A Novel Strategy to Improve STEM Education: The E-Science Approach

Undergraduate traditional instructional delivery that does not utilize computation is linked significantly to students’ low performance and thereby attrition. Over the last two decades, new computational technologies, information, and communication have emerged, creating comprehensive cyberinfrastructurebased service systems, or what is termed here e-science. E-science environments are virtual systems that support data management, data mining, information acquisition, visualization, computing services, and people collaboration over the Web. Although a number of attempts have been successful in utilizing escience environments to change how research is conducted, using e-science environments for education has been rarely realized. This chapter describes a project that aims to transform Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through using e-science systems at the undergraduate level. The strategy is built on three arms: (1) injecting Computational Thinking (CT) in STEM education; (2) using e-science for STEM learning; and (3) building a community-of-practice around e-science. By using e-science resources and services, an inquiry-based approach to learning can be the key to students’ motivations, achievements, and enthusiasm for science.

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