The Power of (STEM)2

(STEM)2 S8E8 Earthday - Integrating Diverse Questioning in STEAM Lessons & Activities

Series 8 Bonus Episode 8: Integrating Multicultural & Environmental Questioning into Earth Day STEAM Lessons/Activities  -  In this bonus episode of the 8th series, we explore the importance of integrating critical questioning strategies into STEAM lessons and activities. More specifically, for Earthday lessons, we look at ways to tie inquiry based learning around the value of community-based and multiculturally inclusive approaches to Earthday lessons for teachers and students. Connecting your lessons to diverse communities, cultures, and ecologies is an increasingly essential skill in todays AI and increasingly robotic world. In the news we look at the environmental impact of AI (click here) [https://www.earthday.org/the-true-price-of-every-chatgpt-prompt/] and seaside robots studying salt water intrusion and climate change (click here [https://insideclimatenews.org/news/27092025/california-san-rafael-startup-sea-level-rise-ai-solution/]) as secondary case studies for school discussions.

(STEM)2 S8E7 - EarthDay News in STEAM Education

Series 8 Bonus Episode 8: EarthDay News in STEAM Education  -  In this bonus episode of the 8th series, Michael explores changing seasons and STEAM news related to April’s Earth Day. In world with major events, it is particularly important for primary and secondary teachers to find ways to get learners outside into nature and/or develop lessons showcasing how different societies and local communities are addressing many of the most significant challenges as it relates to climate change and healthy environments both now and into the future. In the news we look at conservation rates in the world’s oceans and partnerships between small island nations and governments and universities on Canada’s West Coast.

Series 8 Bonus Episode 6: Vygotsky, Piaget, Driver and New Research in Children’s Cognitive Development in the Age of AI

Series 8 Bonus Episode 6: Vygotsky, Piaget, Driver and New Research in Children’s Cognitive Development in the Age of AI  -  In this bonus episode of the 8th series, the host explores the need to revisit Piaget’s Stage Theories, Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and Driver’s seminal work on understanding children’s conceptions and misconceptions in science. Revisiting this work is particularly important in AI as a flawed educational technology that hallucinates may impact children’s understanding of science and nature in a wide variety of unknown ways. The episode ends with a call for new educational research that explores children’s cognitive development in science in the Age of AI in order to better understand both the benefits and possible impacts AI and other generative technologies may have on children’s ideas and conceptions of nature and STEAM.

(STEM)2 S8E5 Series 8 Episode 5: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (9 & 10)

Series 8 Episode 5: 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM for 2026 (Topics 9 & 10 key research areas) -  In the fifth episode of this series, we continue exploring the most important educational research topics in STEM & STEAM graduate and doctoral students might want to consider in 2026. In this episode we examine educational research needed in the area of STEM/STEAM micro credentials at both the secondary and post secondary levels that analyzes credential effectiveness, professional standards, and academic recognition for more advanced studies in vocational colleges or public universities. This episode also examines the importance of educational research in the value of incorporating the arts into STEAM in an era where AI copies and artistic simulacra is exerting profound changes into teaching and learning. Educational research in the STEAM arts would focus on creative human creative processes of artistic meaning making and the importance of emotion and educational passion within STEAM education. Most educational research in 10th area would be qualitative in nature including the use of research narratives and biographies of creative and artistic processes in STEAM teaching and learning.

(STEM)2 S8E4 Series 8 Episode 4: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (7 & 8)

Series 8 Episode 4: 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM for 2026 (Topics 7 & 8 of 10 key research areas) -  In the fourth episode of this series, we continue exploring the most important educational research topics in STEM & STEAM graduate and doctoral students might want to consider in 2026. In this episode we explore educational research topics in STEM related the need to more fully understand how STEM/STEAM educators and educational systems interact and/or collaborate at the international level through meta-analysis, policy/organizational examination or other internationally based case analyses at the macro level of educational research. This episode also examines the importance of localized place-based studies needed in rural, remote and linguistically diverse small communities where the traditional more urban focused STEM or STEAM curriculum needs to be collaboratively and inclusively re-aligned for small and remote communities. Inclusive and collaboratively based site specific case studies are discussed for graduate students interested in rural and remote place-based educational research.