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STEM Education 2020:Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts

INSPECTORATE: EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING FOR ALLAN CHIGIREACHT: FEABHAS NA FOGHLAMA DO CHÁCH

STEM Education 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts

Inspectorate

Department of Education

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Contents1. Introduction 5

1.1 Purpose of this report 5

1.2 Background 6

1.3 STEMEducation:Theearlylearningandcare(ELC)context 7

1.4 STEMEducation:Theprimarycontext 7

1.5 STEMEducation:Thepost-primarycontext 8

2. The Evaluation Project 10

2.1. Focus 10

2.2. Methodology 11

3. How effectively are learners engaging with STEM education? 13

3.1Overallfindings 13

3.2SpotlightsoneffectiveSTEMlearningexperiences 14

3.3 OtherSTEMengagementindicators:UptakeandawarenessofSTEM 17

3.3.1 UptakeofLeavingCertificateSTEMsubjects 17

3.3.2 UptakeofSTEMsubjectsbyfemalestudents 18

3.3.3 AwarenessofSTEMEducationpolicy 19

4. How effectively are practitioners engaging with STEM education methods? 22

4.1 Overallfindings 22

4.2 SpotlightsoneffectiveSTEMpedagogies 22

4.3 PlanningforSTEManduseofdata 25

4.4 STEMLearningandSSE 26

5. How effectively are other national STEM goals being realised? 27

5.1 STEMEducation–Performance 27

5.2 STEMEducation–LinksandPartnerships 29

5.3 STEMEducation–UtilisingDigitalTechnologies 31

6. Key Findings and Recommendations 33

Glossary 38

Acknowledgements 39

STEM Education: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts

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1.1 Purpose of this reportThisreportpresentsthefindingsofanInspectorateevaluationoftheimplementationofthefirstphaseoftheSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026inasampleofEarlyLearningandCare(ELC)settings,andprimaryandpost-primaryschoolsduringtheperiodJanuary2019toDecember2019.Theintendedaudienceforthisreportincludesteachersandpractitionersinschoolsandearlylearningandcaresettings,providersofinitialteachereducationandofcontinuingprofessionaldevelopment(CPD)acrossthevarioussectors,andpolicymakersintheDepartmentofEducationandotherrelevantDepartments.Theevaluationfocusesonthreekeyquestions:

1 Howeffectivelyarelearnersinearlylearningandcare,andprimaryandpost-primarysettingsengagingwithScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics(STEM)education?

2 HoweffectivelyareeducationpractitionersandteachersengagingwithSTEMeducationmethodologies?

3 HowwellarenationalSTEMeducationgoalsbeingrealisedatschool/settinglevel?

Inaddition,thereportdrawsonotherdatarelevanttoSTEMeducationinIrelandtodayincluding:

• StudentparticipationinSTEMareasoflearning

• UseofdigitaltechnologiestosupportSTEMeducation

• NationalandinternationalSTEMeducationperformancedata.

Morebroadly,thisreportisdesignedtoprovideabenchmarkfortheeducationsystemandpolicymakersinrelationtohowSTEMeducationpolicyisbeingimplementedatschoolandearlylearningandcaresettinglevelandtoinformactionsthatmayneedtobetakentoensurethatnationalSTEMeducationobjectivescanbeachieved.Inaddition,thereportisintendedtobearesourceforearlyyearseducationpractitionersandforprimaryandpost-primaryteachersthroughprovidingillustrationsofeffectiveSTEMeducationasobservedinthecourseoftheevaluationproject.

1 Introduction

Inspectorate – Department of Education

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1.2 BackgroundScience,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics(STEM)arekeyenablersfortheIrisheconomyandforthedevelopmentofimportantskillsandcompetenciesinouryoungpeople.STEMisanever-evolvingareaandtheskillsandlearningassociatedwithSTEMeducationwillhelptoprepareouryoungpeopleforthecrucialrolethattheyhavetoplayinthefuturesuccessofIrishindustryandresearchanddevelopment.

STEMeducationactivelypromotesanddevelopslearners’creativeandcriticalthinkingskills,skillsthatareessentialforthenextgeneration.NotonlydoesSTEMeducationpromotetheseskills,italsosupportsthedevelopmentoflifeskills,ingenuityandproblem-solvinganditpromotesempathyforissuesincludingsustainabilityandthenaturalenvironment.NowmorethaneveritisapparentthatSTEMeducationiscrucialtothehealthandwellbeingofourcitizens.Innovativeandcreativeapproachestoproblem-solvingduringtheCOVID-19pandemicdemonstratedhowSTEMeducationcanprepareoursocietytoaddresschallengesfacingusasasociety.Fromthe3-DprintingofmedicalfaceshieldsinIrishclassrooms,tothedesignandmanufactureofventilatorsoncarassemblylinesincorporatingadaptedwindscreenwipermotors,STEMapproacheshavebeenacrucialpartofatrulyglobalcause.

CareersbasedintheSTEMarenaarethereforeoftensomeofthemostinteresting,fulfillingandinnovativecareersavailable.Today’schildrenhavealreadywitnessedtechnologiesthatwereoncethoughtofonlyintherealmofsciencefiction.Thefuturedevelopmentofautonomousvehicles,theinternetofthings(IoT)andaugmentedreality(AR)areallareasthatprovideourchildrenwithanunrecognisablecareervista.Itisthoughtthatmorethan60%ofchildrenattendingschooltodaywillworkinacareerthatdoesnotcurrentlyexist.OurroleinSTEMeducationistoensurethatourchildrenareequippedtoadapttothenewpossibilitiesthataSTEMeducationwillbringthem.Toprepareforthisnewreality,theIrishGovernmentcommissionedtheSTEMEducationReviewGroup,chairedbyProfessorBrianMacCraith,tocompileaReport on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education whichwas publishedinNovember2016.Thatreportidentifiedanumberofkeyissuesandproposedactionsinareassuchasinitialteachereducation(ITE),continuingprofessionaldevelopmentforSTEMteachersandpractitioners,theintroductionof


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newteachingmethodologies,andtheuseofinformationandcommunicationtechnology(ICT)inordertosupportSTEMeducationinschoolsandtopromoteSTEMcareers.CruciallyithighlightsthevisionthatSTEMlearningisforalllearnersandshouldgobeyondearlylearningandcaresettingsandtheprimaryandpost-primaryclassrooms,andcruciallybepartofthelife-longlearningexperienceforteachers.

AgainstthebackdropoftheReport on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education,theDepartmentofEducationandSkillsdevelopeditsSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026. ThatpolicystatementanditsassociatedSTEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019outlinehighlevelactionsandsub-actionsaimedatdevelopingandimprovingSTEMeducationinIreland.

ThisreportendeavourstoprovidemeaningfulbenchmarksforSTEMeducationinthecontextof the STEM Education Policy Statement and the STEM Education Implementation Plan. Itfocusesinparticularontheimpactthatthenationalpolicyandimplementationplanshavehadatschoolandpre-schoollevelduringtheEnhancingPhase(2017-2019)ofthenationalpolicy.

1.3 STEM Education: The Early Learning and Care (ELC) contextAt the core of Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Frameworkistheenablingofchildrentolearnbyexploringandinvestigatingtheirenvironmentthroughplay.Greatvalueisplacedonenablingthepre-schoolchildtoexperimentusinghands-onmaterials.Children’sexploration,questioningandproblem-solvingthroughplayandinvestigationunderpintheirdevelopmentofbasicconceptsinScience,Technology,Engineering,ArtsandMathematics.Itisimportantthatallconceptsandskillsareframedinaplayfulwayandthatchildrenhavefreedomtochoosethetasksandactivitiesinwhichtheywishtoengage.Askilledearlylearningandcarepractitionercanenrichlearningbyaskingtherightquestionsandstimulatinginvestigationswherechildrenareidentifyingobjects,makingcomparisons,predictions,testinghypothesesandsharingdiscoveries;allwhileobservingtheirnaturalenvironment.Inaddition,childreninearlylearningandcaresettingsviewtheprocessasbeingmoreimportantthantheoutcome;thismakesthemprimecandidatestotakeontheroleofexplorer,scientistandinvestigator.Inshort,theirnaturalandinnatecuriosityaboutthelivingworldisastronginternalmotivatorastheysearchwithenthusiasmforanswerstotheirownquestions.

While,asoutlinedbelow,thereisarangeofsupportsforprimaryandpost-primaryschoolsindevelopingSTEMpedagogiesandfacilitatingSTEMlearningexperiences,supportsforearlylearningandcaresettingsare,understandably,atanearlierstageofdevelopment.ItisanticipatedthatwithanewawarenessofthevalueofthefoundationsforSTEMeducationintheELCsector,STEMlearningpracticecanbecomesystematicandembedded.

1.4 STEM Education: The primary contextAsignificantbackdroptoSTEMeducationatprimarylevelistheintegratednatureofthePrimarySchoolCurriculumwithitsfocusonthedevelopmentoflearners’skills,knowledgeanddispositionsinaholistic,cross-curricularway.Primaryschoolsofferawidevarietyofsubjectswhichareveryoftentaughtthematically.Inall,thereareelevenmandatorycurriculum


subjectsatprimarylevel,includingMathematicsandScience.Thesciencecurriculum,whichencompassesthecontentstrandsofLiving Things,Energy and Forces,Materials,andEnvironmental Awareness and Care,specificallysupportsthedevelopmentofskillsrelatedtodesigningandmakingandworkingscientifically.Theseskillsincludetheskillsofquestioning,observing,predicting,investigatingandexperimenting,estimatingandmeasuring,analysing,recordingandcommunicating.Themathematicscurriculumrequiresthedevelopmentofsimilarandfurtherskillsincludingproblemsolving,integratingandconnecting,reasoningandimplementing.

