STEM課程:香港教育新趨勢7大好處?(2023最新參考)

STEM courses: 7 benefits of new trends in Hong Kong education? (2023 latest reference)

STEM courses: 7 benefits of new trends in Hong Kong education? (2023 latest reference)

The Hong Kong government has actively promoted STEM education in recent years, and an additional 900 million HKD is allocated each year to encourage schools to hold more STEM learning activities. In addition, various education centers have also launched services featuring STEM courses. 

So, what exactly is STEM education? Why is it more worthy of promotion than other teaching methods? How should teachers teach? This article will introduce you to the concept of STEM education. The article discusses seven benefits of integrating STEM teaching curricula.

What is STEM education?

STEM education is an educational method that aims to develop students' innovative thinking and problem-solving skills. The word STEM in Chinese refers to four categories of subjects: "Science," "Technology," "Engineering," and "Mathematics." In short, STEM refers to science and engineering disciplines.

History and Current Situation of STEM

STEM education originated in the United States and can be traced back to the 1950s. The U.S. government has launched a series of policies to support STEM education, including increasing funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and launching science competitions and other activities. 

At the same time, scientific research institutions and universities in the United States have also begun to develop STEM teaching materials and teaching methods and hold various STEM training courses and competitions.

With the development of science and technology, the concept of STEM education has also continued to develop and evolve, and more and more countries have begun to promote STEM education courses.

What is the difference between STEM VS STEAM?

STEAM is an educational method based on the four core subjects of STEM, adding artistic "Art" elements - humanities, to inspire students' design ability and creative thinking.

7 Benefits of STEM Curriculum

STEM/STEAM education is different from the duck-feeding education method of conventional courses. STEM education is a cross-disciplinary teaching model. 

The current course content and the mutual use of subjects can cultivate students' innovative thinking, critical thinking, and multi-angle thinking. STEM education has the following seven major benefits:

1. Develop "soft skills."

STEM education can help students develop soft skills (Soft Skills), which include analysis and problem-solving skills, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, leadership, and Creativity. STEM teaching will guide students in the course to conduct research through critical thinking and combine subject knowledge.

2. Improve problem-solving ability

STEM courses can enhance students' problem-solving and analytical skills, allowing students to learn to explore, analyze and propose solutions. For example: in the process of writing a program, there is a solution to a bug, and a solution is formulated.

3. Strengthen collaboration ability

STEM education can strengthen students' collaborative ability, allowing students to learn to cooperate with others to complete a project together.

4. Cultivate teamwork spirit

STEM courses can cultivate the spirit of teamwork. During the learning process, students can learn to work together in a team, learn to respect the opinions and ideas of others and seek consensus among different opinions. Part.

5. Improve students' communication skills

STEM teaching can improve students' communication skills, allowing students to learn to express their ideas and suggestions clearly and effectively.

6. Build Creativity

Compared with STEM education, STEAM education can build students' creativity and design ability, allowing students to develop their Creativity. For example: in robot design, color matching and appearance design are also considerations.

7. Encourage students to practice

STEM courses can encourage students to practice and let them learn to learn by doing. For example: designing scientific experiments, the reactions between chemical elements, and learning the principles of disciplines from middle school.

The Future of STEM Education: Promoting Innovation and Technology in Hong Kong Schools

The current situation of STEM education in Hong Kong: The Hong Kong government has actively promoted STEM education courses in recent years [1], and the Art and Technology Education Center of the Education Bureau established a STEM Education Center in 2017 [2] to provide technology education models, technology development and training for primary and secondary students Technological talents.

The Hong Kong government allocates about 900 million HKD each year to encourage schools to organize STEM learning activities and courses [3] to improve STEM teaching resources.

The Financial Secretary of Hong Kong also mentioned in the "2021-22 Budget" the "Secondary School IT Innovation Laboratory" plan to provide each approved Hong Kong secondary school with a subsidy of up to 1 million HKD to upgrade the school's IT equipment and facilities, Organize extracurricular activities related to information technology to deepen students' interest in information technology, programming, and understanding of science and technology applications. [4]

Kindergarten Education

The STEM/STEAM education and courses in Hong Kong kindergartens are mainly to inspire children's curiosity and interest in learning and to lay the foundation for future learning. In the kindergarten stage, STEM education can help children develop fundamental skills through various games and activities and guide children to think and solve problems.

 For example, children can learn engineering principles by assembling building blocks, learn scientific knowledge by observing natural phenomena, or cultivate children's mathematical thinking through simple mathematical games.

Primary Education

In primary schools in Hong Kong, the focus of STEM/STEAM education and curriculum has gradually shifted from cultivating primary school students' basic skills to developing students' analytical and problem-solving abilities; STEM education can also help students develop teamwork through various games and activities. 

School teachers can build and design Stem Walls, and primary school students can learn from each other by building STEM walls. For example, children can learn basic mathematical graphics, building, and assembly skills through the simple building.

