How to Implement Interdisciplinary Thematic Learning? Insights from Integrated STEM Education Research

1.1 Types of Curriculum Integration

Curriculum integration as a “connecting point” for integrated STEM education and interdisciplinary thematic learning consists of five types: single subject, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, and transdisciplinary^[9][10]. Among them, single subject integration, also known as “intra-disciplinary integration,” focuses on the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills within a single subject, helping to optimize students’ subject knowledge structure. Multidisciplinary integration, also known as “interdisciplinary integration,” emphasizes solving problems from different disciplinary perspectives while maintaining the independence of each subject without interaction; for example, in history teaching, knowledge from arts, literature, science, and geography may be integrated, but without involving the fusion of disciplinary thoughts. Interdisciplinary integration focuses on using one subject to teach the content of another, achieving horizontal integration; for example, discussing the principles of physics in music class. Cross-disciplinary integration emphasizes the fusion of different subject knowledge under the same theme or problem to generate new theories and methods to solve complex problems. Although each subject essentially remains independent, their organic connections facilitate the fusion of knowledge, helping students construct a complete cognitive structure. Transdisciplinary integration emphasizes the seamless fusion of different subject knowledge and skills in solving real-world problems, establishing connections between students and the real world through thematic forms, achieving full integration between subjects.

1.2 Conceptual Connotations of Integrated STEM Education

The concept of integrated STEM education gained widespread popularity after the National Academy of Sciences in the United States published the report “Successful K-12 STEM Education” in 2011^[11]. After more than a decade of development, the concept of integrated STEM education has gradually evolved into two understandings: broad and narrow. Broadly, it refers to integrating at least two subjects from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into the teaching process or integrating one subject from STEM with other subjects; narrowly, it refers to integrating mathematical laws and scientific inquiry into technical design and engineering practice^[12]. Currently, integrated STEM education not only includes the integration of technical design, engineering practice, mathematical laws, and scientific inquiry but has also expanded to STEAM education, encompassing arts, humanities, and social sciences, breaking down disciplinary barriers and placing different subject knowledge under the same theme to create a cross-disciplinary problem-solving space for students, thereby enhancing their ability to apply knowledge to solve complex problems.

1.3 Conceptual Connotations of Interdisciplinary Thematic Learning

Although the new curriculum plan does not provide a clear definition of “interdisciplinary thematic learning,” its connotation is clear through the interpretations of relevant scholars, namely, conducting project-based and comprehensive practical activities around specific themes or problems by integrating knowledge and skills from two or more subjects to cultivate students’ core competencies^{[13][14][15][16][17]}. Meanwhile, when defining this concept, which is part of an independent knowledge system in education with Chinese characteristics, scholars emphasize the design of learning activities guided by the cultivation of students’ core competencies, using problems or themes as carriers, and integrating at least one content from other subjects into the main subject. However, there is still controversy regarding the positioning of “interdisciplinary” in interdisciplinary thematic learning: some scholars believe its connotation aligns with the “cross-disciplinary” type among the five types of curriculum integration, which is a narrow understanding, while others prefer a broad understanding, which is similar to the connotation of “curriculum integration”^{[18][19][20][21]}. Overall, the core of interdisciplinary thematic learning’s “interdisciplinary” should focus on theme-oriented meaning construction and problem-solving, transcending mere subject crossing and touching upon the essence of education.

By analyzing the concepts of integrated STEM education and interdisciplinary thematic learning, it is not difficult to find that both share similarities: first, both are committed to cultivating students’ core competencies; second, both emphasize designing learning activities or tasks around complex real-world problems. Additionally, integrated STEM education emphasizes the fusion of content from at least two subjects to solve practical problems, which aligns with the idea of integrating different subject content into the same theme in interdisciplinary thematic learning. The difference lies in that interdisciplinary thematic learning is typically conducted by a subject based on teaching needs, integrating content from other subjects in the form of unit course modules, while integrated STEM education is more of an independent new curriculum. Thus, it can be seen that integrated STEM education and interdisciplinary thematic learning have a high degree of consistency in learning objectives, learning activity design, and subject integration, both emphasizing solving real-world problems by integrating knowledge and methods from different subjects to cultivate students’ core competencies. Therefore, summarizing and inducting the latest research outcomes on integrated STEM education internationally to provide references for conducting interdisciplinary thematic learning in China is not only necessary but also feasible. In this regard, this study adopts a systematic literature review method to clarify the general ideas and practices of integrated STEM education in curriculum design, teaching implementation, and learning evaluation from the perspective of “teaching methods,” thus proposing practical paths for primary and secondary schools in China to implement interdisciplinary thematic learning.

