A smart learning ecosystem design for delivering Data-driven Thinking in STEM education

Abstract

This paper proposes an Internet of Things device (IoT)-based ecosystem that can be leveraged to provide children and adolescent students with STEM educational activities. Our framework is general and scalable, covering multi-stakeholder partnerships, learning outcomes, educational program design and technical architecture. We highlight the importance of bringing Data-driven Thinking to the core of the learning environment as it leads to collaborative learning experience and the development of specific STEM skills such as problem-finding and solving, cognitive, analytical thinking, spatial skills, mental manipulation of objects, organization, leadership, management, and so on. A successful case study in Singapore involving tens of thousands of students is presented.