**Stem and stem education in the 21st century**

**II**

**Chapter 8 109**

Theorising Mathematics Education **125**

**Chapter 9 127**

**Chapter 10 137**

**Chapter 11 151**

**Chapter 12 165**

**Chapter 13 189**

Theorising Engineering Education **199**

**Chapter 14 201**

Programme Integrating Courses Making Engineering Students Reflect

Formative Assessment in Mathematics Education in the Twenty-First

The Role of Mathematical Modeling in STEM Integration and Education

Discipline, Task and Reader Characteristics of Introductory Physics Students' Graph Comprehension in Mathematics and Kinematics

Towards a Forward-Thinking College Calculus Program

Implementation of Elliptic Curve25519 in Cryptography *by Intan Muchtadi-Alamsyah and Yanuar Bhakti Wira Tama*

A Theoretical Framework for Implementing STEM Education

*by Vongai Mpofu*

*by Benard Chigonga*

*by Jessica Hagman*

*by Murat Tezer*

*by Itumeleng Phage*

**Section 4**

*by Viggo Kann*

**Section 3**

Century

Advances in the disciplines of STEM drive innovation and this explains the rationale behind the prioritization of these fields by different societies in this century. These are fields that improve human understanding of the physical environment, support research, and experimentation, in order to gain knowledge and skills needed for the real world. These fields are individually significant and can be taught in isolation, but when collectively applied, they can deepen understanding and be used to solve real-world problems [6]. STEM education blurs the boundaries amongst these disciplines, presenting an integrated approach to solving problems,

using interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills. The separation of subjects in education has become less relevant in the 21st century as students are no longer taught along the lines of memorization, but are trained to imbibe 21st century skills, develop 21st century approaches and strategies to solving real-life problems [5].

STEM education is the purposeful integration of STEM disciplines with the objective of expanding students' abilities by supporting technical and scientific education with a strong emphasis on critical and creative-thinking skills [7, 8]. Quality education can only be provided if classes and schools are structured towards 21st century skills and knowledge needed for survival in the current global economy, and this has made the need for STEM education vital to today's society. This is a society projected to be driven by technological innovations such as renewable energy, advanced materials, 3D printing, energy storage, genomics, advanced oil and gas exploration, internet of things (IoT), cloud, advanced robotics, and autonomous vehicles [9]. This implies that the future marketplace will experience a radical change and education systems should adapt and respond to these changes. Learners should be equipped with the skills needed for this future and this involves training them to exercise higher level thinking skills by investigating, creating, debating, and synthesizing knowledge [10].

In highlighting skills crucial to education in the 21st century, Shaer et al. [10] insists that there should be a shift from knowledge content-based education to education that focuses more on knowledge use and synthesis, building useful skills and positive character qualities. Some of these needed 21st century skills are creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Popularly called the "4C's", these skills have become important considering the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity that dominates this century and the future [11]. Creativity is the ability to produce new and useful ideas, it is the ability to use imagination to create something valuable. A creative student is one that perceives a situation in a novel way by finding not-so-visible patterns and making connections between intricate facts or phenomena. Such a deep-thinking skill is important for students in the 21st century as they begin to think outside the box, and offer solutions on their own to real life problems (Soo, 2019; [12]).

The best solutions are rarely produced in isolation but mostly through joint efforts. Collaboration skills are therefore vital and STEM education supports the conglomeration of multiple perspectives in problem solving. This fundamental skill supports teamwork and shared responsibilities to achieve shared goals. According to Borrego et al. [13], STEM education encourages students to work together as a team to present innovative designs and ideas. Collaboration involves continuous interaction and as such, effective communication is vital. Communication skills are not usually natural and need to be developed as each task requires participation and expression of ideas ([10, 12]; Soo, 2019).

The possibilities of STEM education do not just involve the development of skills vital for living in the 21st century, it also helps us understand the environment we live in (Wallace-Wells, 2017). For one, new technologies provide solutions to environmental threats that abound in our society. One of these threats is the increasing world population as statistics show that by 2050, the world's population will be about 10 billion as opposed to the population of 7.3 million recorded in 2017. This implies that available resources will become stretched and food may become insufficient due to the loss of arable land [14]. STEM education related

**V**

knowledge can encourage the development of ground-breaking new sources of food production using technology. The spread of these technologies to agriculture will lead to increased yields, lower costs, and reduce the environmental impacts of these

These STEM fields, and those who work in them, are critical engines of innovation and growth as these are areas that will drive global development and advancement. It is important that education systems fully integrate STEM as it is the formula for career certainties in a future workforce that is predicted to be STEM based. The benefits of an adaptable future workforce are quite clear, ranging from industrial and economic growth, to innovations that would benefit the planet, STEM education presents the possibility of a successful, competitive, and progressive global

