From October to December 2024, the staff of Emeans participated in a series of professional development training courses focused on STEM education. This training had the honor of featuring Shu-Hui, Chou (Emeritus Professor) of the Department of Early Childhood Education at National Tsing Hua University, who personally provided instruction. The content covered various important aspects of early childhood STEM education, aiming to enhance teachers’ professional knowledge and teaching skills in the STEM field. Professor Chou’s outstanding contributions in early childhood STEM education laid a crucial foundation for this training.
The training course was mainly divided into four themes:
Theme A: STEM Integration in Learning Areas and Outdoor Environments
This theme focused on exploring how to integrate STEM elements into the indoor learning areas and outdoor environments of kindergartens. The course content included the three elements and six general principles of environmental planning, as well as the planning principles and material selection for STEM learning areas. Through practical activities and seminars, teachers learned how to effectively integrate STEM concepts into their daily teaching environments.
Theme B: Inquiry-Based Thematic Curriculum—Foundations of STEM Education
This theme delved into the origin, definition, characteristics, and design methods of inquiry-based thematic curricula. Teachers learned how to design planned and emergent curricula, and through practical operations and mind mapping discussions, deepened their understanding of inquiry-based thematic curricula.
Theme C: STEM Curriculum and Instruction
This theme focused on the practical application of STEM curriculum and instruction. The course content included the meaning, characteristics, design practices, and activity design steps of STEM curricula. In addition, the course explored how to use picture books to design STEM curricula, and through practical activities and seminars, helped teachers master the methods of integrating STEM concepts into picture book teaching.
Theme D: Practical Application of STEM Curriculum and Instruction
This theme was a practical application of the previous three themes. Teachers conducted trial lessons of STEM activities and, through video sharing and online seminars, learned from each other and exchanged experiences.
This training was rich in content and diverse in format, including theoretical explanations, case analysis, practical exercises, and seminar discussions. Through Professor Chou’s personal guidance, Emeans’ staff gained a deeper understanding of early childhood STEM education and mastered methods for applying STEM concepts to practical teaching. This helps to improve the overall teaching quality of Emeans and provide a better education for the children.