of human history, but many questions remain unanswered. Whether it’s the search for alien life, the quest to cure cancer, the exploration of Earth’s deep oceans, or the mysteries of outer space, these topics lie along the cutting edge of contemporary science. Incorporating topics like these into the STEM classroom is a great way to spark student interest and motivate students to engage in the scientific method via hands-on, project-based learning.

ENCOURAGE STUDENT QUESTIONS

One of the most fundamental aspects of the scientific method is asking questions. Encouraging students to ask and discuss questions about the world around them is an essential part of any STEM classroom. These interactions can serve as great warmup exercises, stimulating and developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning skills of your students. Such exercises can also serve as effective launching points for projects. Once students have selected a scientific question/topic that interests them the most, instruct them to conduct some research and then build off the information that they find.

BRING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD INTO THE CLASSROOM

One of the best ways to stress the relevance of modern science and connect it to the work that students do in the classroom is to emphasize the universality of the scientific method; whether you’re a professional scientist studying particle physics at a supercollider or a student investigating plant growth, the steps involved are fundamentally the same. Showing students how professional scientists utilize the scientific method to solve problems and answer questions is sure to give them a rejuvenated and fresh perspective on their own work in the classroom. Be sure to walk through the individual steps of the scientific method with your students and make sure they understand the importance of each step.

Stress to students that the process by which they reach their conclusions is just as important as the accuracy of those conclusions. Bring this principle to life by changing the way you grade their work; indicate to students that their work will be graded, not just based on the final answers they reach, but by the path, processes, and methods they used to complete their work. This is a great way to encourage students to take risks and investigate creatively in the classroom, using the scientific method as a guide and without the worry of failing or getting a wrong answer.

BRING MODERN SCIENCE TOPICS AND CAREERS INTO THE CLASSROOM

Professional scientists all around the world are pursuing answers to questions in many fields of study. One great way to incorporate these modern science topics into your classroom is to instruct students to follow current science news. Then, periodically have students write about a topic that interests them and have them give a brief presentation to the rest of the class. A field trip to a science museum or a lab on a college campus is another great way to engage your students with modern science topics. Another option is to invite a guest speaker with a background in the STEM fields to come and present to your students in your classroom. Experiences like these are sure to give your students a better idea of how modern science fits into the world around them and the kinds of careers that are available for them to pursue in the future.

— Dr. Jake Roark