InadditiontoMathematicsandScience,otherareasofthecurriculumsuchasGeographyandVisualArtshaveclearlyidentifiableSTEMcomponents.Indeedsomeschoolsystemshaveemphasisedcreativity,innovationandlearningintheArtsasessentialwithinaSTE(A)Mframework.Primaryschoolpupilsaretaughttypicallybyoneteacherthroughouttheschoolweekanditisconsideredgoodpracticefortheseteacherstoplanforlinkageandintegrationoftopicswithinandacrosssubjects/curriculumareas.ThisthematicapproachunderpinseffectiveSTEMlearninginprimaryschools.ThescientificskillsofWorking Scientifically and Designing and Makingaredevelopedaschildrenengageinscientificinvestigations,andastheyexplorematerialsandplan,designandmakemodelsthatprovidesolutionstopracticalproblems.ThishelpstodemonstratehowSTEMlearningcanbefosteredacrosstheprimarycurriculuminawaythatpromotescreativityandintegratedSTEMlearning.

TheprimarySTEMeducationcontexthasbeendevelopinggraduallyoverrecentyears.TheProfessionalDevelopmentServiceforTeachers(PDST1)isincreasinglyraisingtheawarenessofSTEM-relatedactivitiesbyprovidingongoingCPDinassociatedareasandthroughsocialmedia.PDSTsupportsteachersintheimplementationofprinciplesandpracticesofSTEMeducationintheclassroomthroughawiderangeofCPDmodelsincludinginterdepartmentalworkatschoollevelwhereteachersofdifferentSTEMdisciplinesplanandteachtogether.TherearemanypositiveinitiativessupportingSTEMinprimaryschoolscurrently.TheseinitiativesincludeDiscoverPrimaryScienceandMathsProgramme,thePrimaryScienceFair,ESBScienceBlast,MathsWeek,ScienceWeekandEngineers’Week.TheseinitiativestosupportSTEMprovisioninprimaryschoolsalsosupportnationalSTEMeducationpolicymorebroadly.TheenhancementofdigitaltechnologiesandinformationandcommunicationtechnologyinprimaryschoolshasalsocomplementedandsupportedSTEMprovisioninclassrooms.Inaddition,anumberofprimaryteachersthroughoutthecountryhavebeenpromotingaspectsofSTEMinnovativelyintheirschoolsthroughtheirownpersonalinterestsorqualificationsintheSTEMsubjects.ThenationalpolicyhasbroughtSTEMintofocusforallprimaryschools,althoughschoolsareatdifferentstagesofSTEMeducationprovisionanddevelopment.

1.5 STEM Education: The post-primary contextAnimportantfactorintheSTEMeducationpost-primarycontextishowsubjectsatpost-primarylevelareoffered,withsomesubjectsbeingmandatoryandothersoptional.STEMsubjectsaresituatedgenerallyinboththemandatoryandoptionalsubjectareas.MandatorysubjectsincludeMathematicsinallschools;anumberofschoolsalsorequireallstudentstostudyScienceatJuniorCycle.Generally,subjectssuchasEngineering,Technology,GraphicssubjectsandWoodandConstructionsubjectsareoptional.Otherscience-basedsubjectsincludingChemistry,BiologyandPhysicsmayalsobeoptional,dependingonaparticular

1 https://pdst.ie/schoolsupport 8


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school’scurriculumatseniorcycle.Whilststillachallengeforsomeschools,STEMsubjectsarebecomingmoreavailableforstudentsinvoluntarysecondaryschools,incommunity/comprehensiveschools,andinEducationandTrainingBoard(ETB)schools.Newpost-primaryschoolsareoftenprovidedwithspecialisttechnologyrooms,makingaccesstothesesubjectsmoreachievablethaneverbefore.

TeachersdeployedbyschoolstoteachSTEMsubjectsarebecomingmoreandmorespecialisedandqualifiedintheirsubjectareasparticularlysincetheestablishmentoftheTeachingCouncil.TheTeachingCouncil’soversightoftheaccreditationofinitialteachereducation(ITE)programmesforprimaryandpost-primaryteachingwhichareprovidedbyHigherEducationInstitutionshasbeenverysignificantinunderpinningthequalityofpreparationforbeginningteachers,especiallyinspecialisedareassuchasSTEM.TheTeachingCouncil’snationalframeworkforteachers’learning,(Cosán),seekstoensurethatallteachersareenabledtoengageinhigh-qualityprofessionallearninganddevelopmentthatmaintainstheirexpertiseandskilllevelsandsupportsstudentlearning.ContinuingprofessionaldevelopmentcoursesforteachershavebeeninstrumentalinupskillingteachersacrosstheSTEMsubjectswithsignificanttrainingprovidedinrecentyearsintheareasofProjectMaths,TechnologyatSeniorCycle,andDesignandCommunicationGraphics.ThePDSThasenabledteacherstoaccessongoingCPDinawidevarietyofSTEMsubjectareas.Atthesametime,JuniorCycleforTeachers(JCT),asupportserviceforpost-primaryschools,hasbeeninstrumentalinequippingpost-primaryteacherswiththeadditionalskillsandexpertiserequiredtoadaptandadoptthenewapproachestoSTEMenvisagedaspartofJuniorCycleReform.


2.1 FocusTheInspectorateoftheDepartmentofEducationevaluatesandreportsonthequalityofeducationalprovisionforlearnersinearlylearningandcaresettings,schools,centresforeducationandothersettings.TheInspectoratealsoprovidesadviceandsupporttoearlylearningandcarepractitioners,teachersandthoseinvolvedintheleadership,managementandpatronageorownershipofthesesettingsinrelationtoactionsthatneedtobetakentoimproveeducationprovision.Throughdiscussion,reportingandpublication,theInspectoratedisseminatesthefindingsofitsevaluationsandpublishesadviceonhowtheworkofeducationprovidersandthelearningofchildrenandyoungpeoplecanbeimproved.ThisSTEMevaluationreportisdesignedto:

• EncourageandfacilitatediscoursearoundthecurrentqualityofSTEMeducationinschoolsandearlylearningandcaresettings

• ProvideillustrationsofgoodSTEMpracticesinallthreesectors-earlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primary

• ProvidebaselineinformationaboutSTEMeducationinordertoinformfurtherimplementationofnationalpolicyonSTEMeducationandagainstwhichfutureprogressinimplementingthepolicycanbeassessed.

Thisreportexploresthethreekeyquestionsbelowbydrawingonfindingsfromevaluationsinasampleofearlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primarysettingsandreferencingrelevantnationalandinternationalSTEM-basedresearch.

1 HoweffectivelyarelearnersengagingwithSTEMeducation?

2 HoweffectivelyareteachersandpractitionersengagingwithSTEMeducationmethodologies?

3 HowwellarenationalSTEMeducationgoalsbeingrealisedatschool/EarlyLearningandcare(ELC)settinglevels?

Inaddressingthesethreequestions,thereportalsodrawsonotherdatarelevanttoSTEMeducationinIrelandtodaysuchas:

• StudentparticipationinSTEMareasoflearning

• UseofdigitaltechnologiestosupportSTEMeducation

• NationalandinternationalSTEMeducationperformancedata.

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2 The Evaluation Project


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2.2 MethodologyASTEMeducationworkinggroupcomprisingearlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primaryinspectorswasconvenedinlate2018.Thisgroupsetaboutgatheringinformation,observingpracticeanddiscussingschools’andsettings’approachestoSTEMeducationinthecontextofthe STEM Education Policy Statement and Implementation Plan.Aspartofthiswork,inspectorsascertainedtheoverallqualityofSTEMeducationprovisioninthesampleofschoolsandELCsettingstheyvisited.Initially,theInspectoratedevelopedasmallnumberoffocusedSTEM-relatedevaluationcriteriatobeincorporatedintoinspectioninstruments.ThefirststepinthisprocesswastheidentificationofindicatorsofgoodpracticeinSTEMeducation.Thoseindicatorswereframedprimarilywithinthecontextsofclassroomexperiencesandwholesetting/schoollevelculture.TheSTEM-focusedevaluationcriteriawereutilisedtheninasampleofevaluationsinearlylearningandcaresettings,primaryschoolsandpost-primaryschools.

Figure 1outlinesthemodelsofinspectionthatwereincorporatedintothisprojectinthethreesectors(earlylearningandcaresettings,primaryandpost-primaryschools).

Atotalof101schoolsandsettingswerevisitedduringthecourseoftheproject.Figure 2 providesabreakdownofthe101settings/schoolsvisitedandofthe218sessions/lessonsobservedduringthosevisits.Inadditiontoobservingteachingandlearningintheschools/settingstheyvisited,inspectorsdiscussedSTEMeducationwiththesetting/schoolmanagementandwithteachers/practitioners.AsFigure1shows,abroadlysimilarnumberofvisitstookplaceacross the three sectors.

Figure 1: Inspection Models and Subject Areas Included in Project

• EarlyYearsEducationInspection(EYEI)

• Science/MathematicsCurriculumEvaluations

• Whole-SchoolEvaluations

• STEMSubjectInspections

• Whole-SchoolEvaluations

Inspection Models

Early Learning and Care

Primary

Post Primary


Ineachofthethreesectors,anumberofsessions/lessonswereobservedtogatherSTEM-relatedinformation.Onesessionwasobservedforthispurposeduringeachoftheearlylearningandcaresettingsvisited.ApproximatelytwolessonsonaveragewereobservedthroughthelensofSTEMineachprimaryschoolvisited,andonaverage,threelessonswereobservedfromtheperspectiveofSTEMineachpost-primaryschool.

