The world of secondary school STEM education is enriched by a variety of resources that aim to make learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) engaging and accessible. Among these resources are globally recognized platforms like Khan Academy and Illustrative Mathematics, alongside noteworthy contributions from Siyavula in Africa and the comprehensive curriculum offered by Core Knowledge. This blog post delves into the unique offerings of these platforms, highlighting their contributions to enriching STEM education.
Siyavula: Africa’s Beacon of STEM Learning
Siyavula, an African initiative, stands out with its openly licensed STEM textbooks aligned with the South African and Nigerian curricula. With over 10 million copies of its open titles printed and endorsed by South Africa’s Department of Basic Education, Siyavula provides free practice and textbooks for high school mathematics and physical sciences. The platform employs a machine-learning algorithm to sequence questions appropriately, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning while developing a digital portfolio of their STEM skills.
View the Siyavula curriculum here: https://www.siyavula.com/read
Core Knowledge: Building a Solid Foundation
Core Knowledge is US-based and offers a well-rounded curriculum for students from preschool through grade 8, with a notable emphasis on science and STEM-related subjects. The Core Knowledge Science (CKSci) program provides a comprehensive elementary science curriculum along with additional resources for teachers and students through grade 5. The curriculum follows the Core Knowledge approach, which provides students with a firm basis in the factual knowledge of the sciences and engineering design.
Additionally, the Core Knowledge Sequence provides a detailed outline of specific content and skills to be taught in various subjects, including mathematics and science, from kindergarten through grade 8. For secondary-level STEM education, Core Knowledge provides a variety of Teacher Guides and online resources that support the teaching materials. These resources can be accessed by following specific instructions on the Core Knowledge website and cover a broad spectrum of topics ranging from astronomy and chemical reactions to computer science and engineering design3.
The curriculum materials provided by Core Knowledge are available for open access, embodying the organization’s commitment to content-rich education that is accessible to all.
Download Core Knowledge Curriculum here:
https://www.coreknowledge.org/curriculum/download-curriculum/
Khan Academy: A Free Learning Hub
Khan Academy offers a vast library of content covering K-12 math, science, and more, created by experts to align with educational standards. Its courses generally focus on STEM, providing a free online educational resource for K-12 students. For instance, the Mathematics 3 course, often taught in the 11th grade, covers a range of topics from polynomials and logarithms to trigonometric functions and statistics, offering a comprehensive learning experience.
View Khan Academy resources here: https://www.khanacademy.org/math and https://www.khanacademy.org/science
Illustrative Mathematics: Problem-Solving at its Core
Illustrative Mathematics provides a highly-rated, open educational resource for K-12 math, recognized for its focus, coherence, rigor, and alignment with the standards. It fosters a problem-based learning environment designed to prepare students for real-world problem-solving, reasoning, communication, and critical thinking.
Download Illustrative Mathematics here: https://im.kendallhunt.com/
Each of these platforms brings a unique flavor to the diverse landscape of secondary school STEM education, offering resources that cater to different learning styles and educational frameworks. Whether it’s the self-paced learning environment of Khan Academy, the problem-solving emphasis of Illustrative Mathematics, the culturally relevant and openly licensed resources of Siyavula, or the structured and comprehensive curriculum of Core Knowledge, educators, students, and parents have a wealth of resources at their disposal to enhance the STEM learning experience.
Miriam Chickering and Glenda Niles
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