STEM Integration in K-12 Education : Status, Prospects, and an Agenda for Research

STEM Integration in K-12 Education examines current efforts to connect the STEM disciplines in K-12 education.

This report identifies and characterizes existing approaches to integrated STEM education, both in formal and after- and out-of-school settings.

The report reviews the evidence for the impact of integrated approaches on various student outcomes, and it proposes a set of priority research questions to advance the understanding of integrated STEM education.

STEM Integration in K-12 Education proposes a framework to provide a common perspective and vocabulary for researchers, practitioners, and others to identify, discuss, and investigate specific integrated STEM initiatives within the K-12 education system of the United States. STEM Integration in K-12 Education makes recommendations for designers of integrated STEM experiences, assessment developers, and researchers to design and document effective integrated STEM education.

This report will help to further their work and improve the chances that some forms of integrated STEM education will make a positive difference in student learning and interest and other valued outcomes. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 A Descriptive Framework for Integrated STEM Education3 Integrated STEM Education Experiences: Reviewing the Research4 Implications of the Research for Designing Integrated STEMExperiences5 Context for Implementing Integrated STEM6 Findings, Recommendations, and Research AgendaAppendix: Biographies of Committee Members