Integrated STEM Educational Experience: A Comprehensive Program Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of an integrated STEM educational experience, focusing on an eight-week program designed to enhance students' skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The introduction highlights the importance of education and the Australian government's initiative to integrate STEM into the curriculum. The report outlines the four core subjects of STEM, emphasizing the need for practical application of knowledge to solve real-life problems. The eight-week program is structured with weekly sessions covering mathematics, technology, science, and engineering, each with specific learning objectives and assessment methods. The program aims to equip students with the ability to utilize their STEM knowledge effectively. The report also emphasizes the role of skilled instructors and effective teaching strategies to ensure students' understanding and successful application of STEM concepts. Overall, the report underscores the significance of STEM integration in education and provides a practical framework for implementation.

Running head: INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 1
Integrated STEM Educational Experience
Student’s Name
University Affiliation

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 2
Integrated STEM Educational Experience
Part 1
Introduction
Education is well known as one of the most capable and highly reliable way of
success in individual’s life. This aspect makes it possible for a large number of individuals to
be well conversant with the different ways through which they can manage to remain
completely effective in the operations that they involve in and the way through which they
can operate effectively. This aspect has led to many countries and governmental systems
establishing effective and capable curriculums to ensure that they empower their students
with the skills sets that they need to attain the ability of living better lives. In Australia, the
government aims to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in
the educational program, with an aim of ensuring that all the students are provided with
effective technological, scientific, and computing capabilities which will increase their skills
in operation. This paper provides an eight week program, which is aimed at offering an
integrated STEM educational experience.
STEM overview
STEM is a combination of four main subjects, Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics, which are all known to cover the most essential areas of study for students. In
Australia, there is a significant need to enhance effectiveness in teaching these areas since by
understanding them, students are regarded as individuals with the skills and capabilities that
they need to be regarded as capable and effective. The competitiveness of the Australian
educational system significantly relies on the ability of the students to be well conversant
with these areas. The aim of STEM integration is enabling students to be able to utilize the
knowledge they obtain from these pillar subjects in real life. Without a clear understanding of

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 3
how to carry these instances out effectively, it becomes completely difficult for individuals to
be capable and effective (Gregory, 2011).
When an individual is taught about a certain subject, the knowledge obtained can only
be useful to him or her when he or she has the ability to utilize that knowledge to sole real life
problems. With this regard, therefore, STEM integration aims to enable students to have the
capabilities they need in order to be able to use the knowledge that they have obtain through
learning in their daily ways of living. In order to ensure that every student has the ability to
utilize the knowledge learned in each of these four main and highly essential areas, it is
appropriate to establish a learning STEM program that will help the students learn and
manage to implement their knowledge in real life situations (Gubnitskaia, & Smallwood,
2014).
The eight week program
This program provides a plan that can be utilized in a learning system, to help students of any
educational level to integrate STEM in their learning. The unit from the program is taken
once every week and provides important information to students on how to implement skills
in any of the four major areas described by STEM.
Week Area of
Study
No of
lessons
per
week
Time
session
Skills and content assessment
1 Mathematics 1 Morning
session
In this session, students
should be taught how to
solve problems in an
effective manner.
After the instructor
has provided the
necessary teachings,
it is import ant to

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 4
Mathematics has a lot of
problem solving and
thus it is appropriate to
utilize those teachings
to enhance effectiveness
of how students solve
problems. The skills of
application are also
important for students to
be taught and enabled to
understand.
ensure that every
student has
understood what was
taught through an
effective assessment.
The assessment
should be based on
the teachings and the
level that the
students taking the
unit are in.
2 Technology 1 Afternoon
session
Students should be
taught how to utilize
different forms of
learning to utilize
technology in a better
way and ensure that all
individuals remain fully
capable of enhancing
their effectiveness
through its utilization.
The current
technological
An assessment of the
understanding that
the individuals had is
appropriate. This
assessment is aimed
at determining
whether the students
attain an
understanding of
technological aspects
and the means
through which the
technology is of
benefit to other