2.1 Research Methods

Systematic literature review, as a research method, can integrate original research outcomes on specific research questions or themes, excavating their value and accumulating scientific knowledge. This method includes determining research questions, establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature retrieval and screening, and literature coding, featuring strong operability and repeatability.

2.2 Literature Retrieval and Screening

This study selects the Web of Science core collection as the data source, conducting a large-scale combined retrieval using STEM as the keyword, with the search expression: TI=((“STEM” OR “STEAM” OR “iSTEM” OR “STEM integration” OR “integrated STEM” OR “integrative STEM” OR “interdisciplinary STEM”) NOT (“CELL” OR “health” OR “story stems”)). Additionally, since the concept of integrated STEM education was officially proposed in 2011, the focus is on journal articles included in SSCI after 2011^[22]. Ultimately, a total of 1417 relevant articles were retrieved in this study.

The inclusion criteria for the literature in this study are: ① The research topic focuses on integrated STEM education; ② The research subjects are limited to primary and secondary school students and preschool children; ③ Empirical research is required. Five researchers jointly participated in the literature screening process, initially excluding 1223 articles that did not meet the requirements by browsing titles and abstracts; subsequently, an additional 90 articles were excluded after reading the full text. After screening, a total of 104 articles were included in this study for analysis.

2.3 Literature Coding

This study extracts content from the included literature regarding curriculum design, teaching implementation, and learning outcomes across three dimensions. Specifically, the curriculum design dimension covers teaching personnel configuration, curriculum organization forms, and thematic design; the teaching implementation dimension includes learning modes, implementation time, and learning scenarios; the learning outcomes dimension focuses on the content of learning outcomes and their evaluation methods. To ensure the accuracy of the analysis, four researchers independently read the full text and conducted coding, followed by another researcher reviewing the coding results. In cases of inconsistencies in coding, the research team reached a consensus through discussion.

3.1 Basic Information

The articles included in this study are mainly published in 34 journals, such as the International Journal of Technology and Design Education, Journal of Science Education and Technology, and International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. Among them, the first authors are primarily from the United States (33 articles) and China (26 articles), accounting for 56% of the included literature. It is worth noting that the research by Christensen et al.^[23] includes two sub-studies, so the actual number of studies included is 105. The students targeted in the research are mainly distributed across primary schools (34 articles), junior high schools (30 articles), and senior high schools (22 articles), with 19 studies involving students across different educational stages. More than half of the studies integrated four to five subjects (57 articles), while nearly one-third of the studies (28 articles) integrated two to three subjects, with the combination of science and engineering subjects being particularly common. Additionally, nearly one-third of the studies (26 articles) incorporated humanities subjects such as arts, social sciences, and languages.

3.2 Focusing on Cultivating Higher-Order Thinking and Developing Emotional Attitudes and Values as Curriculum Goals

Integrated STEM education possesses interdisciplinary, practice-oriented, and innovation-driven characteristics, which are conducive to cultivating students’ higher-order thinking abilities, such as critical thinking, problem-solving skills, design thinking, and computational thinking. For example, the research by Mater et al.^[24] shows that compared to traditional teaching, integrated STEM courses incorporate real-life problem scenarios into teaching, helping students apply existing knowledge and concepts to construct solutions, thereby cultivating their critical thinking. Juškevičienė et al.^[25] found that after completing challenging immersive tasks such as component assembly and sensor control in Arduino-based physical programming courses, middle school students’ computational thinking test scores significantly improved. It is evident that through interdisciplinary integration, STEM education encourages students to actively explore and practice while cultivating their analysis, synthesis, and innovation abilities when facing complex interdisciplinary problems, helping them develop systematic thinking skills and enhancing their lifelong learning abilities and key skills to adapt to future societal needs, thus promoting the comprehensive development of core competencies.

Integrated STEM education not only helps cultivate students’ interest in course learning, professional identity, and career inclination but also promotes the formation of values such as social responsibility and sustainable development perspectives. For example, Musavi et al.^[26] found that after participating in a summer project exploring local water quality, students’ interest in pursuing STEM-related careers increased. Lin et al.^[27] analyzed the positive changes in middle school students’ attitudes toward technology subjects before and after participating in STEM learning activities centered on creating egg protection devices. The research by Başaran et al.^[28] found that after participating in environment-focused STEM education courses, elementary students’ awareness of environmental protection increased. It is evident that by focusing on students’ emotional attitudes and values, integrated STEM education helps enhance students’ willingness to learn STEM courses or majors and to engage in STEM-related careers in the future.

