The New Edition of STEM by Design Emphasizes Real-World Problems

Exciting news! The second edition of STEM by Design was published December 16, 2024 and is now available for order! Look for the complete 2nd Edition update of this website no later than January 2, 2025.

This revised and expanded edition homes in specifically on details to help you design quality integrated STEM projects to help your students become the creative thinkers, innovators, and collaborators our communities need for life in our rapidly changing world.

I’ve fully revamped, updated, and packed this edition with tools and strategies to help you develop and lead exciting, innovative STEM projects and lessons. I think you’ll agree that this second edition has a new “feel” – with an emphasis on content that helps you build strong state-of-the-art STEM projects and programs.

The new edition, titled STEM by Design: Tools and Strategies to Help Students in Grades 4-8 Solve Real World Problems, features entire chapters focused on each of these essential STEM topics:

• STEM Project Design: This edition contains an expanded chapter detailing the basics for designing (or adapting), field testing, and evaluating your own STEM projects using acknowledged STEM criteria.
• Student Teaming: You’ll get more insight into building students’ skills in collaborating and working in teams agreeably and productively. Successful teaming is at the core of STEM lessons.
• Project Based Learning: Even if you know about and use project-based learning (PBL), you need to understand the why and how of adapting PBL for STEM projects. STEM PBL and general PBL have a few noteworthy differences.
• The Engineering Design Process: The engineering design process (EDP) forms the foundation and centerpiece of every STEM project and students should keep it in the forefront of their thinking as they design solutions. This specialized design process also establishes a basis for problem-solving in the workplace, other careers, and daily life.
• Life and Leadership Skills: This chapter gives you guidance for introducing important life and leadership skills, and leading students to practice these regularly during STEM projects. Business and industry will give you kudos for this!
• Student Diversity: Including underrepresented persons of different ethnicities, status, and special needs commands growing attention in today’s workforce. Your STEM classroom can build a bridge for these students to effectively work with others to solve problems.
• Student Preparation: This chapter offers think-abouts for getting students ready for STEM work before you start a specific STEM project. You’ll find reminders and tips for setting the stage and making sure students have the skills and knowledge they need to successfully complete the work.
• Authentic Use of Digital Technology: Technology is rapidly evolving and STEM teachers, in particular, must stay abreast of innovations and prepare students for a future driven by these advancements. This chapter addresses some current developments (like AI) and ways to integrate digital technology so that it helps students actually solve STEM challenges. It also gives you information for preparing your students to use digital technology safely.

In addition to the in-depth focus on each of these topics, the book includes an updated and more detailed look at STEM education and its purpose. It differentiates between truly integrated STEM programs and other programs that attempt to fly under the banner of STEM.

Student self-assessment is also addressed more thoroughly, with ways to assure that students are involved in assessing and adjusting their own progress throughout a project. And in the chapter dealing with assessment, you’ll get additional tools for evaluating students’ understanding of STEM concepts and procedures, their problem-solving skills, and their level of project engagement.

As I mentioned, I’ve included plenty of design tools, activities, and assessments to help you energize your STEM lessons. These tools, along with other teacher resources, will be available as free downloads here at the book website (which will soon have a new look). You’ll be free to edit what you download to fit your own students and situations!

Here’s hoping that you find this second edition of STEM By Design valuable and user-friendly as you climb aboard and continue your STEM journey. You and your STEM colleagues make a difference for our students, and STEM students make a difference for our lives, communities, and nation. I want this book to make a difference for you!