What are STEM Practices? How to Teach Students to Think Like Scientists, Engineers, & Technologist


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEKTkvQycS4


If we dissected the concept of STEM literacy, we would find that it consists of the application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes—collectively known as STEM Practices—within the context of real-world issues.

But why use the word “practices”? Is it just academic jargon?

According to the National Research Council’s (NRC) Framework for K-12 Science Education, the distinction is intentional and vital. They use the term “practices” instead of “skills” to emphasize that scientific inquiry and engineering design require the “coordination of both knowledge and skill simultaneously” (National, p. 41).

It isn’t enough to just know the science, nor is it enough to just have the technical skill. True STEM literacy happens when these are coordinated simultaneously. This results in the specific behaviors that scientists, engineers, and other professionals engage in to “identify questions and problems in life situations.”

Therefore, we can define STEM practices as the simultaneous application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through an interdisciplinary lens. This approach allows students to solve real-world problems in a way that authentically reflects the work of actual STEM professionals.

References

National Research Council. 2012. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165.

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