STEM educators around the country are working to implement the new vision in the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards, in addition to the many other initiatives that compete for their time and resources.

At the same time, much of the research around improving STEM learning does not make it into the classroom. Research can often lack context and clear connections to everyday teaching practice or learning experiences, and relevant tools and strategies can be hard for educators to find or access.

To bridge that gap, the team at the UW Institute for Science + Math Education is working with teachers and researchers to create a suite of accessible, bite-sized practice briefs called STEM Teaching Tools.

STEM Teaching Tools grew out of a need expressed in the Research + Practice Collaboratory Inquiry Groups, which bring researchers and educators from around the country together to dive deep into a particular issue.

The tools offer short, two- to four-page briefs on specific aspects of science education with research- and practice-based ideas and actionable advice for teachers. The tools cover a range of topics: Practice Brief #2 discusses the importance of incorporating contemporary scientific topics into lessons, while brief #27 suggests ways to meaningfully engage English learners in STEM practices.

Each STEM Teaching Tool features a sidebar on “Why it Matters” to tie the brief to lived educator experiences, a section on how the brief relates to issues of equity, reflection questions to consider, and recommended actions teachers can take. The tools are currently focused on implementing the vision in the NRC Framework and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards, which emphasize supporting students’ learning of concepts by engaging them in science and engineering practices.

These constantly evolving tools are still being released and revised. The 24 briefs published to-date have traveled throughout the U.S. and have been picked up by state and district organizations and professional developers as a way to help science teachers reflect on and refine their practice.

Learn more at stemteachingtools.org or follow STEM Teaching Tools on Twitter at @STEMTeachTools.