In the current study, an engineering design-based STEM activity was designed and implemented for 5th graders. The current activity is expected to provide guidance and perspective to teachers (practitioners) in designing and implementing an activity based on design-based learning, STEM activity, and engineering design process (EDP). At the same…

The goal of this qualitative study was to examine how non-STEM teachers worked to find their place in a K-12 school district implementing a district-wide STEM initiative. Teachers of individual STEM disciplines have been found to struggle with curricular integration, a key focus of many STEM initiatives. A yet unexplored question around STEM…

Recently there has been a call among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for the integration of science and engineering education in K-12 curricula. Similarly, computational thinking (CT) has been recognized as a framework for developing computer literacy and computing skills among the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics…

In this paper, we address the societally important issue of developing a more equitable approach to preK-12 engineering education. Our primary emphasis is on K-8 grades--a time when first impressions of engineering may be developed. Calls for increased participation by all students, including those who have been historically marginalized, motivate…

Three central Virginia school districts and engineering education researchers at the University of Virginia were awarded an Investing in Innovation development grant to design, implement, test, and nationally disseminate a project-based engineering curriculum for middle school students. Referred to as invention kits, the curriculum is developed to…

Given the current emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and its key attributes, middle school is an optimal time to implement STEM-based curricula. However, the interdisciplinary and open-ended nature of STEM projects often makes implementation difficult. In this article, we describe a professional development…

Science education in the US entered a period of reform in 2011 with the development and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS have subsequently been adopted in 18 states. School districts within these states are in the process of adjusting science curricula to align with the academic expectations described by the…