Figure 2: STEM Evaluation Project Scope

Sector Settings/Schools Sessions/Lessons

Early Learning and Care 29 29

Primary 40 94

Post-primary 32 95

Total 101 218

Carewastakentoensureconsistencyandinter-raterreliabilityamonginspectorsinrelationtotheapplicationoftheSTEM-focusedevaluationcriteria.Allofthecriteriawerereviewedbyinspectorsfromallthreesectors(earlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primary)andtheapproachtoapplyingthecriteriawasstandardisedandreportedonusingtheInspectorate’squalitycontinuum.

Figure 3: Inspectorate Quality Continuum

Rating Description

Very Good Very goodapplieswherethequalityoftheareasevaluatedisofaveryhighstandard.

Good Goodapplieswherethestrengthsintheareasevaluatedclearlyoutweightheareasinneedofimprovement.

Satisfactory Satisfactoryapplieswherethequalityofprovisionisadequate.

Fair Fairapplieswhere,althoughtherearesomestrengthsintheareasevaluated,deficienciesorshortcomingsthatoutweighthosestrengthsalsoexist.

Weak Weakapplieswherethereareseriousdeficienciesintheareasevaluated.

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3.1 Overall findingsOverall,inspectorsfoundthatlearnerswereprovidedwithmanyopportunitiestoengagewithSTEMactivitiesthatfosterandsupporteffectiveSTEMlearninganddevelopment.Inallsectors,learners’participationinSTEMeducationwasratedassatisfactoryorbetterinnotlessthan79%ofthesessions/lessonsobserved.Thisisasignificantfindingparticularlyinthecontextoftheearlylearningandcare(ELC)sector.Whiletheprimaryandpost-primarylessonobservationstookplacelargelyinthecontextofSTEMsubjects,thesessionobservationsinearlylearningandcaresettingsoccurredinmoregenericlearningcontextsthatwerenotfocusedprimarilyonSTEM.Theintegratedcurricularapproachprovidesmoreopportunityforaninter-disciplinaryandmultipleintelligenceapproachtoteachingandlearning,particularlywhendesiredoutcomesincludeSTEMcompetenciesandteachingforunderstanding.Itisalsonoteworthythatinapproximatelyoneineveryfivesessionsatearlylearningandcarelevel,andoneineveryfivelessonsatpost-primarylevel,learners’participationinSTEMeducationwasdeemedtobelessthansatisfactory.Thisfinding,particularlyatpost-primarylevel,isacauseforconcernasstudentsintheSTEMpost-primarylessonsobservedwereperfectlyplacedtoexperienceSTEMeducationinarealandmeaningfulwaythroughtheirengagementwiththeSTEMsubjectsobserved.

Figure 4: Learners’ Participation in STEM activities

3 How effectively are learners engaging with STEM education?

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Thequalityoflearningachievementsinlessons/ELCsessionswasalsoexamined.Atbothprimaryandpost-primarylevels,learners’achievementswereidentifiedassatisfactoryorbetterinover80%ofthelessonsobserved.Findingsinrelationtolearners’STEMachievementsduringtheearlylearningandcaresessionsobservedweresomewhatlesspositivewith28%ofthesessionsobserveddeemedlessthansatisfactory.

Figure 5: Quality of Learning Achievements

3.2 Spotlights on effective STEM learning experiencesInearlylearningandcaresessionswherechildren’sengagementandlearningachievementsinSTEMweresatisfactoryorbetter,childrenwereengagingtypicallyinavarietyofactivitiesthatfosteredcreativityandcriticalthinkingskills.Thechildrenwereenabledtobenaturaldiscoverers,inquirers,engineersandexplorers.Inleadingtheirownlearninginawell-preparedenvironment,childrencould,forexample,collectstones,comparethesizeandweightofobjectsandbuildfortsoutofrecycledmaterials.Thenaturalenthusiasmoftheseveryyoungchildrenwascapturedandchannelledthroughappropriateactivities.Theseactivitieswerefacilitatedbysupportive,engagedpractitionerswhowereskilledinidentifyingSTEM-teachingmoments.Practitionersidentifiedchildren’sinterestsandbuiltdeeperunderstandinginpartnershipwiththechildrenthroughtheuseofopen-endedquestionsandbyexpandingandsupportingthechildren’sacquisitionofnewlanguage.

ItisimportantthatearlySTEMeducationisageandstageappropriateandthattheinclusionofplayandthemanipulationofmaterialstodevelopSTEMthinkingareafoundationstoneinthedevelopmentoflearners’STEMeducationexperiences.YoungchildrenmusthavestrongSTEMexperiencestosparktheirinterestsandtohelpthembuildthefoundationalskillsnecessarytopropelthemintotheirSTEMfutures.AsresearchersatIndianaUniversity2haveshown,playingwithbuildingblockshelpschildrentodeveloptheirspatialreasoningskills.ThisisreinforcedbyresearchersinJohnsHopkinsCenterforTalentedYouthwheretheyshowthatsimplybyplayingwithandphysicallymanipulatingblocks,keySTEMskillslikeinquiry,experimentation

2 SharleneD.Newman,MitchellT.Hansen,AriannaGutierrez.AnfMRIStudyoftheImpactofBlockBuildingandBoardGamesonSpatialAbility.FrontiersinPsychology,2016

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andtheorising—allkeycomponentsofthescientificmethod—areembedded.3ManyofthesepositivefeaturesofengagementandachievementinSTEMwereevidentinanumberoftheprimary classroomsvisited.

STEM Learning Spotlight 1

Inonelessoninaseniorinfantclassroom,children’screativityandimaginationsweresparkedwhenaskedtodesignanewraincoatfortheclassroomflamingo,‘Sprinkles’.Sprinkles,alargecuddlytoy,neededtocollectnewitemsfortheclassroomnaturetable,butastheweatherwasreallywetoutsidethechildrenneededtohelpSprinklestomakeanewcoatfromasuitablematerial.Awidevarietyofmaterialswassuppliedforthechildrenanda‘fairtest’wasdevisedtotestthematerials’capacitiestokeepSprinklesdry.Eachgroupcarriedoutthetestandinvestigatedthematerials’waterproofingproperties.EachgroupidentifieditspreferredmaterialandsetaboutmakingacoattoprotectSprinklesfromtheelements.Theconceptofprotectivebarrierswaslaterincorporatedintotheteachingandlearningassociatedwithautumnwherehorsechestnutsandhedgehogsprovidedreal-world,first-handexamplesoftheearlierlearning.

Atprimary schoollevel,engagementwithawidevarietyofSTEMexperiencesisessentialforongoingSTEMlearning,particularlyinformingpositivedispositionstowardsSTEMeducationandpromotinglife-longlearninginthearea.ResearchfromtheUniversityofLondon4identifiesavarietyoffactorsaffectingchildren’saspirationsinrelationtopursuingscience-basedcareers,andechoesresearchfromKing’sCollegeLondon5whichstatesthatbytheageoffourteen,childrenhavealreadyformedtheirindividualfeelingsaboutscienceandanypotentialcareeraspirationsinSTEM.

Overall,wherelearnerengagementandachievementinSTEMwerefoundtobemosteffectiveatprimarylevel,learnerswereenabledtoexplore,investigateandtocreateusingthematicorcross-curricularapproachesthatencompassedavarietyofsubjects,activitiesandapproaches.

3 https://youtu.be/XBS2JrXEmqM

4 2018,Sheldrake,R.Changes in Children’s Science-Related Career Aspirations from Age 11 to Age 14 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11165-018-9739-2.pdf

5 2012,Archer,L.DeWitt,J.Osborne,J.Dillon,J.Willis,B.Wong,B.Science Aspirations, Capital, and Family Habitus: How Families Shape Children’s Engagement and Identification With Science American Education Research Journal, Vol. 49, No. 5 (Oct. 2012), pp. 881-908.

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Anillustrationoftheeffectivenessofenablinglearnerstoexplore,investigateandcreateinthepromotionofSTEMwasnotedduringafifth-classlessonbasedonthehumandigestivesystem.Thislessonwasintroducedusinganaudio-visualclipthattheteacherandpupilsusedtostimulatethecreationofarapsongusingthelanguagelearneddirectlyrelatingtothedigestivesystem.Thistypeofperformingartselementprovidedpupilswithafunandcreativewaytointegratethenewlyacquiredtechnicalterminologyassociatedwiththetopicathandwhilstalsodemonstratingtheirartisticcreativity.Usingaworkstationapproach,pupilsthentookpartinadesign-and-makeactivitywheretheyexploredthedifferentpartsofthedigestivesystemusingplaydough.Theyusedtheirmathematicalskillstoinvestigatehowsalivahelpedwithswallowingandthebreakdownoffoodandtheyexperimentedwithwaystodemonstrateperistalsis.Thismulti-facetedapproachcreatedaninterestingandengaginglearningexperienceforthepupilsthroughscaffoldedexplorationandhands-oncreativity.

Atpost-primarylevel,high-qualityengagementbystudentsinSTEMandpositivelearningoutcomesweremostprominentinlessonswherestudentswereencouragedtoengageininterestingandthought-provokingdesign-basedtasks.


Inonepost-primaryschoolandaspartofaJuniorCycleSTEMshortcourse,groupsofstudentswererequiredtodesignandcreatearollercoasterfromsemi-tubularfoamusingalimitednumberofadditionalresourcesprovidedbytheirteacher.Eachstudentwasgivenaroleincludingtheengineer,designer,researcherandtheteamleader.Thecreationsmadeinresponsetothebriefwerebothingeniousandinnovative.Whenfinished,studentsusedmarblestotesttheirrollercoastersandrecordedthetestsontheirmobiledevices.Fromtheserecordings,studentsthencalculatedtheaveragespeed,velocityandaccelerationofthemarblesandgraphedtheirsolutions.Theincorporationofopen-endedsolutionfocusedtasks,hands-onenquirybasedlearning,meaningfulcollaboration,andtheintegrationofmathematicalandscientificcontentcreatedanexcellentlearningexperiencegroundedinSTEMeducation.

