Education Papers

This community houses research from the Te Kura Toi Tangata Division of Education at the University of Waikato.

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    Language learning using Pacific picturebooks in an Aotearoa New Zealand kindergarten
    (Journal Article, SAGE, 2024) Kelly-Ware, J; Daly, N; Teokotai, L; George, K; Marjoriebanks, D; Sealey, E
    Māori and Pacific learners in Aotearoa New Zealand have been identified as ‘priority learners’ by the Ministry of Education. The ‘Pacific picturebook project’ is ongoing research focussed on picturebooks selected to support the languages, cultures, and identities of Pacific learners in keeping with our government, Teaching Council and Ministry of Education expectations. This phase of the research was located in a kindergarten where teachers and children identify as Māori, Pākehā and from several Pacific Island nations. Teachers shared a selection of Pacific picturebooks with the children and recorded their own and the children’s responses to them over a kindergarten term. Thematic analysis of data showed that Pacific picturebooks were significant pedagogical tools for language learning, to support identity, and to contribute to the kindergarten’s emergent and localised curriculum. These findings clearly illustrate what pedagogy looks like when it is entrenched in key documents relevant to early learning in this country.
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    Young people's experiences of citizenship in relation to place: A case study of three rural communities in Germany
    (Journal Article, Wiley, 2024) Suppers, Janina; Vajen, Bastian
    Young people's experiences of citizenship play a significant part in shaping their citizenship norms and practices. While young people's experiences as citizens have been explored in the literature, the places they inhabit, which shape their experiences, are often not considered. Using qualitative case study evidence in the form of 13 focus groups (n = 35) and 21 interviews with secondary school students aged 13–17 from three rural communities in Germany, this research contributes to our understanding of how place is related to young people's experiences of citizenship. Findings suggest that place acted as a reference point when participants discussed their citizenship practices. Furthermore, place determined the citizenship spaces participants encountered and acted as a lens through which current citizenship issues were interpreted.
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    Decolonising content narratives in mathematics and science education: The case of reinventing length measurement
    (Journal Article, 2024) Visnovska, Jana; Graven, Mellony; Cortina, Jose Luis; Vale, Pamela
    In South Africa and in many other parts of the world, decolonising the curriculum has become a valued goal, while frameworks that would systematically support the decolonising project through instructional design are not broadly available. In this conceptual paper we bring readers to consider one framework for instructional design, the theory of Realistic Mathematics Education, and discuss how it can aid in decolonising education in primary years. We exemplify our conceptual position through an instructional design for teaching length measurement—a key grounding practice in both early years mathematics and science throughout the world. We propose that the resulting decolonised narratives are not only useful in marginalised contexts of countries with a history of colonisation. Due to their positioning of mathematics as a human endeavour, these narratives are capable of generating meaningful, equitable engagement with mathematics for diverse student groups in a variety of educational settings.
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    Engaging environmental education through PISA: leveraging curriculum as a political process
    (Journal Article, Cambridge University Press, 2024) Eames, CW; Monroe, MC; White, PJ; Ardoin, NM
    The Organisation for Economic and Cultural Development (OECD) works with countries worldwide to implement testing in the areas of science, mathematics and reading through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) every three years, and this process is recognised to influence education systems through areas such as curriculum. Over the past decade, the OECD increasingly has acknowledged the need to include a greater emphasis on environmental issues, including developing student competencies specifically in this area. For the 2025 PISA round, we were invited as environmental science education experts to contribute to the Science Framework, which underpins the science assessment. This paper explains how we responded to that invitation, including foregrounding the urgent need to understand the competencies of 15 year-olds to address critical socio-ecological challenges such as climate change. We argue that this provides environmental education practitioners and scholars with a powerful opportunity to gain world-scale data for research and advocacy, which could enhance the visibility and leverage for our field in curriculum, whilst also recognising the political process within which we were engaged.