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 5
individuals.
3 Science 1 Morning
session
The students should be
taught scientific
concepts and its
relationship with life
aspects. These teachings
should help them attain
an understanding of the
different ways through
which they can
implement scientific
knowledge in the
different operations that
they involve in. the
other aspect of
consideration is the
means through which
they can remain
effective in operating
appropriately.
An assessment of the
students should be
carried out to
determine whether
they are able to apply
knowledge
scientifically, in
order to solve real
life problems. The
importance of the
study in the topic is
ensuring that all the
individuals attain an
ability to address any
form of scientific
knowledge requiring
situation effectively.
4 Engineering 1 Morning
session
The aspect of
engineering is viewed as
a complex aspect by a
large number of
individuals. In every
The assessment of
this unit should
include determining
whether the students
have attained an

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 6
education level,
however, there are
certain engineering
concepts that
individuals require to
learn. For this unit,
individuals should be
taught how to utilize
any form of engineering
knowledge that they
learn and ensure that it
helps them solve real
life problems.
ability of utilizing
the knowledge and
skills that they
obtained in
communicating with
each other. This
aspect has led to a
large number of
individuals being
less effective in the
operations that they
involve in.
5 Mathematics 1 Morning
session
The students should be
taught an advancement
of the previous
mathematical
application knowledge
provided last week. This
lesson should be
continuation of the
previous work covered.
The teacher should
focus in ensuring
that students
completely
understand what they
are taught. Clarity
should be provided
in explaining the
aspects provided.
6 Technology 1 Afternoon
session
Further explanation of
how to apply
technology in real life
Students should be
assessed on their
ability to apply

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 7
situations should be
provided. Individuals
should be provided with
an advancement of
information and
improvement of how
they should operate.
technology in
addressing situations
that present to them
in their lives.
7 Engineering 1 Morning
session
An advancement of the
previous lesson
regarding education
should be made. The
individuals should be
provided with
improvements of
operation and the
individuals should be
provided with more
information on how
they should operate
more effectively.
An assessment of
whether the students
have gained all the
knowledge and
understanding they
require to apply
engineering
knowledge should be
made.
8 Science 1 Afternoon
session
The students should
have all the scientific
knowledge they require
to become scientifically
capable individuals.
The assessment
should be utilized to
help the individuals
manage to remain
capable of operating

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 8
This lesson should help
in ensuring that they are
completely skilled and
capable of applying that
scientific knowledge.
effectively. The
individuals should
remain fully able to
operate in the most
appropriate way.
Ensuring that students understand the STEM content.
The main purpose of the unit is to ensure that the students manage to fully attain the
capability of utilizing the knowledge that they learn in school. Students of any grade can
effectively be helped by taking the STEM integrated program. The most important aspect that
they should all consider, however is the need to understand and establish effectiveness in the
activities that they involve in, which can be associated with these four areas. The instructor,
who is instructing students of different levels about different aspects of applying knowledge
from the four main education areas should be highly skilled and capable of helping students
to understand. Effective teaching strategies are also appropriate to ensure the understanding
of the students in the issues that operate and apply (Freeman, Marginson, & Tytler, 2015).
With an effective instructor, the lessons that require being taught to students about
different topics can be fully addressed easily. It is very important for students to understand
the content of STEM that they are taught since, without its understanding, the STEM program
would not be considered to have managed to accomplish its purpose. The program should
also have the ability to address all the needs that students might have on its operations and
how many of the STEM content operates. It should involve a large number of practical
activities where students practice on how to implement the knowledge that they obtain from
the program in real life situations.