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3.3 Other STEM engagement indicators: Uptake and awareness of STEM

WhenfocusingonlearnerengagementinSTEMeducation,anumberofotherindicatorsofsuccessarerelevant.TheSTEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019 identifiesanumberofkeygoalsinthisregard:improvedlevelsofuptakeofSTEMsubjects,uptakebyfemalestudentsofSTEMsubjects,andawarenessoftheimportanceofSTEM.ThefollowingsectionofthischapterconsidershowanumberofthesegoalsarebeingachievedduringtheEnhancingphaseof the Implementation Plan.

3.3.1 Uptake of Leaving Certificate STEM subjects

Indicator of Success

IncreaseduptakeofLeavingCertificateChemistry,Physics,TechnologyandEngineering by20%6

OnekeydeliverableoftheSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 is an increase in the uptakeofLeavingCertificateChemistry,Physics,TechnologyandEngineeringby20%overthelifetimeofthePolicyStatement.TheanalysisinFigure6showsthattherehasbeenaslightincreaseinstudentuptakeofthesefoursubjectsin2019whencomparedwith2016.Therealincreaseinuptakeacrossthefoursubjectsis1,098studentsor5%.Whilethisisawelcomeincrease,itislessthanthatrequiredinordertoreachthegoalofa20%increaseby2026.However,significantgrowthhasbeenachievedinTechnologywitha32%increaseinuptake,totalling456morestudentstakingLeavingCertificateTechnologyin2019whencomparedwith2016.

Figure 6: Uptake of Leaving Certificate Physics, Chemistry, Technology and Engineering 2016 and 2019

Subject 2016 2019 Real Increase % Change

Physics 7,753 7,942 189 2%

Chemistry 9,089 9,506 417 5%

Engineering 5,379 5,415 36 <1%

Technology 1,415 1,871 456 32%

Total 23,636 24,734 1098 5%

6 STEMEducationImplementationPlan2017-2019p.4

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3.3.2 Uptake of STEM subjects by female students


IncreaseduptakebyfemalesofSTEMsubjectsby40%7

AnotherkeydeliverableinthePolicyStatementisa40%increaseintheuptakeofSTEMsubjectsamongfemales.IntheJuniorCycle/CertificateSTEMsubjectareasofWoodTechnology,TechnicalGraphics,Metalwork,TechnologyandSciencethenumberoffemalessittingJuniorCertificate/Cycleexaminationshasincreasedfrom32,917in2016to36,971in2019.Thisoverallincreaseof4,054inthenumberoffemalessittingthesesubjectsrepresentsa12% increase since 2016.

Figure 7: Junior Cycle STEM Female Uptake

Eachofthesubjectareashasseenanincreaseinfemaleuptake(Figure 8).ThelargestnumericalincreasehasbeeninSciencewithanincreaseof1,939femalestudentstakingthesubjectwhencomparedto2016figures.TechnicalGraphics(TG)hasalsoseenasignificantproportionalincreaseinthenumberoffemaleschoosingthesubject.Atotalof854morefemalessattheJuniorCertificateexaminationinTGin2019thanin2016.Thisisa47%increasebaseduponthe2016figures.Whilstthesefiguresareencouraging,thereisstillworktodoinordertoachievethe40%increaseenvisionedoverthelifetimeofthePolicyStatementwithaneedtohavealargerincreaseintheSTEMsubjectsoutsideofthesciences.

7 STEMEducationImplementationPlan2017-2019p4

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Figure 8: Increase in numbers of female students taking STEM subjects in Junior Cycle Examinations 2016 - 2019

Subject Area Real increase 2016-2019 % Increase 2016-2019

Wood Technology 786 30%

Technical Graphics 854 47%

Metalwork 188 25%

Technology 287 41%

Science 1,939 7%

Total 4,054 12%

3.3.3 Awareness of STEM policy


Allschools,earlylearningandcaresettings,learnersandparentstohaveincreasedawarenessandappreciationoftheimportance,valueandopportunityinSTEMwithparticularfocusonfemales8

Ingeneral,schoolswereveryawareoftheimportanceofSTEMeducationandtherewasoftenacleararticulationbyschoolsoftheimportance,valueandopportunitiesthatSTEMeducationholdsforstudents.Thiswasprevalentatpost-primarylevelparticularly,whereawarenessofSTEMeducationwasidentifiedassatisfactoryorbetterin94%ofschoolsvisited.Similarlyandpositively,atprimarylevel,88%ofschoolsvisitedweredeemedtobeveryawareofthenationalSTEMeducationagenda.

Inasignificantminorityoftheearlylearningandcaresettingsvisited,inspectorsfoundthattherewasalackofawarenessamongstpractitionersofthenationalSTEMeducationagendaandtheassociatedpolicystatementandimplementationplan.AlmostoneineverythreesettingsvisitedwasdeemedtohavealessthansatisfactoryawarenessoftheSTEMeducationagenda.


2020


Figure 9: School/Setting Awareness of STEM Education

InschoolswhereleadershipandteachersplacedaclearfocusonSTEMeducation,appropriatetrainingopportunitieswereidentifiedforteachersandanintegratedapproachtofosteringandenhancingthelearners’STEMexperiencesatclassroom/sessionlevelwasevident.Inaddition,anumberofpost-primaryschoolshadmadeaconcertedefforttoraisestudentawarenessofthevalueofSTEMeducationanditsrelevanceforlifeandforpotentialcareers.


Oneschool’sresponsetothenationalSTEMagendamirrorsthepositiveapproachestakenacrossthecountryinmanyschoolsandsettingstryingtoraiseawarenessofSTEMeducationamongtheirstudents.Thisparticularschooltookanumberofpro-activestepstoensurethatitsall-femalecohortisgivenameaningfulopportunitytoachieveintheSTEMarena.ThosestepsincludedtheintroductionofAgriculturalScienceinTransitionYear(TY)andatLeavingCertificatelevel.Toaddresspotentialgenderstereotyping,theschoolalsoinvitedfemalerolemodels,whoseeducationalandcareerspathshaveledthemtoSTEM-basedprofessions,tospeakwiththestudents.Thisstrategywasstrengthenedbytheschool’scommitmenttoprovidingitsstudentswithaccesstoSTEM-focusedco-curricularcompetitionsandtoregularvisitstolocalSTEM-basedindustries.Inaddition,work-experienceprogrammeswereidentifiedbytheschoolasareaswherestudentscouldattainrelevantandmeaningfulexperiencesinSTEMindustriesandassociated careers.

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Raisingawarenessof,andparticipationin,therangeofSTEMsubjectsisessentialtoensurethatwearedevelopingyoungpeoplewhoarecreativeandcriticalthinkersandalsointermsofdevelopingtheSTEMcompetenciesthatourworkforcewillneed.Earlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primaryeducatorsallhaveanimportantroletoplayinenablinglearnerstodeveloptheskillsandcompetenciesnecessarytoentertheSTEMworkforce.DatareleasedbytheCentralStatisticsOffice(CSO)in2017paintsapositivepictureregardingourthird-levelgraduates.In2016,thenumberofSTEMgraduatesinIrelandwas28.9per1,000personsagedbetween20-29years.ThisratewasthesecondhighestintheEuropeanUnion(EU).

Critically,IrelandalsohadthesecondhighestgenderdifferentialintheEUat24.7,with41.3maleSTEMgraduatesper1,000personsaged20-29,comparedwith16.6forfemales.ThisgenderinequalityisidentifiedasanareawhereIrelandmustmakesignificantimprovements.

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4.1 Overall findingsOverall,findingsinrelationtoteachers’andpractitioners’engagementwith,anduseofSTEMpedagogiesweregood.Inmorethanfouroutofeveryfivelessonsatbothprimaryandpost-primarylevels,STEMteachingwasdeemedtobesatisfactoryorbetter.FindingsintheearlylearningandcarecontextwerealsogenerallypositivewithSTEM-educationpedagogybeingdeemedtobesatisfactoryorbetterin72%ofthesessionsobserved.TheseoutcomesalsopointtowardsfurtherscopeforimprovementinteachingprocessesandapproachesandinscaffoldinglearningrelatedtoSTEM.

Figure 10: STEM Teaching

4.2 Spotlights on effective STEM pedagogiesInthemoreeffectiveSTEMlessonsobservedinprimaryschools,teachersmaximisedthepotentialforchildrentodeveloptheirsenseofwonderandnaturalcuriosity;children’sagencyintheirownlearningwasfacilitatedskilfullyandthechildrenwereenabledtousetheenvironmenttoexplore,observe,andexperimentwithnaturalandothermaterials.

4 How effectively are practitioners engaging with STEM education methods?

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Inoneprimaryschool,pupilswerefocusingontheschool’sresponsetopollutionandtheirresponsibilityfortheenvironmentasawhole.Ledbytheschool’sGreenSchoolteam,pupilscarriedoutananalysisoftheairpollutionaroundtheirschoolthroughouttheday.Theaimoftheprojectwastousethedataalreadyavailableinrelationtothequalityofairaroundschoolsatdifferenttimesoftheschooldayandapplyittotheirownsituation.Pupilsrecordeddatainrelationtocarsidlingoutsidetheirschoolatthebeginningandendoftheschoolday.Theyusedthisrichdatatoinformtheirparentsoftheincreaseinairpollutionwhiletheirvehicleswereidlinginthecarpark.Theteacher’sintegrationofvariousaspectsofthecurriculuminthiswayenabledthepupilstouse,inarealandmeaningfulway,mathematicalskillsinmeasuring,recordinganddisplayingresults,andscientificexplorationskillsinanalysingandcomparingresults.Theintegrationoftheseskillshadtheeffectofreducingexhaustemissionsintheschool’slocalenvironmentanddemonstratedhowthepupilscouldmakeameaningfulimpactintheirownlocality.

