The Impact of Design-Based STEM Integration Curricula on Student Achievement in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics

• Published in: Journal of science education and technology Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 207 - 222
• Main Authors: Guzey, S. Selcen, Harwell, Michael, Moreno, Mario, Peralta, Yadira, Moore, Tamara J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Science+Business Media LLC 01.04.2017; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Comparative Analysis; Control Groups; Curricula; Design engineering; Education; Educational Change; Educational evaluation; Educational reform; Educational Technology; Elementary Secondary Education; Engineering Education; Ethnic Groups; Experimental Groups; Gender; Gender Differences; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Heat transfer; Instructional Design; Integration; Limited English Speaking; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Mathematics Tests; Pretests Posttests; Quasiexperimental Design; Racial Differences; Regression (Statistics); Regression analysis; Science Curriculum; Science Education; Science Teachers; Sciences education; Special Education; STEM Education; Student Characteristics; Students; Subgroups; Teacher Characteristics; Teachers; Technical education; Units of Study; Student learning; Engineering curriculum; Engineering integration; STEM
• ISSN: 1059-0145; 1573-1839
• DOI: 10.1007/s10956-016-9673-x

The new science education reform documents call for integration of engineering into K-12 science classes. Engineering design and practices are new to most science teachers, meaning that implementing effective engineering instruction is likely to be challenging. This quasi-experimental study explored the influence of teacher-developed, engineering design-based science curriculum units on learning and achievement among grade 4-8 students of different races, gender, special education status, and limited English proficiency (LEP) status. Treatment and control students (n = 4450) completed pretest and posttest assessments in science, engineering, and mathematics as well as a statemandated mathematics test. Single-level regression results for science outcomes favored the treatment for one science assessment (physical science, heat transfer), but multilevel analyses showed no significant treatment effect. We also found that engineering integration had different effects across race and gender and that teacher gender can reduce or exacerbate the gap in engineering achievement for student subgroups depending on the outcome. Other teacher factors such as the quality of engineering-focused science units and engineering instruction were predictive of student achievement in engineering. Implications for practice are discussed.