Graduate Diploma: Design and STEM in Early Childhood Education

This essay discusses the design of an effective learning environment for early childhood education, focusing on integrating STEM concepts. It details the physical space, necessary resources like building materials and open-ended materials, and the importance of a flexible timetable. The essay explains how to integrate mathematics, technology, and science concepts through counting, using technology, and hands-on exploration. It also highlights the crucial role of adults and international teaching strategies in supporting learning by providing guidance, sketches, and learning materials. The design outcomes emphasize an aesthetically pleasing, home-like environment that minimizes noise and density, promoting curiosity, creativity and effective STEM learning.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
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Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
The general size and outlook of the design (Richter et al., 2017).
Learning charts on the wall (Richter et al.,2017).
The floor of the design (Richter et al.,2017).

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
Introduction
The essay includes the resources needed in construction of effective design and also the
processes used in integrating STEM concepts in learning. The last part analyses the role of adult
and international teaching strategies in learning. In order to create a classroom environment, the
existing physical space must be considered. Every possible area of the entire classroom must be
designed to create a surrounding which literally encourages both participation and learning. This
essay thus discusses these aspects in detail
Discussion
The design will be in form of a rectangular location of 4 meters by 3 meters. The area will be
located around the school compound a few meters from the main office. The walls will be
covered with appealing paints that have different pictures supporting the STEM content. Also,
charts illustrating the STEM concepts will be well displayed on the wall.
In order to design an appropriate location for teaching there are key concepts which must be
considered. Some of the resources to be used are Building materials such as stones, cement, and
timber. It also includes Tables and desks for supporting electronic gadgets.
Open-ended materials should be available –pieces of fabric to make headdress and even the doll
blankets (Bers, Flannery, Kazakoff & Sullivan, 2014). Also, clay should be provided for thus
allowing children to create what they want.
Also, closed-ended materials such as puzzles should be available thus introducing children to
new concepts of STEM at low ages.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
The time table should be flexible enough to ensure smooth running. There should be enough time
to meet the children thus enhancing children development.
The Use of appealing paints and charts on the wall will also be is sigficant.The design floor of
the area should be appropriate for the children. The floor will be smooth and the children can
draw images on the floor with a marker pen. The walls will support the charts and other images
useful for learning STEM concepts. I will consider the design outcomes that are the area should
be aesthetically pleasing – a home like. The colors and design textures should be appealing. The
noise and the density of children should be minimized if possible.
The blackboards will be used for drawing by the children. The compound surrounding the design
will be useful for providing clay that will help children to design what they are imagining and
also design images (Blackwell, Lauricella & Wartella, 2014).
Integration of STEM concepts.
The following description reveals how learning will be integrated into the new design.
Integrating mathematics related concepts the first aspects which account for integration of
mathematics concepts start with counting. This will help children learn and count as they are
being introduced to numerical numbers. Counting objects will be appropriate and after this, the
children can start some basics such as adding and subtracting (Britto et al., 2017).
Also, one can still integrate math games with the everyday objects experienced by the children.
This shows that children will be introduced in new mathematics concepts. There are hot games
that will help children master math concepts such as Yahtzee games which have to enable
children to start enjoying the concepts expected in mathematics.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
Integrating technology related concepts when teaching children. Currently, children are using
technology than ever before. This shows that innovations have transformed the education since
we can access some concepts online so long as one can access technology (Denham, Bassett &
Zinsser, 2012).
In order to integrate the children to new concepts; the design needs to provide the necessary
gadgets that will help them learn through online. Use of computers and laptops will help in
integrating the learning learned from the class. The children will access online sources which
will reveal s some elementally concepts necessary for academic development for the children.
Also, making good use of electronic devices when teaching children will help in imparting
technological skills to children (Gertler et al., 2014). Introducing children to new websites that
will help children to observe some phenomena.
Integrating science-related concepts when teaching children. Allowing children to learn science
concepts will be achieved by integrating the following tips in my design; first I will give children
maximum time to explore new concepts. Generally, children always learn science through trial
and error. It will be good to integrate some experiments with new images and charts when
teaching children on concepts of science. Teachers ought to allow children to think on their own
thus helping to impart science-related skills to the children of 3-6 years old (McManis &
Gunnewig, 2012).
Also, the issue of curiosity and creativity should be integrated into new objects modeled by the
children in the class. The issue is that science starts by building curiosity whereby the new
design will allow the use of observation skills thus helping to answer science-related questions.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
The drawings on the walls will build the issue of creativity and curiosity. Science is always
applied everywhere, therefore, integrating the normal daily activities with concepts related to
science will help children to develop skills needed in learning science. For example, observing
the questions children are asking and what experiments they are trying will form a better basis
for learning science.
The role of adult and international teaching strategies to support learning. The adults and
teaching strategies form the foundation for learning of STEM concepts.Teaching strategies will
help children to complete assignments and also give guidance on how to handle some concepts
in the class (Richter et al., 2017).
Also, adults and teaching strategies help in providing sketches to children thus introducing them
to new models needed in learning. Translating thoughts to images and sketches encourages
critical and creative thinking for children in school. Sketches guide kids to think by use of
different mental skill set and also helping them to draw an idea.
Lastly, adults help children play in different ways. Adults provide toys and other equipment
which helps in learning (Shonkoff, Richter, van der Gaag & Bhutta, 2012). Showing directions
on how to use academic gadgets such as pencils, use of drawing paints and also use of tables will
help kids to learn in class. The role of teaching strategies will help in ensuring that children
understand the key concepts such as calculating simple concepts, using observation skills to
handle science related readings and also operating technological gadgets helpful for learning.
Conclusion

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
In conclusion the overall design for learning by children will include apt features such as
learning charts. On integration of STEM concepts early childhood education should emphasize
on key aspects that will help children to gain useful knowledge. The international strategies in
learning boost the overall atmosphere needed for learning by kids in school.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
References
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tinkering: Exploration of an early childhood robotics curriculum. Computers &
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Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., & Wartella, E. (2014). Factors influencing digital technology
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Britto, P. R., Lye, S. J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A. K., Matthews, S. G., Vaivada, T., ... &
MacMillan, H. (2017). Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development. The
Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102.
Denham, S. A., Bassett, H. H., & Zinsser, K. (2012). Early childhood teachers as socializers of
young children’s emotional competence. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(3), 137-
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in Jamaica. Science, 344(6187), 998-1001.
McManis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology
with early learners. Young Children, 67(3), 14-24.

Graduate Diploma in early Childhood Education
Richter, L. M., Daelmans, B., Lombardi, J., Heymann, J., Boo, F. L., Behrman, J. R., ... &
Bhutta, Z. A. (2017). Investing in the foundation of sustainable development: pathways to
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Shonkoff, J. P., Richter, L., van der Gaag, J., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2012). An integrated scientific
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