The iSTEM Rope Model: defining integrated early childhood STEM education and its pedagogical linages to the Reggio Emilia-Inspired Approach.
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| Title: | The iSTEM Rope Model: defining integrated early childhood STEM education and its pedagogical linages to the Reggio Emilia-Inspired Approach. |
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| Authors: | Hachey, Alyse C.1 (AUTHOR) ahachey@utep.edu, Mehta, Pratimaben J.1 (AUTHOR) pmehta2@miners.utep.edu |
| Source: | Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning. 2026, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p131-144. 14p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Early childhood education, *Teaching models, *Interdisciplinary education, *Preschool education, *Teaching methods, Hypothesis |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This paper discusses the implementation of integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (EC-iSTEM) education with children in birth-to-age 5 classrooms. It offers a conceptualization for EC-iSTEM, as well as a developmental trajectory in the form of the iSTEM Rope Model. It further highlights the intersection of EC-iSTEM education and the Reggio Emelia-Inspired Approach (RE-IA) as a lens for both viewing EC-iSTEM implementation with young children and as an area of needed research. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a qualitative interpretive methodology, drawing from a wide array of theoretical and research literature on early childhood education and integrated STEM education. Findings: Despite growing research and policy reports that advocate for the inclusion of integrated STEM education in early childhood classrooms, today there is currently imprecision in understanding what exactly "integrated STEM" means when applied to the instruction of very young children. This suggests a need for the creation of a unifying conceptual framework, as well as finding alignment with currently known pedagogical approaches to ground the work of birth-to-age 5 teachers and researchers. Research limitations/implications: This paper proposes a new conceptualization of integrated STEM education for use in birth to age 5 classrooms, as well as a systhsis of the current literature to assess the pedagogical linkages between EC-iSTEM and RE-IA. As the proposed conceptualization offered in this paper is new and research in this area is nascent, further empirical investigation is warrented. Originality/value: This paper proposes a new conceptualization of integrated STEM education for use in the early childhood education field. It further synthesizes the current literature to assess the pedagogical linkages between EC-iSTEM and RE-IA, suggesting practice implications for supporting the knowledge and skill development of young children from birth to age 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192353067 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The iSTEM Rope Model: defining integrated early childhood STEM education and its pedagogical linages to the Reggio Emilia-Inspired Approach. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hachey%2C+Alyse+C%2E%22">Hachey, Alyse C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ahachey@utep.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mehta%2C+Pratimaben+J%2E%22">Mehta, Pratimaben J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> pmehta2@miners.utep.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Innovative+Teaching+%26+Learning%22">Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p131-144. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+childhood+education%22">Early childhood education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+models%22">Teaching models</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interdisciplinary+education%22">Interdisciplinary education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+education%22">Preschool education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+methods%22">Teaching methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hypothesis%22">Hypothesis</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: This paper discusses the implementation of integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (EC-iSTEM) education with children in birth-to-age 5 classrooms. It offers a conceptualization for EC-iSTEM, as well as a developmental trajectory in the form of the iSTEM Rope Model. It further highlights the intersection of EC-iSTEM education and the Reggio Emelia-Inspired Approach (RE-IA) as a lens for both viewing EC-iSTEM implementation with young children and as an area of needed research. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a qualitative interpretive methodology, drawing from a wide array of theoretical and research literature on early childhood education and integrated STEM education. Findings: Despite growing research and policy reports that advocate for the inclusion of integrated STEM education in early childhood classrooms, today there is currently imprecision in understanding what exactly "integrated STEM" means when applied to the instruction of very young children. This suggests a need for the creation of a unifying conceptual framework, as well as finding alignment with currently known pedagogical approaches to ground the work of birth-to-age 5 teachers and researchers. Research limitations/implications: This paper proposes a new conceptualization of integrated STEM education for use in birth to age 5 classrooms, as well as a systhsis of the current literature to assess the pedagogical linkages between EC-iSTEM and RE-IA. As the proposed conceptualization offered in this paper is new and research in this area is nascent, further empirical investigation is warrented. Originality/value: This paper proposes a new conceptualization of integrated STEM education for use in the early childhood education field. It further synthesizes the current literature to assess the pedagogical linkages between EC-iSTEM and RE-IA, suggesting practice implications for supporting the knowledge and skill development of young children from birth to age 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 131 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Early childhood education Type: general – SubjectFull: Teaching models Type: general – SubjectFull: Interdisciplinary education Type: general – SubjectFull: Preschool education Type: general – SubjectFull: Teaching methods Type: general – SubjectFull: Hypothesis Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The iSTEM Rope Model: defining integrated early childhood STEM education and its pedagogical linages to the Reggio Emilia-Inspired Approach. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hachey, Alyse C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mehta, Pratimaben J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: 2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 23977604 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 19 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