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    Journeys of Māori women in engineering and engineering trades: Navigating challenges and embracing identity
    (Conference Contribution, Australasian Association Engineering Education (AAEE), 2024) Moridnejad, Maryam; Fox-Turnbull, Wendy Helen
    CONTEXT This paper reports a study that explores the lived experiences of five Māori women in New Zealand who are engaged in engineering and engineering trades, aiming to inspire more Māori women to join these fields. Through in-depth interviews, three key phases of their lives are examined: upbringing, educational experiences, and professional encounters. The research identifies barriers and strategies these women employed, revealing themes such as identity development, stereotyping, cultural identity, determination, and support. PURPOSE OR GOAL Diversity remains a persistent concern within traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering and trades. Literature underscores the invaluable contributions of a diverse workforce, including fresh perspectives, insights, and innovative problem-solving approaches. Efforts to enhance diversity in engineering education must address systemic barriers across all levels of education. The aim of this study is to give voice to Māori women in engineers and engineering trades. The study explores participants' career choices, childhood, schooling, tertiary education, and workplace experiences. APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS The study is underpinned by a feminist poststructuralist conceptual framework, emphasizing that knowledge is constructed rather than discovered, and power relations are shaped within cultural and societal contexts. Data collection involved an initial short questionnaire and two semi-structured interviews. Qualitative inductive analysis was used. Early thematic coding occurred during the analysis of initial questionnaires to identify key themes for the interviews. Interview data were coded inductively by research assistants and cross-checked by the main researchers to find common themes. In a further analysis phase, interview transcripts were loaded into ChatGPT to identify key commonalities, which were compared with researchers’ codes to finalize the themes. These themes framed the discussion and provided a basis for understanding the lived experiences of Māori women in engineering and engineering trades. ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES The lives and experiences the five Māori women in this study illuminate the unique experiences and challenges faced by indigenous women pursuing careers in engineering and engineering trades. By amplifying their voices, this research highlights their perspectives, celebrates their agency and resilience, and showcases how they assert themselves, overcome challenges, and advocate for gender equality in their professions. Common themes such as identity development, others’ beliefs and attitudes, cultural identity, determination, and support and encouragement frame the discussion, assisting in demystifying societal realities and gaining insight into their social realities. This research aims to empower and make these women visible. The findings highlight the need for timely career guidance in schools, dismantling gender stereotypes early, and integrating Māori culture into workplaces to foster equity and inclusion. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY Collaborative efforts from educators, researchers, and policymakers are needed to address systemic barriers and create inclusive pathways for indigenous women and other underrepresented groups into engineering. Flexible support services tailored to the diverse needs are essential for facilitating success in these fields. The researchers suggest further research should focus on longitudinal studies tracking the career trajectories of minority groups, exploring how cultural and gender identities influence educational experiences, evaluating the effectiveness of existing support programmes, and examining the role of mentorship and support networks in empowering minority students to succeed in engineering and trades careers.