Wherehigh-qualitySTEMteachingatpost-primarylevelwasobserveditwasoftencharacterisedbyanopennesstomultiplesolutions,theincorporationofdigitaltoolstosupportteachingandlearning,theuseofenquiry-basedmethodsandengagementwithanengineeringdesign process.


OnenotableexampleofeffectiveSTEMteachingatpost-primarylevelwasobservedaspartofaJuniorCycleschool-developedshortcourse.StudentsenrolledinthismoduleexperiencedavarietyoflearningstrategiesacrosstheSTEM-baseddisciplines.Themodulewasdevelopedthroughalocalpartnershipwithawildlifepark.Teachersdevelopedadesign,buildandtestprojectthatrequiredstudentstoworkcollaborativelytocreateanenrichmenttoolforaspeciesofanimaloftheirchoice.Thesetoolshelptoencouragetheanimals’cognitiveandphysicalactivityandoftenincorporatefoodasarewardfortheirpersistence.Thisprojectinvolvedstudentsresearchingthewildlifeandtheirparticularneedsandrequirements.Theirteachersguidedtheirprogression,usinganengineeringdesignprocesstodesign,prototype,testandbuildoperationalenrichmenttoolsforanimalsasdiverseasring-tailedlemursandzebras.Flexibletimetablingenabledgroupworktooccuracrossavarietyofsubjectareassimultaneouslytherebyenablingstudentstoinvestigaterelevanttopicsandultimatelytotestpotentialsolutions.Theteachers’flexibleapproachenabledstudentstoengageinhighlyeffectivegroupworkwheretheyworkedcollaborativelytosolvedesign-basedproblems.Theintegratednatureofthisshortcoursemaximisedtheskillsthatstudentscoulddrawupontocreativelysolveaproblem.

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Inpost-primarylessonswhereSTEMteachingpracticeswerelessdeveloped,one-dimensionalapproachestoteachingandlearningweremostcommon.Teacherswerelesslikelytopromoteexplorationandcreativityandmorelikelytofocusonteacher-guidedsolutionsandteachingstrategiesthatresultedinsingle-answersolutions.Thisbinaryapproachprovideslearnerswithlimitedflexibilityandcanhavedetrimentaleffectsonlearners’innatecuriosityparticularlyiftheydonotgetthe“rightanswer”.

STEMeducation,whilstmadeupofavarietyofdistinctdisciplines,isatitsheart,multi-disciplinaryandinter-disciplinary.Inasignificantnumberofpost-primarySTEMsubjectlessons,anintegratedapproachtoSTEMteachingwasabsent.ThisgreatlyincreasedtheriskofSTEMsubjectlearningdevelopinginisolation,withoutcontextandwithoutopportunitiesforintegrationwithotherSTEMsubjectsbeingstudied.

Itisalsocriticalforlearnersatalllevels—earlylearningandcare,primaryandpost-primary—tohaveopportunitiestomaketangiblelinkswithreal-lifeproblemsinordertoadvancetheirSTEMlearninginameaningfulway.Opportunitiesforlearnerstofocusonhands-onbuildingandproblem-solvingactivitiesarecriticalforpositivelearningoutcomes.ResearchcarriedoutaspartoftheOECD’sFostering Students’ Creativity and Critical Thinking What it Means in School9 studyhighlightsproblem-solvingandtheinclusionofdesign-basedlearningascrucialinaninter-disciplinaryapproachtoteachingandlearning.Thisapproachencouragescreativityandtheidentificationofinnovativesolutionstocomplexreal-worldproblemsthroughaprocessofDesignThinking10.

Figure 11setsoutanumberofquestionsdesignedtosupporteducationpractitionersinreviewingorself-evaluatingtheirSTEMpedagogies.

Figure 11: STEM Methodology Questions

Do activities focus on real-world issues

and problems?

Are lessons supportive of

“Design Thinking” approaches?

Is hands-on inquiry and open-ended exploration

encouraged?

Are students given the opportunity to work together as a

team?

Is mathematical and scientific content

integrated into learning?

Are multiple approaches

and solutions encouraged?

Are subject links and partnerships

utilised in lessons?

Is Art incorporated into the

appearance, design and usability of a

project?

Is digital learning used to support

STEM based activities?

Is artistic and creative planning

for solutions used to overcome

an engineering problem?

Are links with local STEM

industries and research facilities

embedded?

Are work experience

opportunities for students in STEM based industries /

services tilised?

9 https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/fostering-students-creativity-and-critical-thinking_62212c37-en#page105

10 Designthinkinginstructioniscomprisedofthreecorefeatures:1)aflexiblelearningspace;2)teamwork3)asystematicapproachonproblemsolving.

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4.3 Planning for STEM Education and the use of dataWhenfocusisplacedontheSTEMpedagogiesusedbypractitioners,twoindicatorsofsuccessset out in the STEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019areparticularlyrelevant.


UseofevidencebyschoolstosupportSTEMeducation11

AllschoolstoincorporateSTEMwithintheirwhole-schoolplanningactivities12

Atprimarylevel,70%ofschoolsvisitedwerefoundtohaveawhole-schoolplanningorschoolself-evaluation(SSE)processthatwasimpactingpositivelyonSTEMprovisionintheschool.In50%ofpost-primaryschoolsvisited,theimpactofwhole-schoolplanningorSSEonprovisionforSTEMwasfoundtobesatisfactoryorbetter.Thesefindingsindicatethatatbothlevelsthereisscopeinasignificantnumberofschoolstostrengthenwhole-schoolapproachestoSTEMthroughimprovedplanningorSSEprocesses.

Figure 12: Impact of Whole School Planning / SSE on STEM education



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4.4 STEM and SSEFormallyintroducedintotheIrishschoolsystemin2012asacollaborative,reflectiveprocessofinternalschoolreview,SSEisprimarilyaboutschoolstakingownershipoftheirowndevelopmentandimprovement.STEMeducationisanareathatschoolscould,iftheydecideto,focusonandincorporatewithintheirSSEprocess.Untilnow,schoolshavebeenusingSSEtosupporttheirliteracyandnumeracydevelopmentinadditiontoanumberofself-selectedareasoffocusinteachingandlearning.SSEhasalsobeenusedbyschoolstoembedothernationalinitiativessuchasthePrimaryLanguageCurriculumatprimarylevelortheembeddingoftheFrameworkforJuniorCycleatpost-primarylevel.

InusingtheSSEprocesstolookatandimproveSTEMprovision,aschoolcouldposequestionsforitselfsuchas:

Figure 13: STEM and School Self Evaluation – possible questions

Do we enable learners

to become immersed

in hands-on inquiry and open-ended exploration?

Do we give students the opportunity

to work together as a

team?

Do we integrate

mathematical and scientific content into

learning?

Do we facilitate multiple

approaches and solutions

in our classrooms?

Do we utilise digital

learning to support

STEM-based activities?

Do we maximise student

engagement in critical thinking?

Thesequestionsandtheadditionalquestionslistedabove(Figure 11)wouldhelptheschooltofocusondifferentaspectsofSTEMeducationthatcouldbedevelopedatclassroomlevelandimplementedacrossaschool’scurriculum.

AchallengeforschoolsinapplyingtheSSEprocesstoSTEMistoidentifyacommonthreadwhichhasrelevanceacrossallcurricularareasandcanbeimplementedaccordingly,onaschool-widebasis.Onesuchthreadcouldinvolvethecross-curriculardevelopmentofcriticalthinkingskills.Inabroadsense,criticalthinkingrequiresstudentstousetheirabilitytoreason.Itisaboutbeinganactivelearnerratherthanapassiverecipientofinformation.Criticalthinkersrigorouslyquestionideasandassumptionsratherthanacceptingthematfacevalue;theseskillsareessentialtolearners’capacitiestocreate,innovateandsolveSTEM-basedproblems.

Identify Focus

Gather Evidence

Analyseand make

judgements

Write andshare report

and improvement plan

Put improvement

plan into action

Monitor actions and

evaluate impact

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Inspectorswhowereinvolvedintheprojectinallthreesectorscapturedsetting/school-leveldataandsession/lessonleveldata.Theareasofenquiryuponwhicheachinspectorfocusedduringtheirinspectionvisitswerealignedwithanumberoftheindicatorsofsuccessoutlinedin the STEM Education Implementation Plan.ThissectionofthereportfocusesonthreekeyindicatorsofsuccessoutlinedintheSTEM Education Implementation Plan:

• STEMeducation-Performance

• STEMeducation-LinksandPartnerships

• STEMeducation–UtilisingDigitalTechnologies

5.1 STEM education – Performance


AlllearnerswillhaveimprovedperformanceinSTEMeducation13

OutcomesoftheTrends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) providedsomebenchmarksagainstwhichtogaugeourSTEMeducationoutcomes.TheTIMSS2015studystatedthatatfourthclassinprimarylevel,Irishstudentsranked2ndinMathematicsoutofthe22participatingEuropeanUnion(EU)memberstates/territoriesand9thoutofall49countriesparticipating.Irishstudentsranked10thinScienceoutofthe22EUparticipatingmemberstates/territoriesand19thoutofall47countries.

