Play Pedagogy, STEM, and Inquiry: Using Mousetrap Cars to Bridge Metacognition
Location
Room 1002
Proposal Track
Practice Report
Session Format
Symposium
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Educators are eager to embrace the complexities of 21st century instruction, which presents challenges for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into K-12 instructional practices. Although there are a variety of methodologies for STEM, focusing on play pedagogy and inquiry will facilitate student engagement in metacognitive skills that are necessary components of STEM constructs. Metacognition activates critical thinking skills such as collaborative planning for problem solving, analyzing, self-regulation, and evaluating. Additionally, student motivation is maximized when student led learning results in authentic student products. When educators are provided with support that guides methods for implementation, they will be more successful in the classroom. This completed practice project will present the audience with components for a STEM model that includes context, purposes, methods, evidence, analysis, scholarly discussions, and recommendations. The audience will directly experience the thrill of engaging in collaboration to plan, design, and build mousetrap cars within the context of a STEM lesson.
Keywords
Play pedagogy, STEM, Inquiry, Metacognition, Mousetrap car
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Zielinski, Cassondra Y.; Abbey, Teresa L.; and Walls Rosenstein, Debra Leigh, "Play Pedagogy, STEM, and Inquiry: Using Mousetrap Cars to Bridge Metacognition" (2014). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 22.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2014/2014/22
Proposal
Play Pedagogy, STEM, and Inquiry: Using Mousetrap Cars to Bridge Metacognition
Room 1002
Educators are eager to embrace the complexities of 21st century instruction, which presents challenges for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into K-12 instructional practices. Although there are a variety of methodologies for STEM, focusing on play pedagogy and inquiry will facilitate student engagement in metacognitive skills that are necessary components of STEM constructs. Metacognition activates critical thinking skills such as collaborative planning for problem solving, analyzing, self-regulation, and evaluating. Additionally, student motivation is maximized when student led learning results in authentic student products. When educators are provided with support that guides methods for implementation, they will be more successful in the classroom. This completed practice project will present the audience with components for a STEM model that includes context, purposes, methods, evidence, analysis, scholarly discussions, and recommendations. The audience will directly experience the thrill of engaging in collaboration to plan, design, and build mousetrap cars within the context of a STEM lesson.
