Teaching and Learning STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) requires a different approach to both teaching and learning. The student should NOT learn STEM just by listening to lectures, but they must understand the concepts and apply what they have learned into practice to develop the needed skills.
In studying STEM fields, students must not be passive listeners but active learners because they are responsible for their learning. For learning to happen, they must come to class 'prepared' and 'ready to learn,' which requires them to read the assigned reading BEFORE coming to class. Being prepared for class allows them to build a certain idea about what they will learn; during class time, they will learn more by asking questions on things that they do not understand and discuss with classmates to “deepen” their knowledge.
I often advise students: “If you come to class but NOT prepared, then you will have to study more afterward. But if you do not understand something, you may not have a chance to ask because you often forget about it in the next class. If you do not participate in class discussion, your understanding may be “shallow” and not “deep enough” to allow you to analyze and solve problems.”
During the class discussion, the teachers guide the discussion by asking questions, but students must talk more about what they are learning. They should explain their understanding by using certain logics and reasons to address the topics and problems. The discussion should not be on the “WHAT” but “WHY” it is important and “HOW” it relates to the problems that they must solve. Students 'performance during class discussion allows the teachers to evaluated their learning whether they know the materials well or something needs to be “re-taught” to make sure students understand the materials and meet the course objectives.
Active Learning requires more than memorization as students must understand, analyze, organize, and be able to apply the concept to solve the problems. In this technology-driven world, things change fast and overwhelming; Students can NOT succeed just by memorizing. They must learn by understanding everything “deep enough” to apply it and continue to learn as things change. In Active learning, students should focus on understand the “WHY” and the “HOW” and be prepared to apply it.
As a teacher, I often focus on the “Why” and the “How” in my class because I expect students to learn the “What” from the reading materials BEFORE they come to class. I design my courses using short lectures, weekly quizzes, and monthly tests to ensure that my students achieve the course objectives and getting them motivated about learning. Using Active Learning method requires more time to prepare for both teacher and students. Students who come prepared and actively learn in class often do well and achieve good grades. Students who do not often drop the course and have to repeat at a later time. However, my relationship with students does not end when they graduate but continue when they are working in the industry. Most students stay in contact with me after graduation; they send an email asking for advice or even call me when they face problems in their work. Some even stay in contact after twenty years as many of them have reached high-level positions in the company.
Last year I received an email where a senior executive wrote: “I would never reach this position if I were not in your class and taking your advice seriously. My technical knowledge last only seven years but my soft-skills opened many doors of opportunity, and my lifelong learning habit allowed me to bypass all other competitors for this senior position.” I wrote back to him: “Thank you for making my teaching worthwhile; and it is you who deserve all your credits because you are responsible for your learning and your career.”
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