3.3 Conducting Curriculum Design Mainly through Multidisciplinary Collaborative Teaching

The design of integrated STEM courses mainly relies on a multidisciplinary collaborative teaching model. These teams typically consist of teachers from different subject backgrounds, subject experts, researchers, and relevant department staff who collaboratively engage in design and teaching. In the teaching team, STEM subject teachers or subject teachers play a major role, especially science teachers. In the research by English et al.^[29], a team composed of subject teachers, engineering graduate students, and transportation department staff jointly developed a course on building earthquake-resistant structures, where subject teachers were responsible for course design and implementation, while transportation department staff provided teaching support. Team members from different backgrounds share knowledge, teaching methods, and subject resources, collaboratively designing and constructing challenging course themes and tasks, providing solid professional support and teaching assurance for implementing integrated STEM courses, thus promoting the in-depth development of integrated STEM education.

3.4 Selecting Social Issues Related to Real Situations as Course Themes

The themes of integrated STEM courses mainly focus on social science issues such as environmental pollution, energy conservation and protection, animal protection, and social cultural issues such as the inheritance of traditional handicrafts. For example, Anwar et al.^[30] designed a course unit addressing local river ecosystem pollution, aiming to guide students in designing wastewater filters. Chittum et al.^[31] focused on advocating for energy conservation and animal protection, guiding students to use knowledge from chemistry, mathematics, and engineering to build environmentally friendly and heat-resistant homes for penguins. Lu et al.^[32] designed a course unit promoting traditional culture, integrating engineering technology and artistic creation, guiding students to design and produce interactive miniature paper lanterns. These integrated STEM courses focused on real-world situations, by exploring social issues closely related to students’ daily lives and practical experiences, not only help stimulate students’ learning interests and motivations but also contribute to cultivating their interdisciplinary thinking and problem-solving abilities.

3.5 Adopting Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning as Course Implementation Models

Integrated STEM education primarily unfolds through project-based learning and problem-based learning, both emphasizing stimulating students’ subject awareness through actual output and problem-solving. Additionally, inquiry-based learning, engineering design, and design-based learning are also commonly used teaching models, encouraging students to deepen their understanding of STEM concepts through practice, exploration, and innovation. For example, Lu et al.^[33] employed a project-based learning model, requiring students to work in groups to create paper-cutting art and connect circuits using micro:bit. Moreno et al.^[34] conducted a series of tasks in the “Think Like an Astronaut” series through a problem-based learning model, allowing students to evaluate and solve real problems while simulating the role of aerospace engineers. Toma et al.^[35] employed an inquiry-based learning model, guiding students to simulate the activities of ancient Egyptians moving stones to build pyramids using LEGO equipment, sparking students’ curiosity and exploratory desire. Zheng et al.^[36] required students to use simulation software Energy3D to design green buildings and utilize quantitative analysis tools to evaluate the energy performance of the buildings through an engineering design model. Won et al.^[37] adopted a design-based learning model, guiding students to use knowledge from circuits, capacitors, and computer-aided design to design and build a village power grid in both computer simulation and physical space. The combination of these teaching models and learning strategies not only helps students master STEM knowledge but also stimulates students’ subject awareness effectively through hands-on practice, group learning, and collaborative learning, laying a foundation for their comprehensive development.

3.6 Extending Learning Time and Space through Flexible and Open Extracurricular Activities and Venues

The implementation venues for integrated STEM education are mostly flexible learning spaces, such as dedicated STEM learning spaces, museums, and science and technology museums. For example, in the research by Evans et al.^[38], the venue for implementing STEM courses was a specially designed learning space, which not only was spacious compared to traditional classrooms but also allowed flexible arrangement of tables, chairs, and projection equipment, providing students with a free and open learning environment. Additionally, the series of STEM teaching activities designed by Başaran et al.^[39] aimed at enhancing elementary students’ environmental awareness included not only classrooms and school gardens but also extended to museums, forests, parks, and other extracurricular venues. Moreover, many STEM education activities are conducted in after-school activities, summer camps, and summer schools; for instance, the activity designed by Musavi et al.^[40] for testing local river water quality was arranged in a summer school, where teachers and students cooperatively conducted a series of STEM activities including water testing, sample analysis, and pollution discussions within a week. It can be seen that the extension of learning time and space creates more flexible learning patterns for students while providing support for the design and implementation of high-quality learning activities.

