STEM engagement with special needs learners: inception of special needs engineering pedagogy

Mahmood Anwar, Patricia Munoz de Escalona, Kevin Little

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

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Abstract

Declining STEM Education interest is a key challenge to fulfil the technical job market demand to drive the future economic growth. Interestingly, various institutions comprising Universities, Technical corporations, NGOs, Govt organization, etc. have been practicing STEM education promotion at primary and secondary levels. However, engagement with students from Special Needs Learners (SNL) is less covered leading to a very different social challenge involving EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion). The aim of this study is to understand possibility of implementing engineering pedagogy for special needs learner. The research was carried out through a STEM workshop in the department of mechanical engineering involving students with additional support needs in S3 (14-15 years old) from deprived area. In this workshop, students were introduced to different materials, how materials can be used to increase human quality of life, how engineers test materials and how materials can be used to achieve a sustainable environment and economy through both conventional and active learning pedagogy which included undergraduate level engineering laboratory course involving optical microscopy of microstructures for engineering materials. Results showed that 90% of the learners agreed that after the workshop they had learnt something new about materials and their effect on the environment. Interestingly, it is also revealed that active learning pedagogy is more effective for Special Needs Learners (SNL) compare to conventional theory-based pedagogy. Using an auto-ethnography approach it can be concluded that students enjoyed the workshop and the opportunity to visit the university and the laboratory facilities. They highly engaged throughout the workshop. It is expected that this finding paves the way towards developing Special Needs Engineering Pedagogy in higher education and such innovative pedagogy could be extended to special needs learners in other disciplines such as language learner among SNL community.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication16th International Conference "Innovation in Language Learning" 2023 – Conference Proceedings
PublisherFilodiritto
ISBN (Electronic)9791280225696
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2023

Publication series

Name16th International Conference "Innovation in Language Learning" 2023 – Conference Proceedings
ISSN (Electronic)2420-9732

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