Keyword: STEAM education

ABSTRACT: Increasingly, teachers are considering using Generative AI (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs) as new tools for developing lessons and creating resources. Interdisciplinary STEAM project design specifically continues to be problematic because it requires many professionals to work together in integrative ways when developing successful STEAM project designs. Collaborating closely to develop authentic problems, establish a high level of pedagogical quality, use principles of inclusive design, and create valid and reliable assessment instruments often exceeds the individual teacher’s professional expertise and available time. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to lay the foundation of what we call “the Interactive Design Process Framework (IDPF)” and propose its use in instruction. IDPF has four steps: Co-design, Analysis, Expert Review, and Synthesis. Using these four iterative (cyclical) steps, the IDPF framework positions GenAI as a collaborative designer to work with both classroom teachers and subject area expert reviewers. As a conceptual contribution, this paper does not present empirical data; rather, it articulates the theoretical rationale, structural logic, and design principles of the framework as a foundation for future empirical investigation. In addition to a primary education example of illustration, implications for practice, limitations of the study, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

ABSTRACT: The World Economic Forum’s Education 4.0 initiative has identified critical characteristics of high quality learning in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including content that fosters global citizenship, innovation, creativity, and technology skills, as well as experiences that incorporate, among others, problem-based and student-driven learning. The Living City project for high school students is presented as a demonstration of the integration of Education 4.0 characteristics into the STEAM classroom in a design-centered fashion that allows for student choice and creativity and considers the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

ABSTRACT: Nano-Science and nano-Technology (NST) is a new interdisciplinary field that promises to provide solutions to timeless global challenges. Given that NST deals with elements that cannot be observed with the naked eye, their understanding by young children undoubtedly requires appropriate teaching methods. These distinct aspects of NST align well with the capabilities of smart mobile devices, the critical feature of which is their ability to display interactive simulations and playful visualizations. This article aims to emphasize the feasibility of empirical research of how digital technologies support NST teaching to young children in the wake of the sudden pandemic outbreak based on a comprehensive literature review. With the virus as the central entity of nanoscale, following the current demands of the unprecedented health crisis, and developing appropriate educational applications in digital games, young children can be introduced to the fundamental concepts of NST.  NST is an interdisciplinary field that can enhance children's perceptions of the interconnectedness of nature with different fields of knowledge, such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).