Bringing together a diverse cohort of experts, STEM in Early Childhood Education explores the ways STEM can be integrated into early childhood curricula, highlighting recent research and innovations in the field, and implications for both practice and policy. Based on the argument that high-quality STEM education needs to start early, this book emphasizes that early childhood education must include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in developmentally appropriate ways based on the latest research and theories. Experienced chapter authors address the theoretical underpinnings of teaching STEM in the early years, while contextualizing these ideas for the real world using illustrative examples from the classroom. This cutting-edge collection also looks beyond the classroom to how STEM learning can be facilitated in museums, nature-based learning outdoors, and after-school programs. STEM in Early Childhood Education is an excellent resource for aspiring and veteran educators alike, exploring the latest research, providing inspiration, and advancing best practices for teaching STEM in the early years.

This book brings together a collection of work from around the world in order to consider effective STEM, robotics, mobile apps education from a range of perspectives. It presents valuable perspectives—both practical and theoretical—that enrich the current STEM, robotics, mobile apps education agenda. As such, the book makes a substantial contribution to the literature and outlines the key challenges in research, policy, and practice for STEM education, from early childhood through to the first school age education. The audience for the book includes college students, teachers of young children, college and university faculty, and professionals from fields other than education who are unified by their commitment to the care and education of young children.

This edited book provides an overview of unstructured and structured play scenarios crucial to developing young children’s awareness, interest, and ability to learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in informal and formal education environments. The key elements for developing future STEM capital, enabling children to use their intuitive critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and promoting active citizenship and a scientifically literate workforce, begins in the early years as children learn through play, employing trial and error, and often investigating on their own. Forty-seven STEM experts come together from 16 countries (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, and the USA) and describe educational policies and experiences related to young learners 3–4 years of age, as well as students attending formal-nursery school, early primary school, and the early years classes post 5 years of age. The book is intended for parents seeking to provide STEM activities for their children at home and in playgroups, citizen scientists seeking guidance to provide children with quality educational activities, daycare practitioners providing educational structures for young children from birth to formal education, primary school teachers and preservice teachers seeking to teach preschool, kindergarten or children typically aged 5–8 years old in grades 1–3, as well as researchers and policy makers working in science didactics with small children.

This book analyses and synthesises past and current approaches to STEM Education in the Early Years, particularly the role of digital technologies and play based pedagogies, and provides a look forward to a new way of conceiving STEM Education. It presents a literature review of existing best practice in STEM education, both in Australia and internationally. It also presents theoretical and pedagogical discussions that outlines a new approach to STEM Education, based on a four-year, longitudinal, Early Years project. It provides educational frameworks for educators' use to enhance student learning in STEM, both in formal school contexts and beyond. This book focuses on a number of core themes in the research literature, including STEM education policy (nationally and internationally); the economic, social and political implication of STEM Education; the nexus between digital technologies, STEM, and play based pedagogies; the confidence and competence of early childhood educators and their professional development requirements; STEM education beyond formal schooling; and a new pedagogical approach to STEM education.

Empowering early education with computational thinking, artificial intelligence (AI), and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is transforming the way students engage with the learning process. As the educational field develops, the integration of these fields in early childhood curricula enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills while fostering creativity and collaboration among students. By introducing foundational concepts of computational thinking and AI at a young age, educators can cultivate a generation of innovators who are equipped to navigate complex challenges and contribute to society. Further research into effective integration may prepare children for future academic pursuits while instilling a personal interest in learning, ensuring students can thrive in a technological world. Empowering Early Education With Computational Thinking, AI, and STEM explores the integration of computational thinking, AI, and STEM into early education environments. It provides comprehensive guidance on effectively introducing computational thinking, coding skills, and STEM concepts to young learners, offering practical strategies and resources for educators. This book covers topics such as curriculum development, educational technologies, and gamification, and is a useful resource for educators, teachers, administrators, scientists, computer engineers, academicians, and researchers.

"This reference brings together an impressive array of research on the development of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics curricula at all educational levels"--Provided by publisher.

This edited volume brings together international research that explores children’s creativity in STEM inquiry. It takes the position that creativity is relevant in all aspects of life and is essential for adaptable and innovative thinking. The research informed content of the book, highlights both challenges and opportunities for growing children’s creativity. The book focuses on fostering children’s creativity and natural curiosity in the world around them through STEM inquiry. Through STEM inquiry, children are learning through a cross- disciplinary approach where they apply concepts from multiple fields as they are thinking creatively, problem solving and constructing solutions. Educators play a critical role in encouraging children’s creativity by modelling creativity, providing creative projects for children and importantly, establishing rich culturally connected environments where children have the resources, conditions and opportunities for acting and thinking creatively. The book provides a lens for looking at children’s creativity in a range of different cultural settings. It offers insight and guidance to future research and will build educators’ capacity for developing children’s creative practices.

This encyclopaedia is a dynamic and living reference that student teachers, teacher educators, researchers and professionals in the field of education with an accent on all aspects of teacher education, including: teaching practice; initial teacher education; teacher induction; teacher development; professional learning; teacher education policies; quality assurance; professional knowledge, standards and organisations; teacher ethics; and research on teacher education, among other issues. The Encyclopedia is an authoritative work by a collective of leading world scholars representing different cultures and traditions, the global policy convergence and counter-practices relating to the teacher education profession. The accent will be equally on teaching practice and practitioner knowledge, skills and understanding as well as current research, models and approaches to teacher education.

The purpose of this edited book is to enrich the literature related to STEM education at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels in Asia, with particular attention given to the analysis of the educational context in a number of Asian countries, including STEM-related policies, pedagogical practices, and the design and evaluation of STEM programmes. The discussions look into impacts on student learning outcomes and the ways in which STEM education is catering for schools and students’ interests and needs. The contributors are experts in STEM education or are leading major research and development projects in STEM in their regions. The book’s first section is focused at the macro-level on the conceptualization and formulation of STEM education policies in different regions, contributing to our understanding of the current status of STEM education in Asia. The second section examines some features of STEM learning and teaching at the classroom level and includes studies on student learning in STEM programmes. Pedagogical innovations implemented in different parts of Asia are also reported and discussed. The third section moves to teacher education and teacher professional development. It discusses practices of teacher professional development in the region and reports on current provisions as well as challenges. Together, the contributions from different Asian regions invite researchers and educators to learn from effective STEM practices, and point out areas for further development. Chapters "An Overview of STEM Education in Asia" and "STEM Teacher Professional Development for Primary School Teachers in Hong Kong" are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

Mobile technologies combined with an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and organization of learning experiences that are meaningful to children could create a creative and interactive learning environment different from that of traditional teaching. Making good use of mobile learning with appropriate devices will increase the learning motivations of the students and help them bring about positive performance. Mobile Learning Applications in Early Childhood Education is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of mobile learning techniques and strategies within diversified teaching settings. While highlighting topics including computational thinking, ubiquitous learning, and social development, this book is ideally designed for researchers, teachers, parents, curriculum developers, instructional designers, academicians, students, and practitioners seeking current research on the application of mobile technology within child education.