By using engineering accreditation standards, Sanders
(2009) argued that the focuses of STEM education should
apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering,
design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data,
and communicate and corporate with multidisciplinary
teams. The report Improving Undergraduate Instruction
in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(National Research Council, 2003) that suggested an effective STEM education should not only focus on science
content, but also foster ‘‘inquisitiveness, cognitive skills
of evidence-based reasoning, and an understanding and
appreciation of the process of scientific investigation’’
(p. 25). Additionally, Morrison (2006) provided the criteria
for what an effective STEM instruction should look like in
a classroom. She suggested in a STEM integration classroom students should be able to perform as 1) problemsolvers, 2) innovators, 3) inventors, 4) logical thinkers, and
also be able to understand and develop the skills needed for
5) self-reliance and 6) technological literacy. An analysis of
different STEM programs and curricula designs revealed
that many researchers and educators agreed on the two
major foci of STEM integration: (1) problem solving
through developing solutions and (2) inquiry (e.g., Clark &
Ernst, 2006; Felix & Harris, 2010; Morrison & Bartlett,
2009; Yasar et al., 2006). Therefore, teaching STEM
integration not only needs to focus on content knowledge
but also needs to include problem-solving skills and
inquiry-based instruction.