An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Climate Change Issue and Implications for Teaching STEM through Inquiry

Michael J. Urban (Bemidji State University, USA), Elaine Marker (Delaware State University, USA), and David A. Falvo (Walden University, USA)
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 550
EISBN13: 9781466617346|DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0068-3.ch019
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Abstract

The importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, and teaching through an inquiry approach, are critical facets in education today. The purpose of this chapter is to share useful observations and recommendations about teaching STEM through inquiry for practicing teachers. Three cases are used to collect data about participant interactions with an interdisciplinary activity related to climate change, human population growth, and atmospheric pollution (e.g., greenhouse gases and smog). Fifty-five participants, most of whom were pre-service teachers, completed a technology-rich activity, post-test assessment, and survey about the experience. The findings discussed include research results, the perspectives of the facilitating instructor, and recommendations for teaching technology-laden investigations through an inquiry approach. In general, the challenges related to teaching with technology and time constraints were found to be significant limiting factors in the success of inquiry-based teaching in STEM.
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