Secondary Education

‍At the secondary school level in Hong Kong, the focus of STEM/STEAM education and curriculum is to help students deepen their understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects. 

Schools can build and design Stem Labs to provide space for scientific experiments. For example, students can learn deeper scientific principles by performing complex experiments; junior high school students can also learn to make programming robots, dance robots to learn computer programming, or learn engineering skills by designing and manufacturing more complex robots. 

STEM education at this stage can also help students develop teamwork and problem-solving skills through various competitions and projects and prepare students for future study and career development.

STEM education products

STEM teaching products refer to products used in STEM teaching which help students better understand and master skills and knowledge in related fields through interactive learning and experimental activities. These products include teaching materials, toys, experiment kits, dioramas, etc.

STEM education materials, resources, and video reference

STEM teaching materials refer to STEM teaching materials to help teachers teach students to understand and master the knowledge and skills in STEM fields more effectively. 

Common teaching materials include course materials, teaching manuals, teaching auxiliary materials, teaching activities, experiment manuals, network resources, etc., and are equipped with corresponding teaching auxiliary materials, such as teaching videos and activity plans, among which video resources are important teaching aids.

Different from traditional textbooks, STEM textbooks are usually multimedia and interactive and can stimulate students' interest and participation through videos, pictures, experiments, and games. 

At the same time, the teaching materials also pay more attention to the combination of theory and practice so that students can get the opportunity for practical application in learning. 

Example: Science experiment kits allow students to conduct experiments on their own to better understand scientific principles.

Reference: STEM education materials Recommendation: high-quality teaching resources from 8 primary and middle school to kindergartens students (updated in 2023)

STEM toys

STEM toys refer to STEM educational toys. Through games and interactions, according to age and needs, children, children, primary and middle school students can be inspired to think and master STEAM knowledge.

There are usually many types of STEM toys, such as LEGO STEM building block toys, which allow students to learn engineering principles, and scientific experiment toys, which allow students to conduct experiments and explore and learn about the fun of science.

Reference: STEM Toys Hong Kong: 6 Recommendations, Benefits, and Types (2023 Selection Guide)

STEM competitions

STEM competitions refer to STEM-themed competitions. These activities are designed to stimulate students' interest in the field and encourage students to apply what they have learned to practical problem-solving. 

Competitions are usually run by private companies, internal school competitions, or national/regional level competitions.

STEM competitions are usually divided into two categories: one is professional competitions, such as science competitions, engineering design, programming competitions, etc., competitions require participants to have specific professional knowledge and skills;

 the other is creative competitions, such as scientific creativity competitions, Mainly based on innovation.

Participating in STEM (STEAM) competitions can encourage students to learn new knowledge, improve skills, and increase interest in STEM/STEAM. At the same time, they can also show their talents and even win awards.

Reference: STEM Activities: 3 common examples (All Hong Kong kindergarten, primary and secondary students are suitable)

Reference: STEM competitions: Programming and Design competitions for primary and secondary schools (updated in 2023)

Wooden STEAM: Provide STEAM teaching materials & toys wholesale, competitions, event course support

Wooden STEAM is a wholesale company of STEM toys and teaching materials established in Hong Kong for more than 17 years. We are committed to providing high-quality wooden STEM toys and teaching materials for schools and educational institutions and have successfully provided services to more than 300 schools. 

Our products have obtained safety certification from the United States and the European Union, ensuring they meet international safety standards.

Our product line includes science experiment kits, building block toys, robot assembly kits, math games, and more. 

All products are carefully designed and manufactured to help students better understand and master the knowledge and skills in STEM fields through interactive learning and experimental activities.

We provide first-class service to ensure that customers can order products smoothly and provide perfect after-sales service. If you are interested in our products and services, please get in touch with us.

STEM Frequently Asked Questions

What is STEM?

STEM is an educational method that primarily aims to develop students' Creativity and problem-solving skills.

What are the classified fields in STEM?

STEM refers to four categories of subjects: "Science," "Technology," "Engineering," and "Mathematics."

What are STEM and STEAM?

STEAM refers to the addition of art (Art) elements to STEM education, which can inspire art knowledge more than STEM education.

What is a STEM curriculum?

STEM courses are courses based on STEM teaching, which integrate elements of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into students' learning courses.

What are the benefits of STEM?

The benefits of STEM courses are that they can help develop students' "soft skills," improve problem-solving and collaboration skills, cultivate teamwork spirit, improve communication among students, build Creativity, and encourage students to practice.

References:

1 [The Education Bureau of the Curriculum Development Council released the report "Promoting STEM Education - Unleashing the Potential of Creativity"

2 [Introduction to STEM Education Center]

3 [The chief executive hopes that multiple parties will collaborate to cultivate scientific and technological talents]

4 [IT Innovation Lab in Schools]