Introducing STEM Education at the Preschool Level: Possibilities of Developing Scientific Thinking in Young Children
STEM experiences begin informally at an early age as children navigate their world, engaging in:
hands-on activities
testing and problem-solving
decision-making
sense-making
creative activities
There is an opportunity to build on these early STEM experiences by introducing STEM education formally at Preschool. STEM being a multi-disciplinary approach provides the opportunity to develop a range of skills and abilities in children, all of which are necessary in navigating the world today. These include:
exploring
questioning
planning
communicating
designing
making
analysing
evaluating
creative problem-solving
Developing these skills and abilities promotes and develops scientific thinking in children. Metacognitive skills are key to the process of scientific thinking, as well as being crucial in life-long learning. Therefore, promoting scientific thinking through STEM in Preschool years encourages children to apply STEM skills and abilities to solve everyday problems.