The literature on interdisciplinary teaching has tended to stress undergraduate teaching. As interdisciplinary graduate teaching becomes increasingly common, we need to reflect on what graduate students need to know. This article discusses key ideas that all interdisciplinary graduate programs should communicate. In particular, we need to teach…

Engineering design-based STEM integration is one potential model to help students integrate content and practices from all of the STEM disciplines. In this study, we explored the intersection of two aspects of pre-college STEM education: the integration of the STEM disciplines, and the NGSS practice of engaging in argument from evidence within…

As much research has demonstrated, novel scientific concepts do not arise fully formed in the head of a scientist but are created in problem-solving processes, which can extend for considerable periods and even span generations of scientists. To understand concept formation and conceptual change it is important to investigate these processes in…

Imagine two fourth-grade classes. Both contain students of comparable demographics and highly respected teachers each with four to five years of experience. Both classes engage in science curricula that emphasize science and engineering practices as outlined in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013). Both classes…

In this article, the authors explore the corpus of literature on creative thinking and applied creativity in higher education to help composition teacher-scholars and writing center practitioners improve the application of creativity in written, visual, and multimodal composing practices. From studies of creative thinking investigated across…

Despite generally higher academic achievement, female students display lower academic self-confidence than males. Of particular interest to engineering educators is the difference in confidence in mathematical, scientific and problem-solving skills. Using a multi-method approach that utilizes the rich dataset of the Academic Pathways Study, the…

Visualization is becoming more prevalent as an application in science, engineering, and technology related professions. The analysis of static and dynamic graphical visualization provides data solutions and understandings that go beyond traditional forms of communication. The study of technology-based content and the application of conceptual…

This report describes how to improve the effectiveness of the federal role in international Science and Engineering (S&E) based on relevant policy documents and reports and a wide range of different perspectives. The contents of the book are divided into four chapters. Chapter 1, "Introduction," includes "Process for Developing…

The integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content (STEM) has become a mainstream topic within educational systems. This paper discusses the technology integration model for education and the factors to be considered when taking into account technology education as a focal point of integrated curricula. These factors are:…

Back-of-the-envelope problems call for approximate calculations of quantities that can be related to information in a person's knowledge but are not solved precisely. These problems provide an opportunity for the study of processes and the role of general knowledge in ill-defined problem solving. Subjects with advanced and intermediate knowledge…

This instructional module examines a key function of science and technology: problem solving. It studies the meaning of problem solving, looks at techniques for problem solving, examines case studies that exemplify the problem-solving approach, presents problems for the reader to solve, and provides a student self-quiz. (Author/CT)

Using technology can empower students, but most U.S. schools fall short of this goal. The power of technology as related to other school subjects and problem solving is well documented in projects promoting integration of technology education with mathematics and science. National Science Education Standards are summarized. (26 references) (MLH)

A one day course was developed to train and inform working scientists and engineers in the most direct and efficient means of seeking and acquiring scientific and technical information related to their day-to-day professional activities. The course was given three times to groups of forty Federally-employed scientists and engineers in the middle…

Throughout history, people have moved themselves and cargo across water in boats and other types of vessels. Most vessels are developed using a technological design process, which typically involves problem solving and a series of steps. The designer documents each step to provide an accurate record of accomplishments and information to guide…

Programs that illustrate the ways in which colleges and universities are helping students understand technological methods and issues are described. Some of the programs approach technological literacy from a humanities vantage point that integrates technology into the coursework, while others employ a strict technological approach that touches…