Teaching Science and Engineering

Learning Dimensions Framework from The Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium:

https://www.exploratorium.edu/tinkering/our-work/learning-and-facilitation-frameworks

NSTA: STEM Education Teaching and Learning
https://www.nsta.org/nstas-official-positions/stem-education-teaching-and-learning

STEM education programs should be grounded in the tenets of constructivism supported by the findings of three decades of cognitive science. Integrated STEM education occurs when

• learning is viewed as an active, constructive process, and not a receptive one;

• student motivation and beliefs are integral to cognition;

• social interaction is fundamental to cognitive development; and

• knowledge, strategies, and expertise are contextualized in the learning experience...."

Summary of Video:

The speaker, Derek Muller, argues that the reason these predictions  about the usefulness of educational technology have failed is because they focus on the wrong thing. They focus on the delivery of information, rather than on the process of learning. He points out that research has shown that there is no significant difference in learning outcomes between different media, as long as the content is equivalent. This is because what matters most is what happens inside the learner's head, not the technology that is used to deliver the information.

He concludes by saying that the most important thing a teacher can do is to create a social environment where students feel like they are important and accountable for their learning. This is something that technology cannot do.

Derek argues that while technology can be a useful tool for education, it is not a magic bullet. The most important thing for education is still the social interaction between teachers and students.