Secondary Stem Education Overview

Principles

Definition

Secondary stem education is secondary stem education is a field of academic inquiry focused on the pedagogical approaches, curriculum development, student learning outcomes, and systemic factors related to the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics specifically within secondary school contexts. This research area investigates the efficacy of instructional strategies, equity and access issues (such as gender, socioeconomic status, and underrepresentation), student engagement, and the influence of secondary STEM experiences on students' future academic and career trajectories. Its significance lies in informing effective educational practices, addressing systemic barriers, and preparing diverse student populations for future academic and professional engagement in STEM fields, thereby contributing to societal innovation and equity.

Ontological type

Equity and Access

Core Pedagogies

Curriculum Design

Key developments

Key Figures

Equity Project-Based Reform era

Joseph Krajcik [1] is a leading secondary STEM education researcher during the Equity Project-Based Reform era, with affiliations at the University of Michigan [3]. His key contributions in this era include the design and evaluation of project-based science curricula and corresponding performance assessments, as illustrated by the 2002 study Performance of students in project‐based science classrooms on a national measure of science achievement [6] and the 2004 study Achieving standards in urban systemic reform: An example of a sixth grade project‐based science curriculum [7], which together demonstrate how project-based approaches can raise achievement and advance equitable instruction in urban settings. Ronald W. Marx [2] is a prominent figure during this era, affiliated with the University of Arizona [4] and Arizona State University [5]. Marx's contributions include empirical work on project-based science classrooms, notably the 2002 study Performance of students in project‐based science classrooms on a national measure of science achievement [6], which provided policy-relevant evidence that PBL designs can promote equity and improved science achievement in diverse urban contexts.

Engineering Integration and Identity era

David Lubinski[1], associated with Vanderbilt University[3] and Iowa State University[4] in this era, helped foreground spatial ability as a curricular lever in STEM domains. His collaborative work culminating in the 2009 paper Spatial ability for STEM domains: Aligning over 50 years of cumulative psychological knowledge solidifies its importance[5], synthesizing decades of evidence to explain why spatial reasoning matters for STEM achievement and identity formation in this era. Camilla Persson Benbow[2], also connected with Vanderbilt University[3] and Iowa State University[4] in this period, contributed to understanding how talent and gender dynamics interact with STEM pathways under design-based and inquiry-focused reforms. Her role in co-authoring the 2009 paper Spatial ability for STEM domains: Aligning over 50 years of cumulative psychological knowledge solidifies its importance[5] helped shift attention to engineering identity and persistence in secondary STEM education, informing pre-college initiatives and classroom assessment aligned with postsecondary STEM pathways.

Integrated STEM Pedagogy era

Todd R. Kelley [1] has affiliations in the Integrated STEM Pedagogy era with Purdue University West Lafayette [3] and Bridge University [4]. His key contributions include the conceptual framework for integrated STEM education, A conceptual framework for integrated STEM education [5], and increasing high school teachers' self-efficacy for integrated STEM instruction through a collaborative community of practice, Increasing high school teachers self-efficacy for integrated STEM instruction through a collaborative community of practice [6], advances that were important for establishing cross-disciplinary practice and teacher professional development in this era. Greg Pearson [2] contributed to the era's STEM integration discourse through the 2014 paper STEM integration in K-12 education: status, prospects, and an agenda for research [7]. This work helped shape research agendas and policy perspectives that supported integrated STEM pedagogy and regional program evaluation in the 2014–2024 period.