Education in the 21st century has recorded a paradigm shift from content-based education, to an education based on knowledge use and synthesis, building useful skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaborative. This is because STEM education has been tasked to prepare students to thrive in a future that has been predicted to be technologically driven and knowledge based. STEM education presents the possibilities of creating a global knowledge-based economy, grooming a capable global citizenry and innovative leadership that possess the right skills, new ideas, and a high level of creativity to solve real life problems. STEM related knowledge can also encourage the development of ground-breaking technologies to tackle the unavailability of adequate resources, such as food due to increased population and loss of arable lands. Experts have also predicted damaging environmental threats to our society such as global warming and its adverse effects on human life. STEM education will also train experts that will create innovative ideas to help preserve our natural environment. In conclusion, educating today's students in STEM fields is a strategic driver for economic growth and global competitiveness. The future workplace has been predicted to be technologically driven and as such, education should prepare today's students to take over tomorrow's

> **Dr Kehdinga George Fomunyam** Mangosuthu University of Technology,

> > South Africa

predicted global changes [15–19].

economy.

workplaces.

knowledge can encourage the development of ground-breaking new sources of food production using technology. The spread of these technologies to agriculture will lead to increased yields, lower costs, and reduce the environmental impacts of these predicted global changes [15–19].

These STEM fields, and those who work in them, are critical engines of innovation and growth as these are areas that will drive global development and advancement. It is important that education systems fully integrate STEM as it is the formula for career certainties in a future workforce that is predicted to be STEM based. The benefits of an adaptable future workforce are quite clear, ranging from industrial and economic growth, to innovations that would benefit the planet, STEM education presents the possibility of a successful, competitive, and progressive global economy.

Education in the 21st century has recorded a paradigm shift from content-based education, to an education based on knowledge use and synthesis, building useful skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaborative. This is because STEM education has been tasked to prepare students to thrive in a future that has been predicted to be technologically driven and knowledge based. STEM education presents the possibilities of creating a global knowledge-based economy, grooming a capable global citizenry and innovative leadership that possess the right skills, new ideas, and a high level of creativity to solve real life problems. STEM related knowledge can also encourage the development of ground-breaking technologies to tackle the unavailability of adequate resources, such as food due to increased population and loss of arable lands. Experts have also predicted damaging environmental threats to our society such as global warming and its adverse effects on human life. STEM education will also train experts that will create innovative ideas to help preserve our natural environment. In conclusion, educating today's students in STEM fields is a strategic driver for economic growth and global competitiveness. The future workplace has been predicted to be technologically driven and as such, education should prepare today's students to take over tomorrow's workplaces.

> **Dr Kehdinga George Fomunyam** Mangosuthu University of Technology, South Africa

**IV**

problems [5].

using interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills. The separation of subjects in education has become less relevant in the 21st century as students are no longer taught along the lines of memorization, but are trained to imbibe 21st century skills, develop 21st century approaches and strategies to solving real-life

STEM education is the purposeful integration of STEM disciplines with the objective of expanding students' abilities by supporting technical and scientific education with a strong emphasis on critical and creative-thinking skills [7, 8]. Quality education can only be provided if classes and schools are structured towards 21st century skills and knowledge needed for survival in the current global economy, and this has made the need for STEM education vital to today's society. This is a society projected to be driven by technological innovations such as renewable energy, advanced materials, 3D printing, energy storage, genomics, advanced oil and gas exploration, internet of things (IoT), cloud, advanced robotics, and autonomous vehicles [9]. This implies that the future marketplace will experience a radical change and education systems should adapt and respond to these changes. Learners should be equipped with the skills needed for this future and this involves training them to exercise higher level thinking skills by investigating, creating,

In highlighting skills crucial to education in the 21st century, Shaer et al. [10] insists that there should be a shift from knowledge content-based education to education that focuses more on knowledge use and synthesis, building useful skills and positive character qualities. Some of these needed 21st century skills are creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Popularly called the "4C's", these skills have become important considering the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity that dominates this century and the future [11]. Creativity is the ability to produce new and useful ideas, it is the ability to use imagination to create something valuable. A creative student is one that perceives a situation in a novel way by finding not-so-visible patterns and making connections between intricate facts or phenomena. Such a deep-thinking skill is important for students in the 21st century as they begin to think outside the box, and offer solutions on their own to

The best solutions are rarely produced in isolation but mostly through joint efforts. Collaboration skills are therefore vital and STEM education supports the conglomeration of multiple perspectives in problem solving. This fundamental skill supports teamwork and shared responsibilities to achieve shared goals. According to Borrego et al. [13], STEM education encourages students to work together as a team to present innovative designs and ideas. Collaboration involves continuous interaction and as such, effective communication is vital. Communication skills are not usually natural and need to be developed as each task requires participation and expression

The possibilities of STEM education do not just involve the development of skills vital for living in the 21st century, it also helps us understand the environment we live in (Wallace-Wells, 2017). For one, new technologies provide solutions to environmental threats that abound in our society. One of these threats is the increasing world population as statistics show that by 2050, the world's population will be about 10 billion as opposed to the population of 7.3 million recorded in 2017. This implies that available resources will become stretched and food may become insufficient due to the loss of arable land [14]. STEM education related

debating, and synthesizing knowledge [10].

real life problems (Soo, 2019; [12]).

of ideas ([10, 12]; Soo, 2019).
