All STEM resources

Journal Article

Constructive student roles for authentic collaboration in engineering design challenges

Student roles can promote collaboration and individual accountability in groups during engineering design challenges. However, student disengagement may occur if students do not perceive value in their roles. We introduce four distinct roles—qualit...

By Andrew Kipp and Gustavo Perez

High School Engineering Science and Engineering Practices STEM

Journal Article

Transporting Martian Samples: Using Engineering Design to Assess Thermal Energy Transfer, Forces, and Nature of Engineering

Engineering activities often emphasize the practices of engineers, but can sometimes feel disconnected from content. This engineering design activity ties together multiple Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and explicitly addresses the nature ...

By Isaiah J. Kent-Schneider, Bridgid Miller, Emma Marie, Jayme Scheck, Jerrid Kruse, and Dan Chibnall

Engineering Physical Science Physics STEM

Journal Article

Data analysis using open data and software reveal environment-mediated microbial heterogeneity in soil and sediment samples, while enhancing STEM research experience at an undergraduate institution

Undergraduate institutions serve as stepping stones to a student’s career. Teaching and learning in the science classrooms requires quality and integrated teaching-research learning experiences that prepare students to advance their careers. Using ...

By Aditi Sengupta, Nallely Delara, Joyce Barahona, and Justin Garcia

Postsecondary Earth & Space Science Research STEM

Journal Article

A Residential Learning Community for Enhancing STEM Education: Program Design and Lessons Learned

There continues to be a concern regarding sustained recruitment and retention of students in STEM majors. Although the rate of attrition in these majors is comparable to other majors (Chen, 2013), the demand for trained scientists to enter the workfo...

By Jessica M. Fautch

Postsecondary Pedagogy Research STEM

Journal Article

Application of retesting as a learning tool in an online science course

Retrieval practice has been proved effective in conceptual science learning and retesting was applied in retrieval practice and showed significant improvement in learning outcomes (Karpicke & Blunt, 2011; Ariel et al., 2018; Lyle et al., 2020). In th...

By Qunxing Ding and Haiyan Zhu

Postsecondary Distance Learning STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

A Process for Scaling an Independent Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Lessons Learned from Expansion of the Tigriopus CURE to Diverse Institutions

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) increase student engagement in scientific practices and allow students to generate novel findings. Previous studies demonstrated that CUREs are more effective at enhancing students’ motivation...

By Ginger R. Fisher, Kevin W. Floyd, and Jeffrey T. Olimpo

Postsecondary Biology Preservice Science Education STEM

Journal Article

Program Evaluation in Formal and Informal STEM Learning Environments

Evaluation Insights is a new column about program evaluation that will help readers build their capacity as program evaluators....

Informal Education Administration Assessment STEM

Journal Article

Best Practices for STEM-Focused Mobile Instructional Spaces

Mobile instructional spaces such as retrofit buses, customized trucks or trailers, and repurposed shipping containers are innovative, unique venues for teaching and learning. STEM-focused mobile instructional spaces have emerged as vehicles for provi...

By , ,

STEM

Journal Article

A Safer “Flubber” Recipe

A material commonly known as Flubber, with properties that are excellent for teaching about glaciers, has been widely used in geosciences education. Yet, the original recipe contains borax, which has health risks that should be avoided. A new recipe ...

By , , , ,

Informal Education Earth & Space Science Life Science STEM

Journal Article

How Do You Sample a Frozen River?

Through the Sediment, Ice, & Learning on the Tanana (SILT) project, a team of university scientists engaged two middle school student groups in testing innovative environmental research technologies to measure sediment flowing underneath river ice. T...

By , , , , , , ,

Environmental Science Labs STEM

Journal Article

Changing Elementary Students’ Environmental-Based Attitudes Using an Outdoor Learning Experience: Watershed Investigations

The Learning Team at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa received funding in 2014 to create and conduct a long-term outdoor learning experience for Hillsborough County, Florida, fifth-grade students. The program was designed with four parts to optimize stu...

By , ,

Informal Education Environmental Science Life Science STEM

Journal Article

Engaging STEM Learners of All Ages: A University, Community, and K–12 Solar Eclipse Outreach Partnership

Solar eclipses are a rare phenomenon that everyone should have the opportunity to explore in depth. This article describes two programs developed by a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach center with the goal of bringing ...

By , ,

Earth & Space Science STEM