ARTICLE REVIEW OF TOP FIVE MOST CITED ARTICLES ON STEM PEDAGOGY PUBLISHED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS IN THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STEM EDUCATION

ARTICLE REVIEW OF TOP FIVE MOST CITED ARTICLES ON STEM PEDAGOGY PUBLISHED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS IN THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STEM EDUCATION

Kolkanat Otegenov

Master student of Shakarim University,

Kazakhstan, Semey

ABSTRACT

STEM education is a rapidly growing field, with a focus on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills in students through the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in STEM pedagogy, which aims to improve the quality of STEM education through innovative teaching methods and strategies. This article review aims to provide an overview of the top five most cited articles on STEM pedagogy published in the past two years in the International Journal of STEM Education. These articles cover a range of topics, including the use of design thinking to cultivate the next generation of female STEAM thinkers, the impact of STEM stereotypes on students' career interest, and instructor strategies to aid the implementation of active learning in STEM education. By summarizing and analyzing these articles, this review seeks to provide valuable insights into the current state of STEM pedagogy and highlight the key issues and challenges facing educators in this field.

Keywords: STEM education, analysis, design thinking, active learning.

1. STEAM in education: a bibliometric analysis of performance and co-words in Web of Science.

This article by José-Antonio Marín-Marín et al. provides an in-depth analysis of research related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education in the Web of Science database. The article is 18 pages long, have 40 citations and uses keywords such as STEAM, education, bibliometrics, and co-word analysis. The authors used bibliometric analysis to analyze the performance and co-words of the articles, aiming to identify the core topics, the most productive authors, and the countries most involved in STEAM-related research. The authors found that the most productive countries for STEAM-related research are the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, with the United States being the most productive. They also found that educational psychology, educational technology, and educational research are the most represented topics in the dataset. Finally, they identified the most productive authors, journals, and institutions. Overall, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the research related to STEAM in the Web of Science database. It is an important contribution to the literature as it provides a basis for further research on STEAM education. Additionally, it provides valuable information for policymakers and administrators to better understand the current state of STEAM research and plan for future initiatives.

Advantages:

• Provides a comprehensive analysis of STEAM in education
• Offers insights into trends and patterns in STEAM research
• Uses a rigorous bibliometric analysis

Limitations:

• Only analyzes research articles in Web of Science
• May not reflect all research on STEAM in education

2. Using design thinking to cultivate the next generation of female STEAM thinkers.

This article, written by Rie Kijima et al., focuses on the importance of cultivating the next generation of female STEAM thinkers through design thinking. The article is 15 pages long, have 22 citations and uses keywords such as design thinking, STEAM, female students, and gender stereotypes. The authors explain that design thinking is a valuable approach to help young female students to explore the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in a meaningful way. The authors emphasize that design thinking helps to cultivate a sense of agency in young female students and can be an effective way to engage them in STEAM activities. The authors discuss the potential of design thinking to cultivate STEAM learning by providing an example of how a design thinking workshop was used in a learning environment. They explain that the workshop focused on a “Make It Happen” challenge, which involved a series of activities that encouraged students to think critically and creatively about solving a problem. Through this workshop, the authors suggest that students were able to learn valuable skills related to STEAM, such as problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. The authors also discuss the importance of creating an inclusive environment for young female students in STEAM. They explain that this can be achieved by providing girls with access to resources and mentors who can help them to explore the possibilities of STEAM. Furthermore, the authors suggest that educators should create learning experiences which are specifically tailored to the needs and interests of young female students. Overall, this article provides an informative overview of the potential of design thinking to cultivate STEAM learning among young female students. The authors provide valuable insight into how design thinking can be used to create an inclusive environment for young female students in STEAM and emphasize the importance of providing them with access to resources and mentors. This article provides useful information for educators, parents, and other stakeholders who are interested in encouraging young female students to explore the world of STEAM.

Advantages:

• Addresses an important issue of gender inequality in STEAM
• Provides a practical application of design thinking in education
• Offers insights into how design thinking can be used to improve STEAM education

Limitations:

• Focused only on female students
• Limited discussion of the challenges and limitations of using design thinking in education

3. Active learning through flipped classroom in mechanical engineering: improving students’ perception of learning and performance.

The article "Active Learning through Flipped Classroom in Mechanical Engineering: Improving Students' Perception of Learning and Performance" by Hyun Jin Cho et al., published in 2021, examines the use of the flipped classroom in mechanical engineering courses in order to improve student performance. The article is 15 pages long, have 20 citations and uses keywords such as active learning, flipped classroom, mechanical engineering, and student performance. The authors conducted a study with a group of students in a mechanical engineering course at a university in South Korea. The researchers found that the flipped classroom approach resulted in a significant increase in the students' satisfaction with the quality of the instruction and their overall performance in the course. The study found that the flipped classroom approach encouraged active learning by providing students with the opportunity to watch short video lectures, participate in discussions, and submit their own questions or comments. The authors noted that the flipped classroom also had a positive effect on the students' perception of learning, as they felt more engaged in the course and were more likely to seek out additional information. Additionally, the flipped classroom approach provided students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practical applications, which the authors found to be an effective way to improve student performance. Overall, the authors concluded that the flipped classroom approach can be an effective way to improve student performance in mechanical engineering courses. The authors also noted that the flipped classroom may be beneficial to other disciplines as well, as it encourages active learning and provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practical applications.

