Cross-disciplinary STEM Learning for Asian Primary Students


Book Description

Given the importance of student learning in the various types and integration of STEM education, this book provides a landscape of cross-disciplinary STEM learning in Asian primary schools, and a systematic overview of design, practices, and outcomes of STEM learning implementation. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has continued to attract attention worldwide, and there have been calls for the promotion of STEM education in primary schools to nurture students to meet the needs of societies in terms of innovation and technology development. Since STEM is complex in nature and is related to various disciplines, the effort of a single discipline may not be as effective as cross-disciplinary efforts. This edited volume, involving an Asian team of authors, examines how cross-disciplinary STEM learning can be designed for students to achieve viable outcomes, and what opportunities and challenges have been offered to the next generation to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and ways of thinking, as well as attitudes and values for lifelong learning. A resourceful text for students, researchers, and practitioners interested in the rich development of STEM education and practical methods for a variety of learning approaches from elementary to secondary education has been provided.




Cross-disciplinary STEM Learning for Asian Primary Students


Book Description

"Given the importance of student learning in the various types and integration of STEM education, this book provides a landscape of cross-disciplinary STEM learning in Asian primary schools, and a systematic overview of design, practices and outcomes of STEM learning implementation. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has continued to attract attention worldwide, and there have been calls for the promotion of STEM education in primary schools to nurture students to meet the needs of societies in terms of innovation and technology development. Since STEM is complex in nature and is related to various disciplines, the effort of a single discipline may not be as effective as cross-disciplinary efforts. This edited volume, involving an Asian team of authors, examines how cross-disciplinary STEM learning can be designed for students to achieve viable outcomes, and what opportunities and challenges have been offered to the next generation to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, ways of thinking, as well as attitudes and values for lifelong learning. A resourceful text for students, researchers and practitioners interested in the rich development of STEM education and practical methods for a variety of learning approaches from elementary to secondary education"--




School Counselling in East and South-East Asia


Book Description

This book explores trends in the practice of school counselling in East and Southeast Asia in response to socioeconomic changes, developments in education and schooling, the growth of technology, and the legacy of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The volume adopts an ecological perspective, taking into account both schools’ institutional contexts and the sociocultural settings in which school counsellors work. Chapters focus on the needs, perspectives, and expectations of different stakeholders and explore the changing roles and identities of school counsellors. Contributions from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam provide a wide-ranging account of the development of school counselling in the region and set out key themes and priorities for this fast-developing field. Academics in the field of school counselling, practising school counsellors, academics involved in training programmes for school counsellors and students will find this an invaluable volume. More broadly, this text will be of interest to individuals involved in accrediting bodies for international schools in Asia, and school leaders tasked with overseeing counselling provision and that of well-being.




Curriculum Innovation in East Asian Schools


Book Description

Following closely behind the global pandemic’s recent forced challenges to schools and teachers, Xu gives an overview of how educational researchers and schools in Asia respond to challenges in times of change. Her research focuses on how they adjust or change curriculum policy and practice to find a balance between developing innovation in response to fast-changing societal needs and maintaining the existing education systems that traditionally predict success for students. In this book, curriculum innovation is documented in three themes: 21st-century skills and competency-based curriculum, technology-supported curriculum and equity in curriculum. Xu includes three types of chapters: (1) case studies that provide detailed analyses of curriculum innovation at the school or country level, (2) conceptual analyses that deepen our understanding of curriculum issues using a new lens and (3) literature reviews that provide an overview of research in particular topics. The volume will be of great interest to researchers and educators interested in the role of curriculum innovation in times of change. In particular, it focuses on the ways innovative curriculum provides opportunities for individual students to maximize their potential while also acknowledging the constraints of local education systems.




Teachers’ Journeys into International School Teaching in China


Book Description

Poole’s book illuminates the experiences and perspectives of host country national teachers at internationalised schools in China. The international school sector in China has undergone significant changes in recent years. This is due to the growing demand for international education from local middle-class families. In response, a new type of school has emerged. Going by various names, such as private, bilingual or internationalised, these schools offer a fusion of national and international curricula and are staffed predominantly by host country national teachers. Despite these changes, we still know little about who host country national teachers are and what draws them to the world of international schooling. Accordingly, this book explores the motivations and mobilities of host country national teachers in China. It identifies three types of teacher: Returners, Reachers, and Remainers. Returners are graduates who have returned to China from overseas study. They are drawn to international schools by the opportunity to use their international experience and qualification. Reachers are internal migrants who face structural inequality and attracted to international schools by the opportunity for social mobility. Remainers are married teachers with children. They are motivated to work in international schools by the perceived stability and security these schools offer. Discussing implications for teacher recruitment, development, and retention in international schools, this book is an essential read for international educational researchers as well as students researching international education or teacher identity.