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    Correlation between engineering students’ perceptions of sustainability and their understanding of the threshold concepts in their disciplines
    (Conference Contribution, Australasian Association Engineering Education (AAEE), 2024) Enteshari, Sina; Fox-Turnbull, Wendy Helen; Jonathan, Scott; Male, Sally
    CONTEXT Sustainability is an important concept in engineering education. Although it is not a new idea in engineering education, its implementation presents a number of obstacles. To support curriculum development, we looked into the fundamental and transformative learning in sustainability, known as 'threshold concepts’. A series of concepts that has the ability to transform the way students perceive sustainability in their disciplines. In this study, we attempt to answer the question, how do engineering students perceive and understand sustainability within the context of their discipline's core concepts? PURPOSE OR GOAL Using threshold concept theory, we investigated how students in various engineering disciplines perceive sustainability and identified what they thought to be the crucial sustainability principle in their disciplines. We hoped to improve sustainability engineering education initiatives and promote the incorporation of sustainability concepts into various engineering disciplines' curricula by changing students' and educators' perceptions of sustainability. APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS The study used a mixed-methods approach, which included both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. A structured survey was distributed to students from a variety of disciplines, including civil, software, electronics, mechanical, chemical, and material processing engineering. In addition to the survey, qualitative data were gathered through interviews with a subset of these students, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of individual perspectives. The analysis also included a review of first-year engineering students' reflective essays and reports, which provided additional qualitative insights into their perspectives on sustainability. OUTCOMES Our research found that the content of sustainability courses significantly shapes students' overall understanding of sustainability and its relevance to their specific discipline. A key hurdle in integrating sustainability into engineering education is its perceived irrelevance. Students favoured content that's tailored to their discipline, aligning with their existing discipline specific threshold concepts. For instance, software engineering students felt that general sustainability courses didn't apply to them, preferring courses that incorporate sustainability in a way that's directly relevant to them. They aimed to gain knowledge that would complement and expand upon their prior studies. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY Our study revealed that sustainability-related threshold concepts are distinct for each discipline, highlighting the need for customised approaches to foster engagement and understanding. These insights can help educators craft teaching strategies that enhance students' grasp of these concepts and promote the application of sustainable practices within their disciplines. A major difficulty in integrating sustainability into engineering education was the lack of discipline-specific content, leading many students to overlook sustainability concepts that didn't directly relate to their studies.
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    Factors influencing women in engineering in New Zealand
    (Conference Contribution, Australasian Association Engineering Education (AAEE), 2024) Fox-Turnbull, Wendy Helen; Moridnejad, Maryam
    There is a significant underrepresentation of women in engineering disciplines at the tertiary level in New Zealand, posing both economic and equity challenges. Innovation and creativity, which are crucial to engineering and the New Zealand economy, benefit from diverse perspectives. However, various factors such as parental and teacher influence, self-perception, and societal stereotypes impact girls' career choices. This study uniquely investigates the factors influencing women’s interest in engineering in New Zealand, drawing insights from current engineering students and high school students. Key barriers identified include insufficient career guidance, lack of promotion of the engineering profession, and the perception of engineering as a masculine field. Additionally, life experiences play a crucial role in deterring girls from pursuing engineering careers.
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    Striving for social justice: The power that picturebooks have to counter inequitable cultural hegemony
    (Journal Article, Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, University of Waikato, 2022) Daly, Nicola; Kelly-Ware, Janette Patricia
    Children’s literature has a long association with education. It has transmitted cultural values to readers over many centuries, often reflecting dominant identities and cultures of the time. Picturebooks, a specific format in children’s literature, are unique in their marriage of image and text and can have a powerful influence on readers’ perceptions of themselves, others and the world around them. Our focus on picturebooks as a subset of children’s literature reflects our view that picturebooks have a particular power for a very wide age group, from those who cannot read independently, to those who are making choices on behalf of future readers. It is the fact that picturebooks are often chosen by adults, such as parents, librarians, teachers and publishers, for readers forming their views of the world that make them of particular interest when it comes to maintaining or disrupting existing power structures.
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    Languages ontologies in higher education: The world-making practices of language teachers
    (Journal Article, De Gruyter, 2024) Gurney, Laura; Demuro, Eugenia
    In this paper, we engage the frame of language ontologies to explore what language is or might be, vis-à-vis empirical data from practicing language teachers and researchers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with fourteen participants to explore their accounts and self-reported practices of language(s)/languaging. We present five ontological accounts of language(s)/languaging as shared by the participants during the interviews: language as a tool for communication, language as thought, language as culture, language as system, and languaging as practice. We discuss the implications of these five ontological accounts for teaching, learning, and understanding language as a multiplicity.
