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About Us

The iSTEM team focuses on engaging educational communities with effective, integrative design/inquiry based teaching and learning methods rooted in authentic problem solving and innovation. We strongly believe in Teachers as Designers of Experience.

Integrative STEM methods rest heavily on Design, effectively represented by the Technology and Engineering components of STEM. TCNJ has extensive experience in using iSTEM and design-based pedagogies in the PK-12 classroom as well as in teacher preparation. For example, in 1998 TCNJ established what was likely the first iSTEM K-6 teacher preparation program in the nation. This iSTEM teacher program has grown to be the largest education major at TCNJ. TCNJ’s Center for Excellence in STEM Education also has a long history in K-12 Science, Math, and Technology and Engineering education, as well as integrative design-based methods. TCNJ’s iSTEM team focuses on providing high quality resources for stakeholders in educational communities that facilitate effective, integrative design/inquiry based teaching and learning methods. We believe in Design-Based Pedagogies, Integrative Methods, Innovation and Optimism, Student Engagement, Authentic Experiences, Creative Problem-Solving, and Global/Social Awareness. The team is committed to design-based pedagogy, integration that transcends traditional PK-12, and high quality teaching and learning experiences for all students and teachers.

Services include speaking engagements, professional development services, curriculum guidance and development, assessment and evaluation methods appropriate for iSTEM methods, instructional materials, and a number of customizable combinations of options that can meet a wide variety of schools’ diverse needs and cultures. The iSTEM team draws on knowledge and experience from experts in PK-12 education and firmly believes in delivering a message and resources which are rooted in sound educational pedagogy, appropriate developmental theory, and practicality in classroom implementation. The team has continued to expand the scope of its work throughout New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region, establishing ongoing relationships with a number of school districts. Ultimately, our goal is to develop relationships with partners which translate to experiences for teachers and learners that have a lasting impact on student achievement, both in and out of the classroom.

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