Atpost-primarylevel,second-yearstudentsranked1stinMathematicsoutofthe8EUparticipatingmemberstates/territoriesand9thoutofall39participatingcountries.InScience,Irishstudentsranked3rdoutofthe8EUparticipatingmemberstates/territoriesand10th out of all39participatingcountries.

ResultsofTIMSS2019aredueinDecember2020.TheseresultswillprovideinterestingsupplementaryinformationinrelationtoourachievementlevelscomparedwithstudentsinotherjurisdictionsandwillprovideanotherkeybenchmarkinrelationtoouroverallSTEMeducationprogress.


5 How effectively are other national STEM goals being realised?

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PISA2015indicatedthatinScience,Irishpost-primarystudentswereranked6thamongEUmemberstates/territoriesand19thoutofallcountriesparticipatinginPISA.InMathematics,Irishpost-primarystudentswereranked9thamongEUmemberstates/territoriesand18th out of allcountriesparticipatinginPISA.

PISA 2018

ResultsreleasedonDecember3December2019continuetoprovidestrongindicationsthatIrishpost-primarystudentsarewellplacedamongtheircounterpartsinotherOECDcountriesandinrelationtostudentsinallcountriesparticipatinginthePISAassessments.

InMathematicstheoverallmeanscoreofstudentsinIrelandin2018was499.6.ThiswassignificantlyhigherthantheOECDaveragescoreof489.3.Ireland’srankingis16thoutof37OECDcountriesand21stoutofthetotalof78participatingcountries/economies.

PISA2018resultsinIrelandwereclosetoourhistoricaverageinmathematics.WhiletheoveralltrajectoryofmathematicsperformanceinthePISAassessmentscanbedescribedasU-shaped,thisisentirelytheresultofthePISA2009results,whichweresignificantlybelowthehistoricaverage.MeanperformanceinallotheryearswasclosetothatobservedinPISA2018.

InScience,Irishstudentsachievedameanscoreof496.1inscienceliteracy,whichissignificantlyabovetheOECDaverage(488.7)andthemeanscoreoftheirpeersintheEU(484.0).Irelandalsoranked17thoutofthe37OECDcountriesand22ndofall78participatingcountries/economies.However,theoveralltrendwasnegative;inparticular,themorerecenttrend(since2012)andthetrendamongstthehighestperformingstudentswasmarkedlynegative.Between2006and2018,theproportionofstudentswhoscoredatLevel5or6onthePISAscale(top-performingstudents)decreasedby3.6percentagepoints,andthe90thpercentileoftheperformancedistributionmoveddownonthePISAscalebyabout5scorepointsper3-yearperiod.

ThedeclineinSciencemaybepartlyexplainedbythechangesinthePISAtestin2015and2018.Computer-basedtestingwasintroducedforthefirsttimein2015andthisallowedtheuseoftestitemsinwhichstudentshadtodemonstratetheabilitytoapplyscientificinvestigativeskills(involvinganumberofvariables)inexperimentswhichwerecompletedvirtually.In2018,theproportionofsuchitemswasincreasedinthePISASciencetest,reflectingagrowingemphasisonmeasuringstudents’abilitytoapplyscientificskills,ratherthanontheirknowledgeofscientificfacts.TheabilitytoapplysuchskillsisemphasisedtoamuchgreaterextentintherevisedJuniorCyclespecification,butonly2%ofthestudentstakingthePISA2018testexperiencedtherevisedJuniorCyclespecifications.ThenextroundofPISA,duetotakeplacein2022,willprovideabetterestimationoftheextenttowhichtheJuniorCyclechangesinSciencearebeingeffective.

The STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 and Implementation Plan 2017-2019commitstoidentifyingkeychallenges,andopportunitiestopromotetheuptakeofSTEMsubjectsatpost-primarylevel.TheinitialfocusisonhowtoincreasetheparticipationoffemalesinSTEMEducationatearlyyears,primaryandpost-primaryschools.TheSTEMCPDSupportFramework14aimstosupportthecross-sectoraldesignanddeliveryofCPDinSTEM.

14 https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/STEM-Education-Policy/stem-cpd-support-framework.pdf

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5.2 STEM Education - Links and Partnerships


Robustandsustainablepartnershipsinplacebetweenschools,businessandindustry,publicsectorbodies,researchorganisations,furtherandhigher-levelinstitutions,andthewiderSTEMcommunity14

TheimpactofSTEMinitiativesand/orpartnershipsonschoolcultureintheprimaryandpost-primaryschoolcontextwasparticularlypositivewithanumberofschoolsexhibitingstronglinkswithlocalindustriesandeducationalinstitutions.SuchlinkshelpedtocreateacultureofSTEMeducationatschoollevel.Intheprimarycontext,therewasevidencethatsuchlinksimpactedpositivelyonteachingandlearningexperiencesforpupils.Inearlylearningandcaresettings,satisfactoryorbetterSTEMinitiatives/partnershipswerelessevident.Tosupportthecreationandidentificationoflinksandpartnerships,theDepartmentofEducationhasdevelopedguidelinesandanaccompanyingonlinetoolkittoprovidethebasisforbothprimaryandpost-primaryschoolsandbusiness/industrytoformquality,inclusiveandrelevanteducationallinkswhichareaimedatimprovingtheSTEM/Digitallearningexperienceandsecuringenhancedoutcomesforalllearner.16

Figure 14: School/Setting-wide Links and Partnerships

Thereseemedtobeacontradictionofsortswhentheimpactoflinksandpartnershipswasexploredduringlessonobservations.Atpost-primarylevel,justunder60%oflessonsobservedweredeemedtohavebeenimpactedpositivelythroughlocalornationalSTEMpartnerships.Incomparison,75%ofthesameschoolsweredeemedtohavebenefittedinasatisfactoryor

15 STEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019 p. 4

16 https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/STEM-Education-Policy/guidelines-for-stem-school-business_industry-partnerships.pdf

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betterwayatawhole-schoollevelfromlocalornationalSTEMpartnerships.ThissuggeststhattheremaywellbefurtherworktobedoneinordertoencourageteacherstoensurethatSTEMeducationbecomesaneverydayexperiencefortheirstudents.Theremayalsobeaneedtoensurethatsuchlinksareconsistentwiththecurricularrequirementsofteachersandstudentsinordertomaximisestudents’exposuretomeaningfulandworthwhileSTEMlearningexperiences.

Figure 15: PP Impact of Links and Partnerships / Whole School and Lesson Comparison

Ofthetwenty-nineearlylearningandcaresettingsvisited,nonewereawareoftheSTEM Education Implementation Plan.HoweverintheearlylearningandcarecontextitshouldbeacknowledgedthatthecommunicationofSTEMeducationinitiativestotheearlylearningandcaresectorhasbeenrelativelyinconsistent.AnonlinesearchofavailableearlylearningandcarecoursesledtotheidentificationofjustoneCPDcoursedirectlyrelatedtotheSTEM Education Implementation Plan,providedbytheNationalCollegeofIreland(NCI).ThegoalofthisinnovativecoursewastobringearlylearningandcareandprimaryeducatorstogethertoexperienceanddiscussSTEMactivitiesandtolearnhowtoauthenticallyincorporateSTEMapproachesintotheirpractice.Attheearlylearningandcarelevel,initiativeslikethisarerequiredtobolstereffectiveearlylearningandcareSTEMpedagogy.

Spotlight7identifieshowschoolsandpre-schoolscanco-operateandcollaboratetoimprovetheSTEMeducationexperiencesoflearners.Thisexemplarshowshowresourcesandknow-howcanbepooledinordertomaximiseteachingandlearningcapacitiesinthearea.

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Oneprimaryschoolextendeditslinksandpartnershipsacrosstheschool’scommunitytoincludetwootherlocalprimaryschools,thefeederpre-schoolforallthreeprimaryschoolsandonelocalpost-primaryschool.Indoingso,theydevelopedanumberofSTEMthemescollaborativelyincludingSpace,Water,BuildingsandTransport.STEMandtheArtswereactivelypromotedintheschoolsandpre-school.Therewasacross-curricularapproachtoteachingtopicswithaparticularfocusonSTEMsubjects.Thisinvolvedstaffandpractitionersfromalloftheschoolsandsettingsplanningstrategically.Theplanningsessionswerelocatedineachoftheschoolsonarotationalbasis.Continuingprofessionaldevelopmentwasaccessed,ifpossible,asacluster,tosupporthigh-qualityteachingandenhancecollectivepractice.PractitionersatallthreelevelssharedSTEMresourcesandcommunicatedregularly.Thelearnersandpractitionersvisitedoneanother’sschoolsandsettingsandsharedtheirlearning.MembersofthegroupwhohadparticularexpertiseorusefullinksinSTEMintheworldoutsidesharedtheirknowledgetoenhanceSTEMlearningandteaching.Therewasanincreasedsharingofprofessionalideas,approachesandresources.Inaddition,regularlinkswiththelocalEducationCentreandthesupportservicesweremaintained.Theboardsofmanagementoftheprimaryandpost-primaryschoolsprovidedaverybroadrangeofco-curricularandextra-curricularSTEMlearningopportunities.

Thegroup’svisionwastoguidetheirlearnersalongnewpathwaysofdiscoverythroughplayandexperimentation,discussionandquestioning,gatheringandsourcinginformation,trialanderror,evaluationandassessment.Theseapproacheshelpedtocreateanenvironmentconducivetohigh-qualitySTEMeducation.

5.3 STEM education – Utilising Digital Technologies Atsystemlevel,significantworkinSTEMeducationisunderwayinareassuchascurriculumandassessmentreform,teacherprofessionaldevelopmentandtheembeddingofdigitaltechnologiesinallclassroomactivities.

