INTRODUCTION

1. Possibilities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Zimbabwean under-resourced mathematics classroomSylvia Madusise, Great Zimbabwe University; and David Mtetwa, University of Zimbabwe

2. INTRODUCTION • Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a current buzzword in school education in many countries. • The integration of science and mathematics is intended to provide contextual understanding in the teaching and learning of these two subjects, thus making the two disciplines relevant and meaningful to the learner. • An approach to integrating curriculum in mathematics and science is through the use of real-life activities in the classroom. By conducting experiments, collecting data, analysing the data, and reporting results, students experience the processes of science and perform the needed mathematics.

3. The vision that guides the integration of technology, science, engineering and mathematics is engagement of students in activities that elicit the development of mathematical and scientific models in science and mathematics education (Kozulin & Presssein, 1995).

4. What is STEM education • From Tsupros (2009)’s perspective, STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school, community, work and the global enterprise. • STEM education intentionally situates the teaching and learning of STEM concepts to the real world experiences. • Students are engaged in core mathematics and science, bridging these disciplines with technology and engineering, and developing the critical skills and career linkages they need to succeed in an economy which is deficient of skilled labourers and problem solvers. Education is expected to boost the edge and innovative capacity of the state, which sustains economic growth.

5. Some key characteristics of STEM education • demands a high level of inter-disciplinarity in learning and practice of the four subjects, • raises the profile of practically and socially useful knowledge outcomes resulting from development and application of theory in an integrated fashion among the subjects, • privileges collaborative (team) processes and outcomes and values and encourages performance-related assessments, and • re-orients the science and mathematics learning towards life functioning and societal survival from learning for mere acquisition of knowledge and skills —hence emphasis on inquiry, creative, and problem-based learning with authentic life contexts.

6. STEM education products • Problem solvers – able to define questions and problems, design investigations to gather data, collect and organise data, draw conclusions, and then apply understandings to new and novel situations. • Innovators – creatively use science, mathematics, and technology concepts and principles by applying them to the engineering design process. • Inventors – recognise the needs of the world and creatively design, test, redesign, and implement solutions (engineering process). • Self-reliant – able to use initiative and self-motivation to set agendas, develop and gain self-confidence. • Logical and critical thinkers–able to apply rational and logical thought processes of science, mathematics, and engineering design to innovation and invention. • Technologically literate – understand and explain the nature of technology, develop the skills needed, and apply technology appropriately.

7. Transforming SMT education into STEM education • From our observation, in Zimbabwe the belief that science and mathematics are intertwined and should in reality be integrated as much as possible has remained at slogan level that is not translated into ground action. • Bybee (2010) has claimed that STEM education has in many places in the US been taken to be just a new name (i.e., label) for SMT education—a kind of doing business as usual under a new name. • STEM pedagogyis, therefore expected to use as much as possible real life authentic situations at both local and global scales as springboards for instructional processes and outcomes (Bybee, 2010). • It also aims at developing in learners mental, practical, and attitudinal competencies, apart from acquisition of factual and procedural knowledge. Chief among the competencies are problem solving, creativity, technological fluency, and spirit of inquiry.

8. Teaching mathematics in STEM education • Focus should be placed on those activities that allow students to engage in real world problems and experiences through project-based, experiential learning activities that lead to higher level thinking. • This calls for inquiry-based teaching strategies that offer a robust learning ecology for enhancing mathematics instruction which is in line with the intent of STEM education. • Mathematical inquiry starts from a question or a problem, and answers are sort through observation and exploration, mental, material or virtual experiments are conducted, connections are made to questions offering interesting similarities with the one in hand and already answered, known mathematical techniques are brought into play when necessary.

9. One of the main ambitions of mathematics as a human activity is to contribute to understanding of the natural, social and cultural world, and to empower human beings to act on this world. • For instance, patterns, whether suggested by the natural world, resulting from human activities or fully imagined by the mathematician’s mind, play a great role in nurturing investigative practices in mathematics. • Digital technologies offer new and powerful tools for supporting investigation and experimentation in mathematical domains. • However, it should be noted that technology is no substitute for conceptual understanding, but it is useful for deepening that understanding. • The use of software and technology helps students visualise and examine relationships, discover certain properties and write down assumptions.

