Anne L. Seifert

Integrated STEM defined: Contexts, challenges, and the future

We are in the process of transition from the digital revolution, or the information age, to the age of synthesis (Cai, 2011; Hall, 1995). We argue that teaching and learning in the age of synthesis targets new domains of expertise: evaluating and applying seemingly disparate information, accommodating the accelerated emergence of new knowledge and sophisticated technologies, preparing for transdisciplinary careers, and merging traditional disciplines to better meet the needs of citizens in the 21st century. For example, developing careers such as biomedical nanotechnology engineers require science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals who work collaboratively using information from computing, biology, medicine, chemistry, and engineering to synthesize new approaches and solutions resulting in novel and innovative products and procedures for addressing complex health-related issues (Yamaguchi, 2012). The age of synthesis is becoming the new norm to address the grand challenges we are facing in energy, transportation, clean water, and climate change. Expectations are growing for all learners to be able to synthesize vast amount of available information by filtering and applying ideas to develop new understanding and solutions. Teaching students integrated STEM is critical in preparing them for the age of synthesis. Part of the preparation is engaging students in integrated STEM learning opportunities that require them to apply and synthesize from multiple STEM disciplines. Since integrated STEM is needed to address grand challenges, there is warrant for defining the construct, particularly in contrast to nonintegrated STEM. The future of integrated STEM in society led to the focus on this special issue as we explore the teaching and learning of this emerging area of STEM education. Our introduction starts with defining integrated STEM which provided the guidelines for the reports of our special issue. We then discuss the justification and importance of context for teaching integrated STEM. As integrated STEM may be considered an educational innovation, we present two substantial challenges to the implementation. We close with some considerations for the future as we consider the possible wide spread implementation of integrated STEM curriculum and instruction. Throughout we link to the integrated STEM research articles published in the edition. Defining integrated STEM

The Best Laid Plans: Educational Innovation in Elementary Teacher Generated Integrated STEM Lesson Plans.

ABSTRACT Students need to be prepared for the 21st century by developing the literacy skills necessary for participating in the age of synthesis—an age that requires a progressive set of skills and knowledge. The authors identified nine educational innovations that are perceived to be effective for preparing students for the 21st century age of synthesis society. They coded a collection of 39 teacher-generated Grade 3–5 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lesson plans to document the extent to which the teachers included these nine educational innovations their STEM lesson planning. The authors found practices such as project-based and student-centered learning (which are common established approaches to teaching STEM) to be strongly represented in the plans, whereas practices such as family involvement and place-based learning (which have not been traditionally used in STEM instruction) were less evident in the plans. In their discussion they explore the implications for STEM teaching, and potential directions for future research.