The STEM Education Policy Statementcommitstoensuringthat“Teachers and early learning and care practitioners will have engaged with professional learning opportunities and will embed STEM into their teaching practice to include the use of digital technologies”. AsparttheInspectorate’sreviewoftheimplementationoftheDepartment’sDigitalLearningFramework,anadditionalthirty-sixSTEMlessonswereobservedinninefurtherpost-primaryschools.Injustoverhalf(53%)ofthoselessons,digitaltechnologieswereincorporatedintothelessontoenhancestudents’learningexperiences.Inthelessonswheredigitaltechnologieswerenotincorporatedintostudents’experiences,inspectorsfoundthattheuseofdigitaltechnologieswouldhave


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enhancedlearners’experiencesoverallin63%ofthoselessons.ThissmallsampleindicatesthatthereisstillscopefordevelopmentwithregardtothegreaterincorporationofdigitaltechnologiesintoSTEMteachingandlearning.

WhereeffectiveuseofICTinSTEMlessonswasobserved,therewasgenerallygoodintegrationofSTEMsubjectssupportedbyeffectiveplanning.


AprimaryschoolusedtheDigitalStrategypurposefullytosupportSTEMlearningopportunitiesforpupilsinavarietyofways.Thisschool-wideapproachincludedthepupilsusingICTtocreateaudio-visualrecordingsandtoedittheserecordingsusingsoftwareinordertosharetheirlearningwiththeirpeers.SomepupilsusedtheseskillstodemonstratetheirSTEMprojectwork,particularlyintheirengagementwiththeReel Life Scienceproject.Anotherexampleoftheschool’sinitiativesthathavebenefittedpupils’accesstoSTEMeducationisthecreationofaScience,Technology,Engineering,ArtandMathematics(STEAM)room.ThisfacilityenabledpupilstopursuetheirSTEMinterestswithinabroadercontextthatincorporatedtheirlearningintheVisualArts,creativedesignandproblemsolving.Thisenvironmentsupportedthelearnerstocompletetheirprojecttasks,someofwhichincorporatedtheuseofroboticsandcomputerprogramming.Thestaffinthisschoolalsodemonstratedhighlevelsofconfidenceandcompetenceinusingdigitalresourcestosupporttheirteaching.

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ThefindingsofthisreportsuggestthatwhilebothearlylearningandcaresettingsandschoolsarenowprimedforgreaterengagementwithSTEMeducationgenerally,thereareanumberofkeyareaswheretheSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 and the STEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019haveyettomakethedesiredimpactinschoolsandsettings.Itisalsoclearthatmanyprimaryandpost-primaryschoolshavetakeninitialsteps,withsomemakingverygoodprogressandforgingnewpathwaysthatmaximisetheirlearners’STEMeducationexperiencesandoutcomes.ThespotlightsthroughoutthisreportalsoindicatethatthereisgoodevidenceofeffectiveSTEMlearningandoftheeffortsthatsomeschoolshavemadetoachievethenationalgoalsassetoutintheSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026.

Need to further embed the national STEM education agenda in our schools and settings

Whilethemanypositivefindingsprovideamostwelcomebackdroptothisreport,oneoftheareasthatrequiresongoingmonitoringistheareaofraisingawarenessofthenationalSTEMeducationagenda.WhilstitisrecognisedthatmanyoftheschoolsthatengagedinthisreviewwereveryawareoftheimportanceofSTEMeducationingeneral,therestillremainsscopefordevelopmentinlinkingthegoalsoftheSTEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 and the STEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019withacoherentandpossiblynationallyaccreditedschool-basedprogramme.Thedevelopmentofsuchaprogramme,withclearindicatorslinkedbacktothepolicystatementandimplementationplan,wouldsupportschoolsinplanningtheirengagementwithSTEMeducationandalsohelptoensuretheiralignmentwithnationalSTEMeducationpriorities.Anationalprogrammewouldnotonlyprovidestructureandgoalsforschoolsandsettings,butalsoproviderecognitionoftheirachievementsintheareaofSTEMeducation.

SimilarlyintheELCsector,furtherembeddingpolicyandreinforcingthesupportsavailabletothesectorwouldalsosignificantlysupportandfacilitateELCsettings’engagementinthenationalSTEMeducationagenda.ThiswouldhelptoensurethatouryoungestlearnersaregiventhebestpossiblestartontheirSTEMeducationjourney.Withthisinmind,itisimportanttostatethatprogressattheearlylearningandcarelevelislessdevelopedthanthatoftheprimaryandpost-primarysectorsandfurtherpolicyinitiatives,supportsandactionsarenecessarytoensurethatpractitionersandearlylearningandcaresettingsarefullysupportedtoengagewiththenationalSTEMagenda.ThisengagementshouldalsobefullyalignedwithandfocussedontherealisationofnationalSTEMeducationgoals.

6 Key Findings and Recommendations


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Further work is required to ensure gender equity in STEM education

AnotherareathatrequiresattentionisgenderinequalityinSTEMeducation.Whileitisrecognisedthatgoodprogresshasbeenmadeinsomeareas,thereisstillsignificantscopeforimprovement.Genderparityisunfortunatelystillillusive,particularlyinthecontextofuptakeoftechnology-basedSTEMsubjectsatpost-primarylevel.Thisissueismulti-facetedand,toaddressit,acreativeandwide-rangingsolutionisnecessary.Issuesaroundgenderstereotyping,curriculumaccessibilityandresourcingareallcontributoryfactorstoIreland’shighgenderdifferentialbetweenmaleandfemaleSTEMgraduates.

There is scope to further integrate STEM education curriculums in the primary and post-primary sectors

ThefindingthattherewasahighlevelofparticipationratesinSTEMactivitiesandSTEMsubjectsingeneral,ismostwelcome.ThehighlevelofparticipationratesinSTEMactivitiesintheELCisparticularlynotableasthesessionobservationsinELCsettingsoccurredingenericlearningcontextsthatwerenotfocusedprimarilyonSTEM.ItishearteningthatmanyofouryoungestlearnersareexposedtoSTEMeducationnotonlyinwhattheylearn,butmoreimportantlyhowtheylearn.ThisapproachtoSTEMeducationmethodologyiscertainlyanareathatcouldbefurtherembeddedatprimaryandpost-primarylevelswherethecompartmentalisationofsubjectsismoreprevalent.ExamplesofgoodpracticeliketheoneoutlinedinSTEM Learning Spotlight 6provideuswithtangibleindicationsofhowprimaryandpost-primaryschoolscanorganiseandscheduleclassesandteacherstomaximiselearners’integratedexperiencesofSTEMeducation.Thispresentsachallengeforschoolleadersinrelationtofindingcreativesolutionstoschedulingclassesanddevelopingthematicandcross-curricularapproachestocurriculumdelivery.

The development of creative environments that facilitate the incorporation of STEM education methodologies is essential

TheintegrationofdesignandmakeskillsintoSTEMeducationexperiencesactivelypromotesthefosteringanddevelopmentofcreativecriticalthinkingskills.Tothisend,inspectorsnotedmanypositiveexamplesofpracticeinclassroomsandlearningsettingswhereSTEMeducationwasembeddedandformedpartofthelearners’everydayexperiences.Wherepracticewasverygood,STEMlearningopportunitiesandexperienceswereintegratedseamlesslyacrossarangeofcurriculumareas.Insuchcases,learnersengagedinmeaningfulactivitiesthatdevelopedtheirsenseofcuriosity,theirproblem-solvingskills,theirteamworkandabilitytoadoptmultipleapproachestoachievenon-prescribedsolutions.SchoolsandsettingswishingtostrengthentheircurrentSTEMeducationprogrammesshouldcertainlyfocusonhowtheycanenhanceteachingandlearningmethodologiespotentiallybyaskingthemselvesquestionslike:

• Arelessonssupportiveof“DesignThinking”approaches?

• Aremultipleapproachesandsolutionsencouraged?

• IsdigitallearningusedtosupportSTEM-basedactivities?

• ArelinkswithlocalSTEMindustriesandresearchfacilitiesembedded?

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Inordertodeveloppracticefurther,thecreationofteachingandlearningenvironmentsthatwillfacilitatetheincorporationofSTEMeducationmethodologiesisessential.Itwasnotedthatinexamplesofgoodpracticeobserved,manyteachersandpractitionerscreatedatmospheresthatwereconducivetomultipleandalternativesolutionsandenquiry-basedmethodsthatenabledengagementwithanengineeringdesignprocessofsometype.Itisimperativethattheseapproachesbecomemorewidespreadandthattheyareincorporatedintolearners’experiencestocomplementandsupportexistingandmoretraditionalapproaches.TopromotegreaterapplicationofSTEM-basedtransferrableskills,thefosteringofrelevantlinksandpartnershipsshouldalsobeforgedwherepossible.

As schools engage with school self-evaluation, opportunities to foster the potential of STEM education should be considered and incorporated where practicable into their teaching and learning areas of focus

TohelpschoolsthatwouldliketofocusonaspectsofteachingandlearningthatlendthemselvestoSTEMeducation,additionalsupportwouldbebeneficial,particularlythroughtheprovisionofresourcesandadvicethatcouldbeusedatschoolleveltoaidreflectionandreviewwithintheDepartment’sexistingSSEstructures.ThepotentialbenefitsofSTEMeducationshouldbeconsideredandincorporatedwherepracticableintoday-to-dayteachingandlearning.Thisprocessshouldbestructuredwithintheschoolself-evaluationprocesswherepossible.Byposingquestions,challengingtheirapproachesandbyself-evaluatingtheirSTEMeducationpractices,schoolsandsettingswillbewellplacedtorecognisetheirstrengthsandproactivelyaddressanyidentifiedareasfordevelopment.TheSTEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019outlineskeyindicatorsofsuccessthatcouldinformthisprocessatschoolandsettinglevel.