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    Teacher professional learning and development research in Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review of literature, 2010–2023
    (Journal Article, Springer, 2024) McChesney, Katrina ; Gurney, Laura ; Chivers, Melanie
    Teacher professional learning and development are critical to educational improvement efforts and teacher professional growth. Such learning and development can be facilitated in a range of ways, including more traditional ‘workshop style’ training programmes as well as coaching, mentoring, advisory support, teacher inquiry, and other activities that can contribute to teacher learning and change. Despite the extensive time, financial, and human resources invested in teacher professional learning and development in Aotearoa New Zealand every year, it is over 15 years since research on teacher development in this country was brought together in a published review. This paper presents a scoping review of n = 178 primary studies published in English in 2010–2023 that focus on teacher professional development in the Aotearoa New Zealand schooling sector. Looking across this body of literature, we provide a quantitative overview of characteristics of the literature base and identify shifts, trends, strengths, gaps, imbalances, and directions for future research. This paper offers a timely summary and synthesis of recent research on teacher professional development in Aotearoa New Zealand and also offers challenges and recommendations for researchers working in this area.
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    A rationale for trauma-informed postgraduate supervision
    (Journal Article, Informa UK Limited, 2022) McChesney, Katrina
    Doctoral researchers are our present and future knowledge-makers. Social justice requires democratic opportunities for knowledge creation, and to this end doctoral supervision theory and practice have become increasingly inclusive, flexible, culturally responsive, and person-centred over time. However, consideration of trauma and trauma-informed practice has remained absent from this work. This conceptual paper signals the need to recognise that doctoral cohorts will include those with lived experiences of trauma. The paper then presents a rationale for developing trauma-informed approaches to doctoral supervision, theorising this approach in relation to wider inclusive education efforts in higher education, Universal Design for Learning, and the social model of disability. Intersections with current trends in doctoral supervision literature and practice are considered, and core principles of trauma-informed practice are identified that can inform work in the specific context of doctoral supervision. The paper offers a fresh perspective on inclusive doctoral education and directions for future work.
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    Social Learning: Does cooperation contribute to the learning of the makers?
    (Chapter in Book, Brill Publishers, 2023) Fox-Turnbull, Wendy Helen
    This chapter explores the scope and nature of social learning evident in the Makerspace movement as identified by the cases studies presented previously. The makerspace movement is clearly situated within a constructionist paradigm, placing the learner centrally in the construction of artefacts. Because of its collaborative nature and the need for learners to become critical thinkers and makers Makerspace is well situated to ensure learners today are equipped with the necessary skills and dispositions essential to life in the 21st century. This chapter draws on literature on three learning theories particularly relevant to makerspace philosophy. The first, Kolb’s Experiencing Learning theory, providing an excellent mechanism for teaching and learning design-based activities while placing learners at the centre of learning. The second, Social Learning Theory, describes the process of collaborative practice in a common activity with the aim of reaching an intended goal. Bandura suggests that Social Learning theory emphasises synthesis of behavioural events and human cognitive processes. This is relevant to makerspaces through the collaborative nature of design and development of artefacts-technological products and systems. The third theory is Social Partication Theory and draws together both learning through experience and learning socially and is therefore most pertinent to the Makerspace movement as it gives equal emphasis to working collaboratively and learning through doing. To identify and discuss the scope and nature of social interaction, a modifed version of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory is applied. This Ecological Systems Model is modified to organise a discussion on the social interaction within the Makerspace case studies. Selected for its layering and spheres of influence the model gives a framework for the types of social interaction evidenced in the cases. In this section the cases presented are organised according to The Ecological Systems Model and categories in relation to their influence on learners. To identify and discuss the scope and nature of social interaction, a modifed version of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory is applied. This Ecological Systems Model is modified to organise a discussion on the social interaction within the Makerspace case studies. Selected for its layering and spheres of influence the model gives a framework for the types of social interaction evidenced in the cases. In this section, the cases presented are organised according to The Ecological Systems Model and categories in relation to their influence on learners.
