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Abstract
This paper explores the current Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education research base through an analysis of articles from eight journals focused on the STEM disciplines. Analyzed are both practitioner and research publications to determine the current scope of STEM education research, where current STEM education research is conducted and who is involved in current STEM education research. Articles from eight journals were selected based on the original authors' discussion of STEM education in the articles. The findings in this article summarize the frequency of different research methods in STEM education, the outcomes of STEM education research, the participants in STEM education research, and the universities affiliated with STEM education research.
Introduction
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education research is a field of wide variety and unclear parameters. The disparity of what STEM education is can be seen in the many different definitions of STEM education. Sanders (2009) suggests, "STEM education includes approaches that explore teaching and learning among any two or more of the STEM subject areas, and/ or between a STEM subject and one or more other school subjects" (p. 21).
The United States Department of Education (2007) provides a more programmatic definition of STEM education, "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education programs are defined as those primarily intended to provide support for, or to strengthen, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) education at the elementary and secondary through postgraduate levels, including adult education" (p. 11). In contrast to the previous definitions of STEM Education, Merrill (2009) suggests STEM education is,
A standards-based, meta-discipline residing at the school level where all teachers, especially science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers, teach an integrated approach to teaching and learning, where discipline specific content is not divided, but addressed and treated as one dynamic, fluid study.
The previous definitions contain one similarity - the specific criteria for collaboration between Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Math. Zollman (2012) suggests we move beyond defining STEM education and focus more on defining STEM Literacy as a dynamic process that changes over time, not as a set construct. The overall goal should be to move from learning for STEM literacy to the ability to use STEM literacy for continued learning ( pp. 18).
While the...