Enacting Moral Education in Japan


Book Description

Drawing on the case of moral education reform, this book provides an authoritative picture of how policy is enacted between state policymaking and school practice in Japan, focusing on how national policy is enacted locally in the classroom. The study follows the 2015 moral education reform from its genesis in central government, through the Ministry of Education to its enactment by local government and schools. The book looks beyond written policies, curricula and textbooks to examine how teachers, school administrators and others make sense of, and translate, policy into practice in the Japanese classroom context. Chapters explore how moral education practice has changed in response to the intentions of national policy, and analyzes the implications for understanding processes of policy enactment in the Japanese education system. This book presents a new perspective on the complexity of education policy making, practice, and the gaps in between. It will be of interest to postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the fields of education policy and politics, moral education, school administration, and international and comparative education more broadly, particularly in Asia.




STEM Education: An Emerging Field of Inquiry


Book Description

The second decade of the 21st century has seen governments and industry globally intensify their focus on the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as a vehicle for future economic prosperity. Economic opportunities for new industries that are emerging from technological advances, such as those emerging from the field of artificial intelligence also require greater capabilities in science, mathematics, engineering and technologies. In response to such opportunities and challenges, government policies that position STEM as a critical driver of economic prosperity have burgeoned in recent years. Common to all these policies are consistent messages that STEM related industries are the key to future international competitiveness, productivity and economic prosperity. This book presents a contemporary focus on significant issues in STEM teaching, learning and research that are valuable in preparing students for a digital 21st century. The book chapters cover a wide spectrum of issues and topics using a wealth of research methodologies and methods ranging from STEM definitions to virtual reality in the classroom; multiplicative thinking; STEM in pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary education, opportunities and obstacles in STEM; inquiry-based learning in statistics; values in STEM education and building academic leadership in STEM. The book is an important representation of some of the work currently being done by research-active academics. It will appeal to academics, researchers, teacher educators, educational administrators, teachers and anyone interested in contemporary STEM Education related research in a rapidly changing globally interconnected world. Contributors are: Natalie Banks, Anastasios (Tasos) Barkatsas, Amanda Berry, Lisa Borgerding, Nicky Carr, Io Keong Cheong, Grant Cooper, Jan van Driel, Jennifer Earle, Susan Fraser, Noleine Fitzallen, Tricia Forrester, Helen Georgiou, Andrew Gilbert, Ineke Henze, Linda Hobbs, Sarah Howard, Sylvia Sao Leng Ieong, Chunlian Jiang, Kathy Jordan, Belinda Kennedy, Zsolt Lavicza, Tricia Mclaughlin, Wendy Nielsen, Shalveena Prasad, Theodosia Prodromou, Wee Tiong Seah, Dianne Siemon, Li Ping Thong, Tessa E. Vossen and Marc J. de Vries.




The Underrepresentation of Women in Science: International and Cross-Disciplinary Evidence and Debate


Book Description

There is no shortage of articles and books exploring women’s underrepresentation in science. Everyone is interested--academics, politicians, parents, high school girls (and boys), women in search of college majors, administrators working to accommodate women’s educational interests; the list goes on. But one thing often missing is an evidence-based examination of the problem, uninfluenced by personal opinions, accounts of “lived experiences,” anecdotes, and the always-encroaching inputs of popular culture. This is why this special issue of Frontiers in Psychology can make a difference. In it, a diverse group of authors and researchers with even more diverse viewpoints find themselves united by their empirical, objective approaches to understanding women’s underrepresentation in science today. The questions considered within this special issue span academic disciplines, methods, levels of analysis, and nature of analysis; what these article share is their scholarly, evidence-based approach to understanding a key issue of our time.




Mobile Technologies in Educational Organizations


Book Description

The use of mobile technology for learning in organizations and the workplace is spreading widely with the development of infrastructure and devices that allow ubiquitous learning and training. Since learning, teaching, and training in a mobile-saturated environment is a developing field, implications for a combined overview of these topics may be beneficial both for research and practice in the broader view of a user’s lifespan. Mobile Technologies in Educational Organizations is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of mobile technologies in learning and training and explores best practices of mobile learning in organizations and the workplace. While highlighting topics including ethics, informal education, and virtual reality, this book is ideally designed for teachers, administrators, principals, higher education professionals, instructional designers, curriculum developers, managers, researchers, and students.




Cultural Heritage Conservation for Early Learners


Book Description

Cultural Heritage Conservation for Early Learners explores how to introduce young audiences to art conservation. Conservators and educators from around the world share their approach to creating engaging, hands-on programs for children aged three to eight and their caregivers. Drawing on their experiences as conservators and educators, the authors provide an in-depth look at the Smithsonian Institution’s popular “Art & Me” family workshops. Readers will gain practical insights into the workshop design, which draws upon years of program evaluation and discover how these workshops foster an understanding of cultural preservation; familiarize attendees with museum spaces; and encourage a sense of responsibility for preserving history and culture. The book also explores case studies beyond the United States, showcasing diverse approaches to early learner engagement in cultural heritage conservation. These real-world examples, encompassing various settings and collaborations, delve into the adaptation of virtual and online resources in response to contemporary challenges. Cultural Heritage Conservation for Early Learners is an indispensable guide for emerging and established educators, conservators, and museum professionals who wish to integrate art conservation and cultural heritage preservation into early learning. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in innovative, arts integration teaching methods that enhance critical thinking and foster a deeper appreciation of cultural heritage.