Best Practices in STEM Education

The goal of is to improve the state of STEM education, not only in the United States, but internationally as well: good education anywhere is good for education everywhere.

Tim Spuck is the STEM Education Development Officer at Associated Universities Inc. Major awards include the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Educator Achievement Award, Pennsylvania Christa McAuliffe Fellowship, and the Tandy Technology Scholars Award. Tim earned his M.Ed. in Science Education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and his Ed.D. Curriculum & Instruction from West Virginia University. Leigh Jenkins is currently a doctoral candidate in Administrative Leadership at Shenandoah University in northwestern Virginia. Leigh taught biology and environmental science for 18 years in West Virginia. She holds a M.A. in Sociology and an M.A. in Science Curriculum and Instruction. Leigh was awarded the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, Japan Fulbright Memorial Teachers Fund Scholarship, and was the 2016 West Virginia Conservation Teacher of the Year. Terrie Rust is an ITEEA Distinguished Technology Educator. She has contributed globally on STEM education projects, most notably while working in India. Terrie holds M.A. and M.Ed. degrees in education fields, and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Organizational Leadership. Terrie received numerous awards for her teaching programs from ITEEA and ACTEaz. She is currently serving as a STEM consultant in the DC area. Remy Dou is a clinical assistant professor at Florida International University working on undergraduate and out-of-school STEM education research. Previously, he served at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and at the National Science Foundation as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow. He is also a Worlds Ahead Graduate at Florida International University, received the Jhumki Basu Scholar Award from the National Association for Research in Science Teaching.

“This STEM publication with chapters prepared by young theoreticians and practitioners of STEM pedagogical knowledge is a seminal work. The diversity of topics for the effective involvement of all youth in the structure of science makes this publication a necessary resource in all schools. This is a very significant contribution to STEM education.”—H. Prentice Baptiste, Regents and Distinguished Professor, New Mexico State University; President, National Association for Multicultural Education

“Broad implementation of these best practices has the potential to improve STEM education both here in the United States and across the globe.”—U.S. Congressman Mike Honda

“This STEM publication with chapters prepared by young theoreticians and practitioners of STEM pedagogical knowledge is a seminal work. The diversity of topics for the effective involvement of all youth in the structure of science makes this publication a necessary resource in all schools. This is a very significant contribution to STEM education.”—H. Prentice Baptiste, Regents and Distinguished Professor, New Mexico State University; President, National Association for Multicultural Education

“STEM teachers, this book is for you. You’ll catch glimpses of your future self in these stories. They’re not about rocket science—they’re about deep commitment to students’ thinking and learning.”—Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz, Senior Fellow, American Modeling Teachers Association

“Save yourself some time and buy two copies right away; you’ll surely want to give one of your copies to a colleague.”—Stephen Pompea, National Optical Astronomy Observatory

“This book is STEM for the 21st century!”—Sarah Young, Utah State Office of Education

“This book could not come at a more critical time, considering our country’s dire STEM workforce needs.”—Cindy L. Hasselbring, Maryland State Department of Education

“STEM teachers, this book is for you. You’ll catch glimpses of your future self in these stories. They’re not about rocket science—they’re about deep commitment to students’ thinking and learning.”—Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz, Senior Fellow, American Modeling Teachers Association

“Provides concrete examples to bring STEM alive in the classroom.”—Ioannis Miaoulis, Museum of Science, Boston

“A useful guide to educators who seek STEM clarity in the form of practices that can be readily adopted in their own classrooms or informal learning settings.”—Tom Peters, South Carolina Coalition for Mathematics and Science

“Highly recommended for any educator seeking proven practices from some of our nation’s best STEM educators.”—DaNel Hogan, STEM Coordinator, Office of Pima County School Superintendent