3.7 Using Performance Evaluation as a Course Evaluation Method

Integrated STEM education adopts performance evaluation as a course evaluation method, focusing on both students’ process participation and performance during project implementation and evaluating learning outcomes such as handmade products and project solutions after project completion. For example, King et al.^[41] assessed elementary students’ ability to apply STEM concepts by evaluating their process of creating optical instruments in engineering design courses. Integrated STEM education not only examines students’ mastery of knowledge but also places importance on their performance in practical operations. Furthermore, integrated STEM education comprehensively assesses students’ knowledge mastery and application ability by observing and analyzing students’ operational processes and project presentations. This evaluation method helps promote students’ comprehensive development and enhances their overall literacy in the STEM field, better preparing them for future challenges.

Based on the research results and drawing on the typical experiences of integrated STEM education in design, implementation, and evaluation, this study attempts to provide reference suggestions and opinions for primary and secondary schools in China to design and implement interdisciplinary thematic learning activities, integrate and develop interdisciplinary learning resources, reconstruct and innovate learning content, and evaluate and improve learning.

4.1 Designing Interdisciplinary Thematic Learning Activities

(1) Forming a research team centered on multidisciplinary teachers to build a community for interdisciplinary teacher development

Due to limitations in knowledge reserves, teaching duration, and other factors, it is quite challenging for single-subject teachers to design and implement interdisciplinary thematic learning. Therefore, considering the current situation in China, building a research team centered on multidisciplinary teachers is a viable strategy for conducting interdisciplinary thematic learning. Specifically, a research team can be formed to unite researchers from universities, school management departments, and relevant personnel from enterprises and institutions to jointly design, implement, and evaluate interdisciplinary thematic learning activities. Among them, researchers can provide systematic and scientific learning content, offering intellectual support for teachers to standardize their teaching research on related themes; staff from school management departments can provide planning and support for the organization of activities; and relevant personnel from enterprises and institutions can provide technical support for creating real teaching scenarios, environmental setups, and equipment configurations. This collaborative approach in the form of a community can provide strong teacher support for high-quality interdisciplinary thematic learning activities in primary and secondary schools in China.

(2) Exploring social and cultural issues to develop unit-based overall teaching designs based on “big concepts”

The selection of themes is crucial for conducting high-quality interdisciplinary thematic learning activities. The selected themes should not only stimulate students’ interest in learning but also relate to curriculum standards to meet the needs for developing students’ core competencies and practical skills; at the same time, the sustainability of the themes should be considered, as good themes can resonate with the demands of the times and provide meaningful learning experiences for students over an extended period. Therefore, during the teaching design phase, teachers should be encouraged to focus on social and cultural issues related to students’ daily lives and practical experiences, emphasizing the integration of excellent traditional Chinese culture and advanced socialist culture, while also advocating the exploration of social science issues such as climate, history, social change, and technological evolution. Moreover, the selection of themes provides the basic context for interdisciplinary thematic learning activities, while the appropriate selection of “big concepts” lays a solid foundation for activity design, as relevant and transferable “big concepts” can help students deeply analyze and utilize the disciplinary knowledge and skills behind social issues, promoting their disciplinary thinking and core competency development. Therefore, developing unit-based overall teaching designs based on “big concepts” guided by social and cultural issues should also be regarded as an important strategy in designing interdisciplinary thematic learning activities.

4.2 Implementing Interdisciplinary Thematic Learning

(1) Implementing project-based learning oriented towards real problem-solving

Artificially constructed subject connections, superficial platter-style learning content design, and scattered learning processes are the main reasons for the unsatisfactory effects of implementing interdisciplinary thematic learning activities. Therefore, project-based learning characterized by real problem orientation, multidisciplinary integration, and learning outcome-driven approaches should be conducted, as real problems possess complexity and clear objectives, avoiding the simple linking of subject knowledge points. Moreover, the tight integration of different subjects through problems and project outcomes can help students gain new, deeper, and more integrated understandings of knowledge. More importantly, implementing project-based learning oriented towards real problem-solving can genuinely stimulate students’ intrinsic motivation to learn, guiding them to actively construct knowledge systems during the inquiry process and promoting the development of critical thinking and innovative abilities in solving practical problems, thus achieving deep understanding and application of knowledge.

