Building STEM learning communities in early childhood

This unit provides you with knowledge and skills to build your capacity to lead STEM learning for educators and students in Early Childhood (EC) education. STEM is often identified as an essential part of a child’s education to prepare them for an ever-changing future, so understanding the issues related to STEM in early childhood through exposure to contemporary research and debates, including the role of digital technologies in STEM for young children’s inquiry literacies (creativity, emotional and collaborative inquiry) is important. Thus, this unit will support your understanding of STEM along with an appreciation for its place in the curriculum to develop and foster creativity and inquiry learning and teaching in early childhood settings. The unit will explore innovative and contemporary approaches to STEM education using current research based in early childhood settings. Further, you will develop skills to bring educators together to learn in communities and then consider their role in leading learning to develop curriculum and innovative STEM practices suited to early childhood settings. You will be provided with continuing opportunities to ask questions and discuss research-based case studies of excellent STEM leadership and teaching. Additionally, you will explore and develop your leadership capacities, through reflection and analysis of case studies. In this unit, research and practice are brought together, and you will be encouraged to apply a growth mindset and critical approach to build your expertise to lead the integration of STEM education suited to your local contexts and early childhood settings.