School program aims to make science fun
Print Edition
A NEW method for teaching science subjects to young children is to be rolled out across middle schools in Xuhui following a successful trial at kindergartens and primary schools in the district.
The STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program seeks to make learning more interesting and interactive by incorporating cross-disciplinary courses and hands-on workshops, officials said.
“The curriculum adopts a totally different teaching method to traditional classes,” said Wang Maogong, director of the Shanghai STEM International Scientific Education Research Center.
As well as book-based lessons, teachers are encouraged to use practical experiments to help children learn about and understand science and technology, he said.
During the trials, which were staged in September at four kindergartens and eight primary schools, pupils learned, among other things, how to design and build greenhouses, bird-feeders and rain gauges, he said.
On one occasion, youngsters were tasked with producing a drinking cup, Wang said.
“Determining a safe material to use for the cup, calculating its shape and size, and then producing it required an understanding of all of the STEM subjects,” he said.
In another experiment, third-grade pupils at the Xuhui No. 1 Primary School were asked to find ways to grow soybeans in a glass of water.
As well as the initial engineering challenge, the youngsters were required to observe the beans’ growth over a week and keep records of what they saw.
“I liked the class because it was fun, and I could do it all myself,” said third-grader Chen Yunwen.
The aim of the teaching method is to instill a love of science in children at an early age.
“What makes the curriculum interesting is that there are no standard answers,” said Huang Jianping, principal of the Xuhui No. 1 Primary School.
“Teachers play the role of mentors rather than simply knowledge providers,” he said.
“The children are encouraged to challenge what the textbooks say and what they think they already know about things, which in turn means the teachers have to deal with some fairly tricky questions and ideas,” he said.
The introduction of the STEM system also reflects the growing desire among China’s education authorities for a more holistic teaching system, as reflected in the recent changes to the college entrance exam system.
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