Tech-Oriented Learning in Integrated STEM Education

Tech-oriented learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education is crucial in face of an upcoming highly technical and information-based society. Technology is evolving and expanding at a very fast pace. To succeed in a highly technical and information-based society STEM education is crucial for well-being and productivity. Globalization has raised the 21st-century job market’s requirement to very high standards that demand a highly skilled workforce. This has created the need for teachers to adopt innovative, interactive and effective pedagogies to teach STEM concepts and help to produce a technologically skillful and knowledgeable workforce.

Fundamental concepts from the four basic disciplines of STEM are the core component for developing an integrated STEM learning approach that utilizes the basic concepts and provides multiple ways for STEM learning. Integrated STEM learning removes boundary barriers among the fundamental STEM disciplines and highlights the need for boundary crossing that brings a more practical and comprehensive perspective to learning. An Integrated STEM education approach defines the need to combine the core disciplines and apply the fundamental concepts from each discipline in a context cohesively and offers the possibility for students to experience learning in real-world scenarios and apply the integrated approaches for problem-solving. A deep insight into Integrated STEM education includes the integration of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches and links the fundamental STEM disciplines through active and meaningful learning

The availability of state-of-the-art technologies such as drone technology, augmented, virtual, mixed, and extended reality (AR, VR, MR &XR) and robotics have shown great potential to be used as an effective STEM educational tool. This research paper outlines the 21st-century skills required in STEM education and integrated STEM education, and discusses emerging technologies i.e. drone technology, augmented, virtual, mixed and extended realities and robotics and their role in integrated STEM education.