Innovative approaches to supporting and incentivising schools and settings in terms of STEM should be identified. In particular, there is a need to ensure that schools have appropriate STEM learning spaces and access to necessary STEM resources

Paralleltothedevelopmentofpedagogy,thereisalsoaneedtosupportschoolsandsettingsinthereimaginingofcreativespaceswhereSTEMeducationmethodologiesandSTEM-basedlearningcanflourish.Itisincumbentonthoseresponsibleforplanningassociatedinfrastructuraldevelopmentstoprogressthesechangesinlinewiththenecessaryevolutionofpedagogy.Creativespacesshouldbeidentifiedinallschoolsandsettingsand,wherenecessary,resourcedaccordingly.Whilstitisrecognisedthatresourcingneedswillunderstandablyvaryandwillimpactlearnersindifferentwaysdependingupontheirageandstageofdevelopment,akeyconsiderationshouldbethatlearners’creativityshouldbefosteredwherepossibleandnotbenegativelyimpacteduponduetotheavailabilityorotherwiseofSTEM-learningresourcesandfacilities.

Schools and early learning and care settings should continue to work to make STEM education an integrated feature of teaching, learning and assessment

ItisalsoincumbentonschoolsandearlylearningandcaresettingstocontinuetoworktowardsensuringthatSTEMeducationisanintegratedfeatureoflearners’experiencesofteaching,learningandassessment.LeadersinthesectorshouldpromotetheintegrationofmeaningfulSTEMeducationapproachesasinherentcomponentsofeverydaypractice.Thismightpresent


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challengesformanypost-primaryschoolsand,toalesserextent,primaryschoolswherethepropensitytoteachSTEMsubjectsinisolationmayexist.ThispropensityshouldbechallengedwherepossibleinordertocreateamoreintegratedapproachtolearningthatencompassestheassociatedskillsetsoftheSTEMdisciplines.

CPD providers and ITE courses, and early learning and care practitioner courses should ensure that effective STEM education methodologies are incorporated into teacher/practitioner training courses and CPD

Tohelpachievethesegoalsitisalsoessentialthatteachersandpractitionersareprovidedwiththenecessaryadvice,trainingandCPD.ITEcoursesandprovidersofeducationandtrainingforELCpractitionersshouldreviewtheirprogrammestoensurethattheyreflectandincorporatetheassociatedpedagogiesthatareapplicabletotheSTEMeducationexperience.Withoutthefurtherdevelopmentandreinforcementoftheimportanceoftheseareas,askillsdeficitmaywellmaterialise.ThisisparticularlyrelevantforpractitionersworkingintheELCsector.Atprimaryandpost-primarylevels,significantresourceshavebeendevelopedtoprovideadviceandsupportsforteachersofSTEMandtheseresourcesarebearingfruit,resultinginthedevelopmentofhighlydevelopedresourcesandsupportsforteachers.FutureiterationsofCosán,theFrameworkforTeachers’LearningcouldalsoreflectSTEMasakeylearningareatherebyfurthersupportingteachers’professionaldevelopmentjourneysandembeddingSTEMCPDacrossthesectors.Teachers’lifelonglearningintheareaofSTEMeducationwouldcertainlybenefitfromthemulti-dimensionalapproachespousedinCosánwhereteachers’learningmaybeformalorinformal,personalorprofessional,collaborativeorindividual,andschool-basedorexternal,andoftenacombinationofthesedimensions.

There is a need to create activities that support effective STEM education and positive STEM experiences for learners

ButhowcanweensurethatlearnersacrossthethreesectorsareprovidedwithasmanyopportunitiestoengageinSTEMeducationaspossible?ToachievethisitisimperativethatcreativeactivitiesthatfosterandsupporteffectiveSTEMeducationareidentified.TheSTEMLearningSpotlightsthroughoutthisreportdemonstratethatfromearlyyearslearningtoseniorcyclepost-primaryeducation,planning,creativityandanadherencetothekeyprinciplesthatunderpinSTEMeducationareessentialcomponentsofsuccessfulSTEMeducationexperiences.Wheretheseactivitieswerebestdeveloped,learnerswereenabledtoengageintasksthatimbueddiscovery,inquiryandexploration,allapproachesthatdevelopaSTEMmind-set.Thechallengeforeducatorsistoensurethatthesetendencies,allofwhicharenaturallyoccurringandabundantinchildrenandyoungpeople,aregiventheopportunitytodevelopandtogrow.Toachievethis,wewillneedtobecognisantofotherfactorsthatmaynegativelyimpactlearners’experiencesofSTEMeducationmethodologies.Wewillalsoneedtoresistthetemptationtofocusoncontentattheexpenseofskilldevelopment,particularlyinrelationtothemodelsofassessmentthatwechooseforourchildrenandyoungpeople.EmbeddingAistear,thePrimarySchoolCurriculum(1999),theFrameworkforJuniorCycle(2015)andfuturereviewsatseniorcyclepost-primarywillsupportthisandfacilitateacoherentapproachacrosssectorsthatimproveslearners’experiencesandoutcomesoverall.

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Additional policy guidance in the area of effective STEM education approaches in the early learning and care sectors should be developed

ThechallengefortheELCsectoristoensurethatitcanengagewithSTEMeducationeventhoughtodate,thelevelofsupportsavailabletothesectordoesnotcorrespondwiththatoftheprimaryandpost-primarysectors.PolicyguidanceandengagementwithrelevantpartnersandstakeholdersintheareaofeffectiveSTEMeducationapproachesintheELCsectorisnecessaryinordertoputthestrategiesinplacetorealisethegoalssetoutintheSTEM Education Policy Statement.

Conclusion

TheimportanceandrelevanceofSTEMeducationwasabundantlyclearduringthecourseoftheCOVID-19pandemicwhentheinitialshortageofpersonalprotectiveequipment(PPE)andspecificallyfaceshieldsresonatedwithmanylearnersinIrishschools.SomelearnersutilisedtheskillsandtoolsavailabletothemtorapidlyprototypeandproducetherequiredPPEintheirschoolstosupplementthenationalshortfallinsupply.Thisdesignandmakeapproachandreal-worldapplicationofcriticalthinkingskills,enabledouryounglearnerstocontributeinameaningfulwaytothefightagainstthevirus.Thisexampledemonstrateshowanintegratedapproachtoscience,technology,engineeringandmathematicscanhaveapositiveimpactonourlivesandalsohowthesedisciplinescanco-existandinteracteffectivelytorealiseadesignsolutionforthegoodofsocietyoverall.

Aswecontinuetoevolveandtodevelopitiscertainthatmanymorechallengeswillfaceus,andifwecanequipouryounglearnerswiththeSTEMtoolsthatwillenablethemtotacklethesechallengesinasolution-focusedmannerthenourfuturechallengesmaywellbeovercomethroughtheapplicationofinnovationandcreativitygroundedinSTEMeducation.


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GlossaryGlossary Term Definition

AR AugmentedReality

CPD ContinuingProfessionalDevelopment

CSO CentralStatisticsOffice

DCG DesignandCommunicationGraphics

EU EuropeanUnion

EY EarlyYears

EYEI EarlyYearsEducationInspection

ICT InformationandCommunicationTechnology

IoT InternetofThings

ITE InitialTeacherEducation

JCT JuniorCycleforTeachers

NCI NationalCollegeofIreland

OECD OrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment

PDST ProfessionalDevelopmentServiceforTeachers

PISA ProgrammeforInternationalStudentAssessment

SSE SchoolSelf-Evaluation

STEAM Science,Technology,Engineering,Art&Mathematics

STEM Science,Technology,Engineering&Mathematics

TG TechnicalGraphics

TIMSS TrendsinInternationalMathematicsandScienceStudy

TY TransitionYear

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AcknowledgementsThefollowingschools’STEMpracticesareexemplifiedintheSpotlightsoutlinedthroughoutthisreport.Wewouldliketothanktheseschools,theirteachersandtheirstudentsfortheirengagementandsupportinprovidingexamplesofgoodpractice.

Spotlight 1 VicarstownNS,Vicarstown,CountyCork

Spotlight 2 ScoilÍosagáin,St.Mary’sRoad,Buncrana,Co.Donegal

Spotlight 3 ColáisteBhaileChláir,Lakeview,BaileChláir,ConaGaillimhe

Spotlight 4 HolyFamilySecondarySchool,Newbridge,CountyKildare

Spotlight 5 ScoilNaomhFionán,Whitecastle,QuigleysPoint,CountyDonegal

Spotlight 6 CarrigtwohillCommunityCollege,Unit2AFotaBusinessPark,Carrigtwohill,CountyCork

Spotlight 7 St.Mary’sNS,Ballinagare,Castlerea,Co.Roscommon

Spotlight 8 St.Hugh’sNS,Dowra,viaCarrick-on-Shannon,CountyLeitrim

An Roinn OideachaisDepartment of Education

This report presents the findings of an Inspectorate evaluation of the implementation of the first phase of the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 in a sample of primary and post-primary schools and early learning and care settings during the period January 2019 to December 2019.

The report is also designed to provide a benchmark for the education system and policy makers more broadly in relation to how STEM education policy is being implemented at school and early learning and care setting level and to inform actions that may need to be taken to ensure that national STEM education objectives can be achieved.

The report is also intended to be a resource for education practitioners at early learning and care, primary and post-primary levels through providing illustrations of effective STEM education as observed in the course of the evaluation project.

stem education 2020 · 17 hours ago · young people. stem is an ever-evolving area and the skills...

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