Young Engineers – Edinburgh Awesome STEM for East Central Scotland
Here at Young Engineers we introduce STEM concepts through student-centered methods.
Each session starts with the introduction to a STEM concept. Our learners then build a moving model using pictorial instructions. This model is used to help the child understand our STEM concept in more detail. Children are encouraged to add and adapt the model in line with their own understanding and as part of the self directed learning process. Teachers take a hands off approach to maximise opportunities for children to solve their own problems and develop their own understanding.
Our STEM workshops expand on our core class by creating STEM challenges that are intended to support a Problem Based Learning approach.
What is Problem Based Learning?
The children work together to solve a variation of a real world problem (adapted for time and learning level). The problems often require children to use knowledge and skills from across the curriculum as well as encouraging team work, organisation and planning. These challenges have no “right” answer, the goal is for the children to ask questions, develop solutions and drive the discussion and learning process.
Why is Problem Based Learning Important?
As children progress through their education and into the World of Work, subject lines blur, knowledge is not the only thing that helps them progress. Children need to develop confidence in using problem solving strategies. They need to be able to use what they know from one context and apply it in another. 65% of jobs that will be held by today’s three year olds do not currently exist. That means we are educating our children for a future career that we do not understand. The goal of PBL is to focus on developing skills for learning, life and work to ensure learners can progress through their education with confidence.
The Young Engineers Managment Team come from industry with a combined experience of over 30 years in STEM organisations, we love bringing real world problems to the classroom to excite and inspire your class!
