Design-based learning (DBL), a pedagogical approach to integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, has been internationally promoted in K-12 curricula. Despite DBL's variations, research has indicated it can facilitate students' content learning. However, it is less clear whether DBL can foster students' STEM…

In STEM education, the engineering design process serves as a pedagogical strategy to connect science and mathematics concepts. While STEM approaches are increasingly favored in science courses, the role of mathematics in integrated STEM activities is often overlooked, despite its foundational importance across STEM disciplines. This manuscript…

Background: Dealing with uncertainties is inherent in the engineering design process and often poses challenges for young learners. This necessitates providing learners with adequate support to navigate their uncertainties effectively. However, achieving this requires a deeper understanding of the factors influencing learners' uncertainty…

Complex systems are made up of many entities, whose interactions emerge into distinct collective patterns. Computational modeling platforms can provide a powerful means to investigate emergent phenomena in complex systems. Some research has been carried out in recent years about promoting students' modeling practices, specifically using…

An understanding of how sensemaking unfolds when elementary students engage in engineering design tasks is crucial to advancing engineering teaching and learning at K-12 levels. Sensemaking has been widely studied in the context of science as a discipline. In this paper, we seek to contribute to the more nascent efforts to build theory about the…

In this study, we have proposed and implemented a sequential data analytics (SDA)-driven methodological framework to design adaptivity for digital game-based learning (DGBL). The goal of this framework is to facilitate children's personalized learning experiences for K-5 computing education. Although DGBL experiences can be beneficial, young…

This paper analyses the longitudinal use of electronic portfolios (hereafter ePortfolios) in craft studies across six years (2013-18). Eight comprehensive school students participated in the study, tracing their craft process activities via photos, narratives, and tapings from the third to the ninth grade. The data involved self-assessment by the…

Over the last two decades, a remarkable number of studies have examined the role of engineering education in supporting knowledge and skill building among children. In this paper, we present a synthesis of this literature to evaluate the added value of pre-college engineering design experiences at the elementary level, and ways researchers have…

This study examines the influence of design-based learning on 25 eighth-grade students' design-thinking mindsets, that is, on the mental outlook that they adopt habitually when they engage in design thinking. It also compares changes in design-thinking mindsets across individuals of different genders and different levels of experience in design.…

While pair learning (PL) is considered a potential method in STEM education including robotics education (RE), the question of how to pair students for superior learning effects remains. Current grouping strategies for PL in RE are constrained by fixed grouping (FG) and short of attention to dynamic grouping (DG). Therefore, this study aims to…

This study investigated the effects of multimedia learning and visual design in a 6th grade science textbook on students' studying processes. This was accomplished by using eye tracking technology and by applying multimedia learning design and visual design principles to science textbooks. Eye tracking based testing was employed to evaluate the…

This paper reports a design and implementation of a STEM enrichment programme infused with affective elements designed for Hong Kong students. Specifically, it features a design-thinking approach to develop solutions to a self-selected problem addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Around 30 upper primary school (grades 5 to…

Lines and angles are essential for students because of geometry and its many applications in daily life. However, there are still many students who have difficulty grasping the material. Therefore, it is necessary to design learning using the right approach, context, and media. This study aims to produce a learning trajectory that can assist…

Purpose: This study aims to understand children's sketching behavior while they engage in interest-driven design activities. Particularly, the authors examine their information sharing practices and the learning opportunities that may occur when they engage in a sketching activity. Design/methodology/approach: The data collection is based on a…

Makerspaces are increasingly popular in K-12 schools, particularly when associated with STEM learning. Many schools are successfully entering the makerspace arena. Others face significant barriers in ideating their design, often resorting to tinkering, or the purchase of commercial kits as resources. At the heart of a makerspace is its intent, as…