Design of an engineering curriculum and 12 STEM modules for the Thai Basic Education Ministry (OBEC)

The Centre for Science Education (CSE), a part of the Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University was invited by the Ministry of Education (OBEC) in Thailand to review the STEM provision in Thailand with particular reference to the performance of gifted and talented students and to create an Engineering Curriculum and a set of STEM modules which would integrate with existing subjects. This project is part-funded by the Newton Fund in Thailand. The key outputs of the project are a review of the existing STEM curriculum, the creation of a compatible Engineering subject and the formulation of supplementary courses for 195 Gifted schools which have a focus on STEM. The report would also identify barriers to successful implementation and suggest a monitoring and evaluation approach that would match the initiative’s aims. In August 2016 a team from CSE delivered a three day workshop in Bangkok. The workshop introduced the new Engineering Curriculum and the STEM modules to 50 teachers drawn from the 195 STEM specialist schools. The workshop also provided some professional development input for the teachers about how to create modules in the new Engineering Curriculum and techniques for working with gifted and talented students.