What exactly is STEM? STEM stands for Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM has grown to represent a unique approach to teaching and learning, one that centers around individual students' learning styles and interests. Unlike traditional education experiences in which subject areas are concentrated on separately, STEM education emphasizes technology and integrates subjects in ways that connect disciplines and relate them to each other.
STEM moves beyond simple test performance and focuses on developing higher level thinking skills by connecting classroom learning to the real world. STEM emphasizes collaboration, communication, research, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity, skills that students need to be successful in today's world regardless of specific interests or career goals. STEM is a direct response to the realization that our future will be built on our capacity for innovation, invention, and creative problem solving.