STEM education, an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to science, technology, engineering and math, is a hands-on endeavor. STEM educators typically rely on in-person activities to explain theoretical concepts, with students engaging in learning through experiences like taking field trips to the aquarium, incubating chicken eggs in the classroom or using a sports field to learn physics principles.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced educators to rethink hands-on approaches, accelerating interest in flexible, student-centered STEM teaching strategies. Many instructional innovations that emerged from that period are more experiential, adaptable and connected to students’ real environments, and have since become permanent features of strong STEM curricula. Preparing educators to design and lead this impactful instruction is central to the online Master of Education (M.Ed.) – Curriculum & Instruction program from Eastern Washington University (EWU).
The need for improved STEM education is real: The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that 38% of 8th-grade students scored below the basic achievement level in science, and only 28% reported a high level of confidence in their science knowledge and skills, down from 34% in 2019. These figures are sobering, but the following STEM teaching strategies can help educators improve student outcomes and make science instruction more engaging and effective.
Hands-on Lab Learning: Adapting Science Instruction for Every Setting
Effective STEM education centers on experiential learning, giving students opportunities to investigate, experiment and apply scientific concepts in direct, tangible ways. Whether working with physical specimens, building models or analyzing data from fieldwork, students learn more deeply when they engage science with their hands and minds, not just their eyes.
Educators must plan lab activities with flexibility in mind, recognizing that not every classroom or school will have identical resources. This might mean working in small groups to maximize use of shared equipment, or pairing lab work with background readings so students arrive prepared to engage with materials and methods.
When a full lab experience is not possible, teachers can adapt activities to accomplish the same learning goals through modified approaches. Some find success splitting lab work into distinct phases, completing preparatory reading and discussion in one session, then applying concepts through a hands-on activity in another. This approach helps students develop both conceptual understanding and procedural skill, regardless of logistical constraints.
Project-Based Learning: Extending STEM Into Students’ Lives
When teachers design STEM instruction around real problems and tangible outcomes, students develop skills that go beyond content knowledge. Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn through sustained engagement with real-world problems that connect to their lives. This project-based approach supports deeper learning in STEM subjects that benefit from inquiry, investigation and application.
Some of the most effective STEM experiences extend learning beyond the classroom walls. Providing ecology students with soil lab kits to conduct investigations in their own environment is one well-known example of this approach. Students might also collect water quality data from a local creek or monitor weather patterns in their schoolyard, bringing real measurements back to the classroom to analyze and discuss alongside textbook concepts.
Numerous interactive STEM resources are available online to support this kind of connected learning. For instance, the STEM for All Multiplex provides over 1,600 three-minute videos of STEM resources for teachers, students and parents, organized by grade level from pre-K through high school. These resources offer excellent starting points for creating powerful project-based learning experiences in any environment.
Take It Outside: Outdoor STEM Activities for Real-World Learning
Taking STEM lessons outdoors offers students a powerful, multi-sensory way to experience science. Research consistently supports the academic and developmental value of outdoor learning, particularly for students who thrive in less structured, kinesthetic environments.
STEM lessons are especially well-suited to outdoor exploration. Walks in nature, or even natural exploration in urban areas, provide much of the same hands-on, multi-sensory learning students gain from lab work or experiments.
Outdoor activities work across all grade levels and connect naturally with what students are already studying in the classroom. Younger learners benefit most from teacher-led exploration, while older students can take on more independent investigations that put classroom concepts to a direct, real-world test.
Educators can take advantage of many available resources to support outdoor STEM learning experiences. For example, the Greening STEM program from the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) partners educators with public lands and community organizations to design place-based science experiences that ground STEM concepts in students’ local environments. NEEF’s Greening STEM Grants support programs at public land sites across the country, engaging students from underrepresented communities in citizen science and environmental monitoring.
Building the Skills to Lead Effective STEM Instruction
Approaches to STEM education, such as hands-on lab work, project-based learning and outdoor exploration, share a common thread: They ask students to engage with science actively rather than passively. Designing and leading this kind of instruction requires educators who understand both the theory behind effective curriculum and the flexibility to adapt it across different learning contexts.
EWU’s online M.Ed. – Curriculum & Instruction degree prepares teachers to meet that challenge. Through coursework in instructional design and curriculum theory, as well as a field-based internship, this C&I master’s degree helps students develop the practical expertise to design and lead meaningful STEM learning in today’s diverse classroom environments.
Learn more about EWU’s online Master of Education – Curriculum & Instruction program.
