Stem Embedded in the Dujiangyan Irrigation System: A Descriptive - Interpretive Analysis to Design Stem Course

A groundbreaking analysis reveals that the ancient Dujiangyan Irrigation System, constructed 2,275 years ago by Li Bing during China's Warring States period, inherently embodies STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) principles. This study, leveraging cultural-historical activity theory and content analysis, identifies key STEM components within the system—such as hydraulic principles, cobblestone construction techniques, water-level measurement, and mathematical calculations for sand discharge. By integrating these findings with UNESCO's educational pedagogy of learning from daily life, this research offers a novel framework for designing globally applicable STEM curricula rooted in cultural-historical events. The approach provides a replicable model for incorporating interdisciplinary knowledge into education, bridging historical engineering marvels with modern pedagogical strategies.

Hong, J.-C., Ye, J.-H., Ho, Y.-J., & Wang, Y.-J. (2020). STEM EMBEDDED IN THE DUJIANGYAN IRRIGATION SYSTEM: A DESCRIPTIVE - INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS TO DESIGN STEM COURSE. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 19(5), 764–779. Internet Archive. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/20.19.764