10. Through the use of computers students are asked to do some experiments by themselves, turning mathematics into experimental science. • In such computer-based lessons students present and discuss their results. Therefore the active discussion leads to a deeper understanding of the involved mathematical topics. • Students should be given chances to practice formulating their own questions and finding answers to them. Transforming their questions into questions accessible to mathematical work is an important process of inquiry, engaging a modelling process. • Teachers should value their students’ questions, take joint action with their students on the basis of students’ questions and production , create the conditions for students to make connections within mathematics and with the external world, and promote the cultivation of inquiry habits in mind.

11. What then is important is that mathematical operations are performed for a purpose: to answer questions that are important to the students about the problem under investigation, and generally about the real world. • Students should be encouraged to be researchers where the quality of their investigations is linked to the quality of their inquiry. Students start learning by exploring texts, materials, situations and events. • However, teachers should play the role an experienced co-researcher rather than someone with all answers. They should “not preach facts but stimulate acts”. • Students shouldbe enable to tie their own think-nets. The more connections students establish between elements of knowledge, the denser and tighter the nets are woven.

12. Use of informal learning should be encouraged to expand math and science beyond the classroom. Use of informal learning should be encouraged to expand math and science beyond the classroom. • Opportunities outside the classroom to demonstrate linkages between mathematics and science, real-world applications, and future careers. Such teaching strategies should enable students to see the synergy. • There should be less focus on isolated problems but more focus on problems within contexts. Such contexts should also include contexts which depict indigenous knowledge systems (IKS).

13. What is needed are new and improved assessments that are aligned with STEM education intent. • Assessment questions may also on test sophisticated skills and application of concepts. For example, mathematics may be learnt in laboratories/mathematics rooms where students engage on hands-on activities like using geo-boards to demonstrate transformation concepts. • Educational games maybe played in the mathematics classrooms, experimenting with not only using games but also game mechanics in the classroom. Game-based learning is fast becoming a trend in education. • When playing games, students are given the freedom to fail and are given specific feedback through formative assessment on how to improve.

14. Bringing (STEM) education into under-resourced mathematics classrooms • Even if teachers do not have access to expensive resources, every classroom can become a maker space where students and teachers learn together through direct experience with an assortment of local materials to be collected from the students’ environment. • Where modern technology is not available teachers may make use of the funds of knowledge in their environments, thus, bringing in the indigenous knowledge systems in the school system. • Local people from the community who have special skills related to mathematics application maybe invited to come and demonstrate their skills in the mathematics classrooms.

15. Demonstrating the process of coming up with a basket • Thefigure demonstrates the idea of perpendicular lines.

16. The diagram below illustrates the starting point when making mats. A pole is graduated into equally spaced grooves. The grooves are smoothened. The hanging stones illustrate the motion of connected particles. The grooves act as pulleys. The smooth pulley allows the tension in the weaving string to be constant throughout the hanging length.

17. The observation and analysis of the weavers’ demonstrations will help to develop in students a more accurate vision of mathematics as a human enterprise, consider mathematics as a fundamental component of our cultural heritage, and appreciate the crucial sustainable role mathematics plays in our societies, thus, giving currency to the adage: • “Give a man a fish and he eats for the day. Teach a man to fish and he eats forever” • This gives students a double advantage; one of learning the involved mathematical concepts and the other of learning how to weave. This is relevant when we consider ZimAsset’s aspirations of equipping students with psychomotor skills which can be useful in life after school…learning today …making a better tomorrow.

18. In under resourced schools without libraries, students can still be involved in research-based approaches such as problem-based learning (for a well-illustrated fuller discussion of this approach see Laboy-Rush, (n.d), www.learning.com/imaginemars • This could be by way of investigating IKS (through project-based learning) in the local environment, harnessing the embedded mathematical concepts. For example, students may be asked to compile a list of geometric figures used to decorate mats, baskets, fabrics, etc., in their cultures and also describe the involved transformations used in coming up with such geometric figures. • M-Learning, using multipurpose mobile phones can be used as an alternative to E-learning. This is a user friendly teaching strategy to students who can afford the cell phones. The phones can even access the learning when off-line. This means teachers can meaningfully communicate with their students over the phone for teaching purposes.

19. Our suggestions • The success of STEM education in under resourced schools is sustained by the teacher’s innovativeness in indigenising the curriculum. • STEM education would benefit from exploring new pedagogical approaches which attempt to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. • We also argue that inquiry-based learning is a candidate for STEM education best practice to enhance mathematics instruction.