Chapter Highlights

Effective STEM education requires equipping learners with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex and technology-driven world. Among various pedagogical approaches, problem-based learning (PBL) and inquiry-based learning (IBL) are particularly promising due to their learner-centred nature. Both approaches actively engage learners in the learning process through investigation and critical thinking, fostering collaboration, active participation, and the development of essential skills for authentic STEM learning contexts.

• Key Components of Problem-Based Learning – Examines the theoretical foundations, core characteristics, teacher roles, and student benefits associated with problem-based learning.
• Problem-Based STEM Education – Explores the intersection of problem-based learning and STEM education, highlighting the affordances of problem-based STEM instruction and various approaches to implementing problem-based STEM teaching.
• Key Components of Inquiry-Based Learning – Introduces the theoretical foundations and defining characteristics of inquiry-based learning.
• Inquiry-Based STEM Education – Examines the integration of inquiry-based learning within STEM education, discussing the affordances of inquiry-based STEM instruction and its contributions to conceptual understanding, scientific inquiry skills, and learner autonomy.