(2) Constructing a cross-disciplinary thematic learning space that integrates multiple scenarios

The complex learning themes derived from real situations require rich and diverse learning environments as support, while the closed and singular layout of traditional classrooms is inadequate to meet students’ needs for in-depth understanding and practical application of these themes. Therefore, the learning space for interdisciplinary thematic learning urgently needs transformation, adopting more open and flexible spatial layouts and incorporating seamless connectivity technologies, movable desks and chairs, interactive whiteboards, and other tools to support students’ immersive exploration and collaboration. Additionally, with the iteration of digital technology, experiential and immersive learning activities can bridge the gap between knowledge teaching and real practice, promoting the development of creative thinking. Furthermore, virtual technologies provide a safe experimental environment that allows students to concretize abstract concepts, greatly enriching their learning experiences.

(3) Flexibly utilizing after-school service time to implement interdisciplinary thematic learning

Interdisciplinary thematic learning activities span long periods, and class arrangements are flexible; however, under the restrictions of basic class hours and fixed course structures, formal classrooms often struggle to provide sufficient time for students to engage in in-depth practical exploration and knowledge transformation. After the implementation of the “double reduction” policy, after-school services launched by primary and secondary schools in China offer opportunities for students to expand their subject literacy and promote personalized development. However, current after-school services primarily focus on homework tutoring and interest cultivation, lacking systematic connections with formal courses. Therefore, integrating interdisciplinary thematic learning into after-school services can not only enrich the content of after-school services, promoting their diversification and systematization, but also stimulate students’ learning interests and enhance their interdisciplinary learning literacy.

4.3 Evaluating Interdisciplinary Thematic Learning

(1) Advocating evidence-based process evaluation

Interdisciplinary thematic learning not only helps improve students’ knowledge systems but, more importantly, promotes the development of students’ internal thinking and potential abilities. However, traditional “one-size-fits-all” evaluation methods struggle to comprehensively capture students’ thinking, abilities, and potential, necessitating a developmental evaluation approach to measure students’ growth over a certain time-space sequence. Additionally, the deep application of technology encourages teachers to shift from experience-based teaching decisions to “evidence-based” models. Therefore, interdisciplinary thematic learning should adopt evidence-based process evaluation, focusing on students’ classroom performance, interim outcomes, and internal cognitive changes. Such evidence can be obtained through various means, including teacher observations, student electronic portfolios, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews, and collected through multiple channels such as self-assessments, peer assessments, teacher evaluations, and platform automatic collections. Evidence-based process evaluation not only enhances the objectivity and authenticity of the evaluation but also provides support for the precision and personalization of interdisciplinary thematic learning, ensuring the smooth progress of learning activities.

(2) Strengthening the evaluation of emotional dimensions

In interdisciplinary thematic learning, students’ emotional experiences serve as the “catalyst” and “engine” for learning outcomes. Incorporating learning emotions into the evaluation system helps teachers comprehensively assess students’ development and provides targeted support information for optimizing teaching design. Therefore, teachers should be guided by educational goals and comprehensive literacy, formulating evaluation indicators based on interdisciplinary themes and students’ situations; the evaluation content should encompass students’ interest and feelings towards the theme, their attitudes and values towards social issues, collaboration and communication abilities, and career choices or employment intentions. Meanwhile, teachers should continuously monitor students’ emotional changes across different learning stages, segments, and contexts, providing timely evaluations and guidance to enhance their self-awareness and stimulate their learning motivation, thus implementing core competency cultivation.

Social change and educational development require contemporary students to possess stronger problem-solving abilities, innovative thinking capabilities, and collaborative skills. Interdisciplinary thematic learning, with its characteristics of authenticity, inquiry, and practicality, provides an effective avenue for cultivating these abilities. Therefore, systematically reviewing the literature on international integrated STEM education and drawing on high-quality teaching experiences from abroad is of great significance for expanding the design, implementation, and evaluation of interdisciplinary thematic learning in primary and secondary schools in China. However, applying interdisciplinary thematic learning in frontline teaching is not an easy task, as determining competency-oriented teaching objectives, designing feasible learning activities, and breaking through traditional teaching concepts are all key to optimizing the practical paths of interdisciplinary thematic courses in the future. This not only expands the space for conducting interdisciplinary thematic learning activities but is also the core goal of exploring and refining implementation models and strategies.