Science, Technology, Arts and Math Teaching Practices

Universities and schools have been working together to encourage a diverse group of students to explore science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) across America. While the growth of women and minorities in STEM professions has been inconsistent and often sluggish, diversity programs are—slowly—doing the work they were designed to do.

Dr. Lynn Columba, associate professor of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, explored the effects on students’ mathematical development when they engage daily with the First in Math (FIM) online program.

The National Science Foundation has awarded $2.85 million to Lehigh’s College of Education and two other universities to further develop programs to enhance high school students’ geospatial skills, boost their literacy in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and to better prepare them for STEM careers.

April 22, 2020 marked the 50^th Anniversary of Earth Day, Dr. Alec Bodzin of Lehigh University’s College of Education has shared a list of his favorite environmental education resources to share with you.  Environmental education promotes environmentally literate citizenry in our society.  These resources makes connections between science, technology, economics, policy, people and the environment and addresses the interrelationships between humans and the environment. 

Despite the emphasis on national and state science standards, few students understand much about energy and our nation's resources.

As the debate about the sustainability of the American lifestyle heats up, it is increasingly important that young people understand the science behind energy resources. And yet, in a recent study of 1,043 eighth-grade students, Alec Bodzin, associate professor of teaching, learning and technology, found that many students do not understand energy acquisition, generation, storage, consumption or conservation.

Five years ago, The New York Times dissected STEM education and realized, yet again, that America was falling well short in preparing its teachers to lead successful, STEM-driven curricula. Even today, recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers is a problem that confounds the entire educational community.