Advantages:

• Provides a practical example of using flipped classroom and active learning in STEM education
• Offers insights into how these approaches can improve student perception of learning and performance
• Discusses the potential benefits of using technology in education

Limitations:

• Limited discussion of the challenges and limitations of using flipped classroom and active learning
• Focused only on mechanical engineering education

4. STEM stereotypes predict students’ STEM career interest via self-efficacy and outcome expectations.

The article “STEM Stereotypes Predict Students’ STEM Career Interest via Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations” by Tian Luo et al. investigates the effect of gender stereotypes on students’ self-efficacy and expectations of STEM-related careers. The article is 22 pages long, have 18 citations and uses keywords such as STEM stereotypes, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and STEM career interest. The authors conducted an online survey of 1,306 middle and high school students in China, asking participants about their perceptions of STEM fields, their self-efficacy, and their career expectations. The results of the survey showed that gender stereotypes had a significant effect on students’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Those with more positive stereotypes were more likely to have higher self-efficacy and higher expectations of success in STEM fields. In addition, the authors found that students’ self-efficacy and expectations of success in STEM fields were positively associated with their interest in pursuing a STEM career. The findings of this study have important implications for educators and policymakers. The authors suggest that interventions should be designed to challenge gender stereotypes and increase students’ self-efficacy in STEM fields. This would help to create a more positive environment for students to pursue STEM fields, as well as potentially increase their interest in pursuing a STEM career. Additionally, the authors suggest that policymakers should consider the effect of gender stereotypes when designing future policies related to STEM education and career guidance. Overall, this study provides important insights into the effect of gender stereotypes on students’ self-efficacy and expectations of success in STEM fields. The findings suggest that interventions should be designed to challenge gender stereotypes and increase students’ self-efficacy in STEM fields, as well as that policymakers should consider the effect of gender stereotypes when designing future policies related to STEM education and career guidance.

Advantages:

• Addresses an important issue of underrepresentation of certain groups in STEM careers
• Offers insights into how stereotypes can impact students' interest in STEM
• Uses a comprehensive research methodology

Limitations:

• Limited discussion of practical implications for improving STEM education
• Focused only on the relationship between stereotypes and interest in STEM careers

5. Instructor strategies to aid implementation of active learning: a systematic literature review.

The article “Instructor Strategies to Aid Implementation of Active Learning: A Systematic Literature Review” by Kevin A. Nyugen et al. seeks to identify and review the strategies used by instructors to implement active learning in the classroom. The article is 28 pages long, have 18 citations and uses keywords such as active learning, STEM education, instructor strategies, and systematic literature review. The authors conducted a systematic search of the literature to identify studies related to active learning strategies and analyzed the findings to determine the strategies used by instructors. The authors found that there are a variety of strategies that instructors can use to facilitate active learning in the classroom. These strategies include creating a classroom environment that encourages active participation, using technology to promote engagement, using peer instruction, and providing feedback to students. Additionally, the authors identified the importance of instructor training in active learning and highlighted the need for more research on the effectiveness of these strategies. Overall, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the strategies used by instructors for implementing active learning in the classroom. The authors provide a clear and thorough review of the literature, and their findings suggest that there is a need for further research on the effectiveness and implementation of active learning strategies. Instructors can use this article as a starting point for exploring how to best implement active learning in their classrooms.

Advantages:

• Provides a comprehensive overview of strategies for implementing active learning in STEM education
• Offers insights into the challenges and limitations of implementing active learning
• Uses a rigorous research methodology

Limitations:

• May not reflect all possible strategies for implementing active learning

Comparing and contrasting these articles, we can see that they all address different aspects of STEM education, but they share a common goal of improving student engagement and learning outcomes. The first article focuses on research trends and patterns in STEAM education, while the second article explores a specific pedagogical approach (design thinking) to engage girls in STEAM subjects. The third article examines the effectiveness of a flipped classroom approach to active learning in a mechanical engineering course, while the fourth article addresses the issue of STEM stereotypes and their impact on students' interest in STEM careers. The fifth article is a literature review of instructor strategies to facilitate active learning in STEM education.

Overall, these articles highlight the importance of incorporating innovative and effective teaching strategies in STEM education, as well as addressing issues related to equity, inclusion, and diversity. They also suggest that active learning approaches, such as flipped classrooms and peer instruction, can be effective in promoting student engagement and improving learning outcomes in STEM subjects.

References:

1. STEAM in education: a bibliometric analysis of performance and co-words in Web of Science
2. Using design thinking to cultivate the next generation of female STEAM thinkers
3. Active learning through flipped classroom in mechanical engineering: improving students’ perception of learning and performance
4. Instructor strategies to aid implementation of active learning: a systematic literature review
5. STEM stereotypes predict students’ STEM career interest via self-efficacy and outcome expectations