STEM Education: Curriculum and Pedagogy

New realities of the twenty-first century demand individuals with different competencies than those considered appropriate for success in the past. Enhancing scientific literacy and preparing students with global workforce skills to ensure successful careers in STEM fields will require new approaches to teaching STEM topics in K-12 classrooms, given that STEM education is an important aspect in K-12 teaching and learning. Therefore, curriculum should aim to engage best practices for incorporating integrative STEM education across science, technology, and mathematics subjects at the K-12 levels. Identifying effective strategies to ensure continuity and supports necessary for successful transition from elementary to specialized high school STEM courses and subsequent post-secondary pathways is warranted. Educators need to consider how to develop applied and transferable STEM skills such as creativity, innovativeness, opportunity identification, cultural awareness, collaboration, and problem solving. Challenging students to solve real world problems using approaches such as project-based learning, case studies, inquiry, engineering design, integrating digital technologies to extend learning, computational thinking, science and language instruction, and culturally relevant pedagogies have potential to enhance learning and academic achievement of all students in STEM education. Curriculum reform must be accompanied by sustained and effective professional development for teachers focusing on integrative STEM education in order to prepare students for success in STEM.