STEM integrated education and multimodal educational material

Abstract

The present article aims to underline the role of multimodal educational material in STEM Integrated early childhood education. Through social semiotics assumption that meaning arises in action and interaction, we argue that robotics, digital media, haptic materials, toys, books, tablets, actions, and artifacts have an active and dynamic role in multimodal learning and construct meaning in young children's STEM educational process. The literature review has revealed a research gap concerning combined multimodal aspects in STEM concepts for young children. We adopted a mixed-method collective case study design based on four case studies in which children interact with multimodal STEM educational material. Due to the principles for effective STEM teaching and the perspectives of integrated STEM education, our findings illustrate that MmEM in STEM concepts, through play-based, model-based, inquiry-based teaching practices (among other open-ended), may provide to children multimodal learning environments, engage them in authentic and meaningful learning, promote teamwork, communication and social skills, challenge and motivate them to make meaning of their learning.