Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 21, Issue 1, Article 5 (Dec., 2021) Yeung Chung LEE, Valerie Wing Yan YIP, Victor Kwok-chi LAU, Eddie Siu-shu LAM, Bill Chi Ho YEUNG & Rex Hong Lok CHIM Linking STEM education with the community Contents Next

Linking STEM education with the community

 

Yeung Chung LEE^1,*, Valerie Wing Yan YIP², Victor Kwok-chi LAU³, Eddie Siu-shu LAM⁴, Bill Chi Ho YEUNG¹ and Rex Hong Lok CHIM¹

¹Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG

²Department of Teacher Education and Learning Leadership, The Faculty of Education,The University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG

³Department of Curriculum and Instruction,The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG

⁴Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HONG KONG

^*Corresponding Author's E-mail: yclee@eduhk.hk

Received 21 Feb., 2021
Revised 15 Aug., 2021

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Contents

• Abstract
• Background
  • Linking STEM with humanity
  • Community engagement in STEM education 
  • The case of Hong Kong
  • The U-STEMist Scheme
  • Framework of the scheme
• Evaluation Methods
  • Aim
  • Participants
  • Design of the questionnaire
• Results
• Perceived valuable features of the scheme
• Suggestions by U-STEMists for improving the scheme
• Discussion
• Experiential service learning
• Place-based contextual problem-solving
• Prior training
• Heterogeneous grouping
• Mentorship
• Community partners
• Team building and collegiality
• Conclusion and Implications
• References

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Abstract

A co-curricular learning programme, entitled the U-STEMist Scheme, was conducted in a joint university effort to provide STEM undergraduates and pre-service teachers with experience in designing service-based STEM projects. This scheme attempted to link STEM with humanity, which has been undervalued in tertiary STEM education. Students in different majors from four different universities in Hong Kong collaborated to solve real-world problems as a form of community service. 

From the self-evaluation and feedback of the U-STEMists on the scheme, we found that the scheme was able to develop their basic STEM competencies from setting goals and designing solutions through overcoming various challenges to producing both tangible and intangible products. The U-STEMists valued the experiential learning process, namely, the opportunity to collaborate and learn from their peers with complementary expertise while serving the community.

The evaluation outcomes emphasise the benefits of experiential service learning with an emphasis on humanity to tertiary STEM education as a supplement to more narrowly based disciplinary studies. Nevertheless, the outcomes point to the challenges for implementing similar schemes in the future, including strengthening the triadic interrelationship of the U-STEMists, mentors and community partners, better preparation of the U-STEMists for the project and focussing on team building to enhance collaboration among members.

Keywords: STEM education, service learning, tertiary education, pre-service teacher training