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    Spontaneous singing in early childhood: An examination of young children’s singing at home
    (Journal Article, SAGE Publications, 2020) Dean, Bronya
    Spontaneous singing is widely acknowledged as an important part of young children’s everyday musical experience. However, its fleeting and often private nature makes it difficult to study. Research into young children’s singing at home frequently relies on data gathered through parental reporting, and studies are often limited to small sample sizes. In this article, I explore the nature, extent and contexts of spontaneous singing among 15 three- and four-year-old children at home. Continuous audio recording was used to collect naturalistic data during the children’s normal everyday routines. This innovative method resulted in data that could be analysed quantitatively to provide a comprehensive overview of spontaneous singing in young children’s everyday home lives that has so far been missing from the literature. Analysis showed that all the children sang spontaneously. The singing behaviours they displayed were similar to those described in the literature, but contrary to some of the literature, the most prevalent singing behaviours were improvisatory. Spontaneous singing occurred during many everyday activities; however, the strongest influence on singing was found to be the social context in which it took place. The children used different ways of singing when interacting socially or when playing on their own, with most singing occurring when children were on their own, potentially unnoticed by adults.
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    Ngā Akoranga pai o te Tuhinga Pūrākau. Lessons from the heart of learning stories
    (Journal Article, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2023) Fabian, Katalin; Edwards, Frances
    This study investigated how New Zealand teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) gathered, documented and utilised assessment information about children’s learning. It utilised phenomenological inquiry, with data being gathered through semi-structured interviews with five experienced ECE teachers. Thefindings highlight the complexity of the predominant narrative assessment format used by the teachers: Learning Stories. The strong reliance on teachers’ fundamental competencies and understanding of the writing process was central to narrative assessment. On the other hand, findings emphasised the benefitsof well-written Learning Stories and highlighted interesting ways they can be utilised. This article focuses on two important aspects of ECE assessment. Firstly, the teacher who is the heart of the Learning Story-writing process, and who possesses a complex skillset to connect with people, collect information and articulate an important message about the child as a learner. Secondly, on the Learning Story itself, its benefits and the ways that assessment information can be utilised from them.
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    Social Class: Te Mātaiaho | the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh’s ‘Inconvenient Truth’?
    (Journal Article, Springer, 2024) Estellés, Marta; Rozas-Gómez, Claudia; Morgan, John; Shafer, Derek
    In this paper, we connect with Martin Thrupp’s calls for class-based analysis in education policy by problematising the absence of social class in the refreshed New Zealand curriculum, Te Mātaiaho (2023). To contextualise this absence, we locate this curriculum policy in a historical perspective and interpret its ‘identity turn’ as an expression of what philosopher Nancy Fraser calls ‘progressive neoliberalism’. We conclude our contribution with a reflection on the reactionary neoliberal response of the current National-led government and a call for educational researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand to more seriously consider social class in their analyses.
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    Improving cervical screening rates among sexual minorities: Insights from Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Journal Article, Wiley, 2024) Ellis, Sonja J.
    Issue Addressed: Sexual minority women (SMW) experience inequities in health outcomes. The extant literature consistently suggests that SMW are much less likely than their heterosexual peers to engage in cervical screening. Using participant's voices, the focus of this study was to explore the ways in which cervical screening rates for SMW might be improved. Methods: An online survey was completed by SMW (N = 177) aged 25–69 based in Aotearoa New Zealand and representing a range of sexual identities, ethnicities, and geographical regions. The analysis presented here was derived from open-ended qualitative responses to a single survey item: What do you think could be done to encourage more SMW (lesbians, wahine takatāpui, bisexual women, etc.) to engage in smear testing?. Results: Analysis of the data generated three main themes around how public health services could encourage more SMW to engage in cervical screening: Inclusive health services, clarity of information, and targeted health promotion. Conclusion: The analysis showed that the inherent heteronormativity among health care professionals and the lack of clear and consistent information specific to SMW may be key factors contributing to lower rates of engagement in screening. So What?: Given that not engaging in screening is the main risk factor for cervical cancer, it is imperative that active consideration is given to these issues with a view to increasing participation rates among SMW.
