Conference: International Reflections on STEM Education

Effective Teaching and Learning to Address Future Challenges 

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is instrumental to advancing our fundamental understanding of the world around us and plays a critical role in helping us respond to the complex challenges that society is faced with today. STEM education has thus become key to ensuring the next generation can develop the required theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to address future challenges and to help them live justly, sustainably and with regard to the rights of others.  

However, several barriers appear to be inhibiting the effective implementation of STEM teaching and learning in classrooms worldwide. These include, for example, the lack of a clear definition or conceptualisation of the term ‘STEM education’ and the lack of a universal set of criteria for what effective disciplinary and integrated STEM approaches should comprise. Concerns are also raised regarding teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and confidence in implementing STEM approaches and in some cases regarding the possible side-lining of science and mathematics in integrated approaches to STEM education. 

To address these issues, the Royal Irish Academy (Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann) and ALLEA (the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities) are jointly organising the symposium “International Reflections on STEM Education -Effective teaching and learning to address future challenges”. The event will provide a forum to reflect on some of the international successes and challenges in STEM teaching and learning as well as an opportunity to exchange ideas on the best ways to advance STEM education.