1st Edition

Ways of Thinking in STEM-based Problem Solving Teaching and Learning in a New Era

Edited By Lyn D. English, Timothy Lehmann Copyright 2025
292 Pages 82 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

292 Pages 82 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

292 Pages 82 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Taking a future-oriented approach, this book addresses students’ ways of thinking in STEM-based problem solving. It provides a rich set of chapters that explore how we can advance important thinking skills in STEM education for K-12 students.  STEM education is essential to understanding and solving many of the world’s major challenges. However, the kind of interdisciplinary modes of thinking... Read more

Chapter 1. STEM-based Problem Solving in a New Era

Lyn D. English

Chapter 2. STEM in a changing world: ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ perspectives

Karen Skilling and Wonyong Park

Chapter 3. Global creative disruption and implications for STEM-based problem solving and learning 

Janet Hanson and Bill Lucas

Chapter 4. STEM ways of thinking: Elementary grade learners’ possibility and adaptive thinking in STEM-rich contexts 

Amber Simpson, David Slavit and Kristin Lesseig

Chapter 5. The critical role of intuition in problem solving 

Elif Eda Miskioğlu, Kaela Martin, and Adam Carberry

Chapter 6. Nexus for STEM Problem Solving and Transfer Research: Instruction First or Productive Failure First?

Michael J. Jacobson, John Vulic, and James A. Levin

Chapter 7. Students’ Systems Modeling: A Classroom of the Future  
Steven Roderick, Daniel Damelin, and Lynn Stephens

Chapter 8. Systems thinking in the early grades

Systems Thinking Association in Türkiye

Chapter 9. Systems Thinking Journeys of Preschool Teachers: A Leverage Point for Problem Solving  

Ezgi Şenyurt-Erturk and Şebnem Feriver

Chapter 10. Perspectives on Design Thinking within STEM

Greg J. Strimel

Chapter 11. Design-based thinking in problem solving in technology and across the STEM disciplines 

Jonas Hallström and Konrad J. Schönborn

Chapter 12. Engineering Design in STEM-based Problem Solving

Margret A. Hjalmarson and Johnna Bolyard

Chapter 13. Engineering design reasoning for conscientious decision-making

Şenay Purzer and Joreen Arigye

Chapter 14. Critical thinking in STEM education

Eva Jablonka and Richard Barwell

Chapter 15. Critical Thinking in Mathematics and Mathematical Modelling Related to STEM 

Anita Schuchardt and Gillian Roehrig

Chapter 16. Computer programming puzzles, mathematics education, and the culture of learning

George Gadanidis, Janette M. Hughes, Immaculate Namukasa and Ricardo Scucuglia  

Chapter 17. Computational Problem Solving in STEM education

Timothy Lehman

Chapter 18. Challenges in assessing students’ STEM-based problem solving

Zeyu Han, Winnie Wing Mui So, and Zhi Hong Wan

Chapter 19. Ways of thinking and STEM-based problem solving: Toward the future 

Michael K. Daugherty and Vinson Carter

Biography

Lyn D. English is Professor of Mathematics/STEM Education at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Her areas of research include mathematics/STEM education, ways of thinking in integrated STEM-based problem solving, mathematical modeling, engineering education, and reasoning with probability and statistics. She is a Fellow of The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, and the founding editor (1997) of the international journal, Mathematical Thinking and Learning (Taylor & Francis).  

Timothy Lehmann is Senior Lecturer in Secondary Mathematics Education at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia. His areas of research are the teaching and learning of secondary mathematics topics including measurement, calculus, discrete mathematics, and the development of computational thinking in mathematics and STEM education.