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 9
Challenging problems or questions from students.
Like all other forms of study, the STEM program units are likely to have some
challenging problems or queries, where students require guidance and assistance. There is,
therefore, the need to establish a plan in which these aspects will be addressed with the high
level of effectiveness. Within the lesson, therefore, the last ten minutes should be spared for
the instructor to address any query that may be causing problems in understanding to the
students. A student would thus be given the opportunity to ask the instructor any challenging
issue concerning the area of study during this session. When explaining to that student, other
students who may also be facing challenges are likely to achieve results from the same
(Bystydzienski, & Bird, 2006).
Student Voice and Choice
The project is mainly intended for the students. With this regard, therefore, it is
significantly important to ensure that their choice and explanations or opinion regarding the
project are considered during the project development of implementation process. With this
regard, therefore, the project developing team should consult with the students first before
any form of development takes place. The consultation can be informed of a simple research
where a survey or questionnaires are utilized to obtain student opinion and information
regarding the project. After the analysis of this data, their preferences can be considered and
the most appropriate ones incorporated in the learning process. This aspect would make the
project more friendly and appreciated by the students compared to when their opinions and
vice is not considered in the establishment process.
Authenticity
To ensure that the project manager to meet is the purpose, it is significantly
appropriate to ensure that it is authentic. The program will be made authentic by including all

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 10
the important aspects of reality and providing the students with information about this
authenticity. Without an appropriate consideration of how authentic the program will be, it is
difficult to establish the effectiveness of the program. The authenticity of this program will be
defined through the use of practical tools and ensure that individuals are effective in the
means through which individuals can remain completely effective (Blessinger, & Carfora,
2015).
Discussion of management and communication process
Like all other school programs that require being addressed, it is important to include
aspects regarding this project at the management level. A large number of individuals are less
capable of addressing the different aspects of communication and management of a program
of this magnitude. With this understanding, therefore it is important to establish a reliable
management group that will involve in the activities of managing how the project is
implemented and integrated into the Australian curriculum, to empower students and ensures
that they have all the important aspects that they need. This group of individuals also requires
being of highly skilled and capable people who have all the skills needed to implement
effectiveness. With this regard, therefore, training and development sessions will be
established for the administrators of the program, in which they will receive the skills and
capabilities that they need to retain their effectiveness while in operation. This aspect will
enhance the effectiveness of management for the project and thus guarantee that the project
will be effective completely on how it operates.
Part 2
Issues that might arise during the implementation of an integrated unit for the first time
in a traditional school setting

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 11
The process of implementing this unit has the potential aspect of raising some issues
which require being addressed. The first main issue that might arise is resistance from the
school’s members of staff and students. The school has a certain way through which it is used
to operate in. With this regard, therefore, it is difficult to make significant changes like the
introduction of an integrated unit without the individuals in that institution being well
conversant and introduced to this aspect. With this regard, therefore, it is appropriate to
establish a change resistance strategy that will help to attain the support of school staff
members and the students to the project. Another issue that might arise is the problem of
ineffectiveness. Since the program has not been established in any other traditional form
within any other school, it is difficult for people to be well capable of retaining the
effectiveness of how they operate. With this regard, therefore, an effective training program
is appropriate to help all the individuals contributing to the success of this program retain
high levels of effectiveness (NSW, 2017).
Discuss the management and communication processes that might need to be employed
to successfully implement an integrated STEM program of work.
Management and communication are essential to this program’s success. To
guarantee this success, the first major aspect of consideration is effective management
strategies that will ensure the program is managed in the most appropriate manner. This
management capability can be obtained from the selection of an effective management team
with a good leader, which have individuals with all the necessary management skills. To
attain such a team, a training and development program should be implemented within the
organization to help train these individuals and supplement their effectiveness. A transparent
communication base should be established in which all the information is shared and
communicated to individuals when necessary. This process will help to ensure that the

INTEGRATED STEM EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE 12
program obtains the necessary support which will enable it to become fully successful
(Microsoft, 2017).
References
Microsoft, (2017). Curated STEM Resources: Microsoft. Retrieved from
https://education.microsoft.com/courses-and-resources/resources/STEM-resources
Microsoft, (2017). Hacking STEM Lessons & Hands-On Activities. Retrieved from
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/education-workshop/default.aspx
NSW, (2017). Advice on programming integrated STEM: NSW Government. Retrieved from
http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/
programming/stem-support