EEC 4212 - STEM in Early Childhood

College of Education

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Summer 2019 (560)

Requisites

Admission to Educational Studies and Community Leadership (Bachelor of Science) (EDST-BS)
Early Childhood Education subplan and
Prerequisite EEC 3204 with a minimum grade of C

Course Description

This course presents the process of introducing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for early childhood classrooms. The course includes planning and implementation of related activities. Additionally students develop strategies that promote thinking and problem solving skills through discovery and play. (Note: This course requires 15 field experience hours in an early childhood setting.)

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will relate cognitive development to the acquisition of STEM concepts by:
    1. summarizing development of STEM concepts.
    2. describing how the practice of STEM concepts promotes children’s cognitive development.
    3. summarizing theories of brain development.
    4. comparing gender similarities and differences in the acquisition of STEM concepts.
  2. The student will describe STEM activities application to the early childhood indoor and outdoor learning environments by:
    1. identifying ways to promote all children’s ability to think scientifically.
    2. summarizing ways to nurture all children’s natural curiosity by encouraging them to explore and make discoveries about their world.
  3. The student will develop strategies which promote thinking and problem-solving skills in children by:
    1. describing techniques to integrate STEM content through a variety of learning experiences.
    2. planning developmentally appropriate STEM activities.
  4. The student will integrate, observe and assess discovery experiences for the individual child by:
    1. planning a variety of STEM activities.
    2. implementing STEM activities in the classroom.
    3. assessing the outcome of planned STEM activities.
    4. describing how observation is used for assessment of STEM activities.
  5. The student will plan for developmentally appropriate materials, equipment and environments to support the attainment of STEM concepts by:
    1. evaluating children’s books, software, manipulatives, music, blocks and other materials which enhance STEM concepts for developmental appropriateness.
    2. identifying community resources available for enhancing STEM concepts.
    3. adapting STEM activities, materials, equipment and environments for children with special needs.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will, with a minimum of 75% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I 4/28/09, BOT 6/19/09, Effective 20091(0415) C&I 4/27/2010, BOT 6/15/2010, Effective 20093(0425). C&I Approval: 05/31/2013, BOT Approval: 06/17/2014, Effective Term: Fall 2014 (490). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2018 (540). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Fall 2018 (550).
C&I Approval: 02/14/2019, BOT Approval: 03/19/2019, Effective Term: Summer 2019 (560)

Related Programs

  1. Educational Studies and Community Leadership (EDST-BS) (610) (Draft)