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Education Sciences
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Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education
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Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "STEM Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 7830

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sandra Nite

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
High Performance Research Computing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Interests: mathematics education; STEM teaching and learning; project-based learning; teacher professional development; secondary mathematics; mathematics bridge programs
Dr. Niyazi Erdoğan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Educational Achievement Office, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Interests: STEM education; project-based learning; engineering education; innovation and engineering design; science learning in informal contexts; teacher education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is commonly understood that STEM refers to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. However, there is still no firm consensus about what STEM education means. For our purposes, we will consider STEM education to mean more than science education or technology education or engineering education or mathematics education. We will consider STEM education to mean the integration of at least two of these fields in education. In addition, we intend technology to primarily refer to coding, programming, or computer science. We search for more than the incidental use of technology with science, engineering, and/or mathematics education as we consider STEM integration.

There are ample research papers on interdisciplinary STEM teaching at the elementary school level. There is also a considerable integration of STEM content at the college level, especially in the area of engineering, which relies on knowledge of mathematics and science. However, interdisciplinary STEM education at the secondary level is more challenging. The bridge from elementary school approaches to college-level approaches is of particular interest. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue on interdisciplinary approaches to STEM education is to share research on effective STEM teaching, especially at the secondary level.

Manuscripts that address the following are solicited:

  • Papers, theoretical or empirical, that address topics such as 1) deepening student understanding of one or more STEM fields by integrating one or more of the other fields, or 2) allowing students to explore and solve authentic problems through an interdisciplinary approach.
  • Systematic reviews or meta-analyses that address the effects of interdisciplinary STEM education.
  • Teaching approaches that increase student learning through the integration of STEM content.
  • Teaching approaches that increase student learning of other fields through the integration of content in one or more STEM fields.
  • Teacher development models that change classroom instruction strategies to include interdisciplinary STEM teaching approaches.

Dr. Sandra Nite
Dr. Niyazi Erdoğan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • interdisciplinary
  • integrated STEM
  • innovative teaching

