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Part One of this article (TET, 75-4, December/January, 2016) presented a process that science, math, engineering, and technology teachers may use to collaborate and design integrated STEM courses. A conceptual framework was discussed that could provide a premise that educators interested in delivery of STEM content may reflect upon to integrate STEM disciplines in the classroom. At the heart of this framework is problembased learning, pragmatism, and four theoretical constructs, i.e., systems thinking, situated-learning theory, constructivism, and goal-orientation theory that blend together to accentuate (Lee Shulman, 1986) Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The authors argued that this framework offered teachers a common philosophical understanding of how to integrate science and mathematical practices into an engineering/technology education course project. This could be achieved through learning activities that culminate in a project through a problem-based approach. One such example would be designing a safe swing set. Science, math, engineering, and technology teachers might approach the design of this activity by asking themselves how a swing set works. How does the design and construction of a swing set determine whether its user is safe? For what weight do we size the swing set? What materials would make the safest swing? These questions can be narrowed down to (a) How are forces distributed? and, (b) What materials can withstand such forces safely? Part A of this article described a 50-minute lesson titled, "Analyzing Swing Set Design Forces: Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technology Integrated." Standards are the driving force behind today's education and therefore need to be addressed in lesson design, including Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) HS-ETS1-1; Standards for Technological Literacy (STL) STL 2 & 8, and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) M1 and M3 (NGSS, 2013; ITEA/ITEEA, 2000/2002/2007; CCSS, 2014). The lesson objectives were the analysis of forces on a swing set and comprehension of Newton's Second Law.
The integrative approaches to successfully delivering such a lesson would require close collaboration among the science, math, engineering, and technology teachers, their commitment to the integrative approach, and administrative support. An integrated problem-based activity that culminates in a project is based on developing experiences around a particular theme that is relevant to students' learning, giving them opportunities to be active learners who research, interpret, communicate, and...