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    Shifting deficit perspectives of teacher-parent partnerships: Post-covid teacher stories
    (Conference Contribution, International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2024) Vale, Pamela; Graven, Mellony H
    In this oral communication we focus on primary school mathematics teacher practices, in the post-Covid context, that enabled (or not) mathematical learning partnerships with parents, and the parent responses to these practices, as storied by the teachers. We address the questions: (1) How are primary school mathematics teachers engaging with and supporting parents in the post-Covid context, particularly regarding supporting learners’ mathematical learning? and (2) How are parents (according to teachers) responding to the efforts of teachers to encourage their engagement with the mathematical learning of their child?
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    Fakalukuluku: Conceptualising a tongan learning approach in tertiary education
    (Journal Article, University of Waikato, 2021) Naufahu, Mefileisenita; Havea, Elisapesi Hepi; Kaufononga, Sangata Ana Fiealu; Laulaupea‘alu, Siuta
    Given the current impact of COVID-19, the learning experiences of Pasifika students within tertiary education has implicated their social and emotional wellbeing. Engaging in a Tongan learning approach, such as fakalukuluku, can present a viable learning practice for tertiary students’ learning experiences. This paper presents the perspectives of four Tongan-born and raised researchers and educators who completed their tertiary education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on our experiences and reflections, we propose the Tongan concept of fakalukuluku as an approach to help elevate students’ academic achievement in tertiary education. Our paper conceptualises and unfolds perspectives of fakalukuluku, as a cultural practice that is appropriate, collaborative, and accorded learning stability because of its spiritual dimensions as being paramount to students’ success. We propose that a strong family and community support, the utilising of university learning support and the students’ spiritual beliefs can help Tongan students in tertiary education succeed.
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    The development of pre-service teachers’ competence to teach mental calculation strategies
    (Journal Article, AOSIS, 2024) Vale, Pamela; Westaway, Lise
    Background: There is a concern in South Africa that pre-service teachers do not have the required knowledge to teach mathematics in primary school and to develop learners’ number sense. In this study, pre-service teachers taught the mental strategy of bridging through ten through a structured teaching sequence from the Mental Starters Assessment Project (MSAP) materials as a work-integrated learning opportunity. Aim: We ask the question: How do the MSAP materials support pre-service teachers in competently teaching mental mathematics? Setting: Thirty-eight Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase) third-year preservice teachers from an Eastern Cape university participated in this study. Methods: Participants taught the strategy during their Teaching Practice, quantitatively analysed the results of their classes and reflected on the experience in a questionnaire and focus group interviews. Results: Results indicate that the teachers were relatively successful in their teaching of the strategy; however, all indicated that they taught the sequence for a more extended period than recommended. Qualitative responses provide evidence of the teachers’ development in their knowledge of learners and their characteristics, general pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and knowledge of educational contexts. Conclusion: This study offers evidence of the professional learning of pre-service teachers that resulted from taking an integrated approach to facilitating a mathematics teaching methodology course through requiring a work-integrated learning component. Contribution: We argue that such an approach is necessary for pre-service teachers to be adequately prepared for the challenges of teaching mathematics in the South African classroom.
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    Locating technology education in STEM teaching and learning: So, what does the T mean in STEM?
    (Chapter in Book, Springer, 2024) Fox-Turnbull, Wendy Helen
    The vision for this book is to explore and clearly define technology (T) when embedded in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It grew from a concern that prevailing perceptions of technology when embedded in STEM is merely the use of technological tools to serve the learning needs of science and mathematics. Those who have a clear and deep understanding of technology education know that this is not the case. Interdisciplinary integration is key to this understanding. Burke (Technol Teacher 73:14, 2014) states that an integrative STEM approach recognizes that technology and engineering provide opportunities for students to develop deeper knowledge about science. We would argue that an integrative STEM approach recognizes that technology and engineering provide opportunities for students to develop deeper knowledge about the world and how to intervene in it, drawing on design, science and mathematics knowledge to assist this process.
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