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 23903 KiB  
Article
Educational Approaches to Bioprocess Engineering Using DIY Bioreactors for Scientific Literacy
by Lena Geuer, Niklas Erdmann, Jonas Kollmen, Alena Otteny, Katharina Wastian, Simeon Wallrath, Alexander Engl, Björn Risch, Roland Ulber and Dorina Strieth
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030323 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 639
Abstract
The interdisciplinary nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) offers the opportunity to implement educational approaches to biotechnology and process engineering issues. The focus should be on the promotion of scientific literacy in contexts relevant to research, industry, and society. This article [...] Read more.
The interdisciplinary nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) offers the opportunity to implement educational approaches to biotechnology and process engineering issues. The focus should be on the promotion of scientific literacy in contexts relevant to research, industry, and society. This article specifically shows the development of suitable low-level experiments to provide a milestone for the implementation of biotechnological and process engineering issues in STEM education. The experiments show the successful transfer of inquiry-based bioprocess engineering experiments with a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) bioreactor and low-cost sensors. It was possible to achieve comparable trends of process-relevant state variables like mixing time and volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) for the DIY bioreactor in comparison to established commercial systems. Furthermore, microalga Microchloropsis gaditana could be successfully cultivated under different cultivation conditions in the DIY system, and the respective growth curves could be observed. The DIY system is well suited for experimental application in schools and provides a scientifically substantiated basis for data interpretation. The scientific outreach approach and cooperation in a multiprofessional team for the transfer of process engineering questions to education can be evaluated as enriching. Experiments involving educational concepts offer a variety of connecting elements in the curriculum and opportunities to foster scientific literacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
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21 pages, 1025 KiB  
Article
Bridging STEM Education and Sustainability: Insights from Pennsylvania Educators
by Jessica A. Cordaro, Cliona Murphy and Erin Redman
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030282 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1073
Abstract
STEM education’s focus on interdisciplinary learning presents an ideal platform for integrating education for sustainability (EfS) in K–12 curricula. Understanding STEM educators’ sustainability knowledge and their current incorporation of sustainability topics into STEM lessons is essential for further advancing EfS. To investigate these [...] Read more.
STEM education’s focus on interdisciplinary learning presents an ideal platform for integrating education for sustainability (EfS) in K–12 curricula. Understanding STEM educators’ sustainability knowledge and their current incorporation of sustainability topics into STEM lessons is essential for further advancing EfS. To investigate these aspects, a mixed-methods study, involving both surveys and interviews, was conducted on STEM educators in Pennsylvania, United States. The results showed that most STEM educators surveyed had a simplified and incomplete understanding of sustainability, which aligns with the findings of international research. Despite the assumption that greater sustainability knowledge and perceived importance of EfS lead to teaching more about sustainability, no statistically meaningful correlation was found among these variables, indicating additional obstacles to integration. Watersheds, wetlands, and environmental experiences were identified as the least integrated topics in STEM curricula, suggesting a need for targeted efforts to enhance these areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
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16 pages, 1992 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Unplugged LEGO Activities on Middle Grades Students’ Computational Thinking Dispositions in a STEM Camp
by Queshonda J. Kudaisi
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020143 - 24 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1114
Abstract
This study reports on a STEM camp that aimed to engage middle grade students in computational thinking dispositions. Case study methodology and data from observational field notes and participant reflections were used to investigate if and how students engaged in computational thinking dispositions [...] Read more.
This study reports on a STEM camp that aimed to engage middle grade students in computational thinking dispositions. Case study methodology and data from observational field notes and participant reflections were used to investigate if and how students engaged in computational thinking dispositions as they engaged in the unplugged LEGO activities. The findings revealed that unplugged structured LEGO activities (a) did not facilitate tolerance for ambiguity, (b) facilitated high persistence on difficult problems, and (c) high and developing willingness to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. The findings also revealed that unplugged semi-structured LEGO activities (a) facilitated high and developing tolerance for ambiguity, (b) facilitated no evidence of persistence, and (c) increased and developed willingness to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. The overall findings of this study suggest that when using unplugged, LEGO activities: (a) it is better to use unplugged structured LEGO activities to promote the computational thinking disposition of persistence, (b) it is better to use semi-structured activities to promote tolerance for ambiguity, and (c) it is better to use either or both to promote collaboration with others to achieve a common goal. The study’s findings are significant because it provides an empirical example of how the use of LEGOS as an unplugged activity can be used to facilitate computational thinking dispositions in middle grade students. Having this information is important because it can support STEM educators in modifying and adapting unplugged LEGO activities to develop students’ computational thinking dispositions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
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17 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Transferability of STEM PBL Instructional Principles from Higher Education to K-12 Classrooms
by Ali Bicer, Tugce Aldemir, Trina J. Davis and Jamaal Young
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010039 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1048
Abstract
The first objective of this study was to explore which principles of STEM PBL instruction pre-service teachers found most beneficial in enhancing their understanding of mathematics- and science-related concepts. The second objective was to identify the instructional practices from STEM PBL that pre-service [...] Read more.
The first objective of this study was to explore which principles of STEM PBL instruction pre-service teachers found most beneficial in enhancing their understanding of mathematics- and science-related concepts. The second objective was to identify the instructional practices from STEM PBL that pre-service teachers intended to incorporate into their future teaching practices. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study, analyzing data from interviews (n = 8), reflections, and classroom artifacts (ntotal = 43). The findings revealed 12 distinct themes: six associated with the first objective and six linked to the second objective. Two themes—communication and real-world relevance—emerged as common across both objectives. The significance of this study lies not only in identifying key principles of STEM PBL but also in highlighting the need to emphasize these principles in various instructional methods, enhancing the transferability of innovative practices to future teachers’ mathematics classrooms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
21 pages, 2672 KiB  
Article
Examining Students’ (Inter-)Disciplinary Practice Beliefs in STEM Makerspaces
by Madison E. Andrews and Audrey Boklage
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1382; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14121382 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 740
Abstract
Makerspaces have emerged as a popular supplement to formal K-16 STEM education, offering students opportunities to engage in hands-on, creative activities that integrate multiple disciplines. However, despite their potential to foster interdisciplinary learning, these spaces often reflect the techno-centric norms prevalent in STEM. [...] Read more.
Makerspaces have emerged as a popular supplement to formal K-16 STEM education, offering students opportunities to engage in hands-on, creative activities that integrate multiple disciplines. However, despite their potential to foster interdisciplinary learning, these spaces often reflect the techno-centric norms prevalent in STEM. As a result, makerspaces tend to be dominated by white, male, middle-class participants and focused on tech-centric practices, which may limit both who participates in these spaces and what types of activities they do there. To address calls to broaden student participation in makerspaces, we surveyed and interviewed undergraduate STEM students to understand how students’ perceptions of making and the makerspace itself influence their modes of participation. Using the lens of repertoires of practice, we identify which practices students believe to “count” in a STEM makerspace, finding that many students hold narrow, discipline-specific beliefs about making, which, for some students, were preventive of them visiting the facility. However, we also discover that students’ beliefs of making practices were malleable, indicating potential for shifting these views towards more inclusive, interdisciplinary beliefs. We conclude with recommendations for educators and makerspace administrators to broaden students’ conceptualizations of making practices and supporting such practices in STEM makerspaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
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19 pages, 4483 KiB  
Article
STEAM Architecture—A STEAM Project for Pre-University Studies to Connect the Curricula with Architectural Concepts
by Judith Martínez, Nicolás Montés and Alberto Zapatera
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1348; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14121348 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1252
Abstract
This article presents STEAM Architecture, a STEAM project for all educational levels, from pre-school to high school, a project that links the learning of subjects with architectural concepts, thus trying to generate meaningful learning in students. The project is the result of an [...] Read more.
This article presents STEAM Architecture, a STEAM project for all educational levels, from pre-school to high school, a project that links the learning of subjects with architectural concepts, thus trying to generate meaningful learning in students. The project is the result of an ERASMUS+ project (DART4City (2020-1-ES01-KA227-SCH-095545) Empowering Arts and creativity for the cities of tomorrow) in which a methodology was developed to extract STEAM projects from European curricula. This methodology has two variants: “forward” and “backward”. The “forward” variant analyzes the curriculum and found the areas of opportunity with more connections among the contents while the “backward” methodology proposes a specific theme to look for the connections. The “backward” variant allows finding a topic that may be of social interest. This is the variant we use in this article. We explore the “backward” methodology in order to find an area of opportunity in society, in particular related to architecture. A questionnaire is distributed to different sectors of people in society to find out whether the learning of different architectural concepts at pre-university levels is interesting. The results of these tests show the potential of a STEAM project related to architecture. The design of the STEAM architecture project shows how the subdivision is carried out from an educational point of view, and also from an architectural point of view. Both worlds agree on dividing space into micro-, meso- and macro-space depending on the scale of what is being treated. For this reason, the STEAM architecture project is subdivided into Room, House, Neighbourhood and City for each educational level: pre-school, primary school and high school (which is 4 years of secondary school (ESO) and the last 2 years of high school). At the end of the article, we show the different workshops that were held in order to analyze the goodness of the proposal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to STEM Education)
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