The benefits of STEM education in the co-taught classroom
For the United States to maintain its status as a global leader in innovation, it is projected that over one million more professionals from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) sectors will be needed over the next ten years (Athanasia & Cota, 2022). With the rapidly growing need in these fields, educators must consider presenting information through a STEM lens and provide classes focusing on these areas. The co-taught classroom offers unique opportunities for students to experience STEM education. Benefits such as working in a collaborative setting, increased engagement with the curriculum, and using critical thinking skills in the co-taught classroom prepare all students for the 21st-century workforce.
Collaboration
In a co-taught classroom, two teachers plan, instruct, and assess all students (Friend, 2019). With two professionals providing instruction, it allows the possibility to analyze the needs of the students and present information in the most effective way using a variety of co-teaching approaches. For example, using the parallel-teaching method, where each teacher works with half of the class, one teacher may focus on a hands-on experiment while the other provides background information. Not only do the teachers collaborate to present information so that all learners can access it, but the students can work in small groups and collaborate with their peers while they receive needed support.
Increased engagement
Subjects such as math and science can be intimidating for students and, therefore, decrease the level of engagement with the material. STEM education, however, lends itself to a more hands-on style and encourages trial and error. With more of a student discovery approach, all students feel more comfortable interacting with the material. Heward (2019) notes that not only do students learn more when engaged, but there is less negative behavior, and teachers are provided feedback on how effectively the lesson was received, allowing them to target needed support. The co-taught classroom offers great potential to increase student engagement as both teachers can provide individualized support and scaffolding to ensure access to the curriculum.
Critical thinking and problem-solving
STEM education lends itself to higher-order thinking skills and problem-solving. Lesson planning integrates the curriculum with real-world issues and scenarios that must be addressed. Creating solutions for these tasks requires higher-order thinking skills, such as synthesizing information from multiple sources and evaluating various solutions. These are the skills that all students need as they enter the workforce over the next several years. The co-teaching approach allows all students to develop these skills while collaborating with their peers and receiving the support they need (Scruggs, Mastropieri, McDuffie, 2007).
References
Friend, M. P. (2019). Co-teach!: Building and sustaining effective classroom partnerships in inclusive schools. Marilyn Friend, Inc.
Heward, W. (2019). Use strategies to promote active student engagement. In McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B. S., Brownell, M. T., & Lewis, T. J. (2019). High leverage practices for Inclusive Classrooms. (pp. 251-263), Routledge.
Scruggs, T. E., Mastropieri, M. A., & McDuffie, K. A. (2007). Co-teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional Children, 73(4), 392–416.
For more information, contact Joel Fravel, ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
Categories Inclusive Practices