The study of STEM education can provide critical insights into how students learn and how to best support their cognitive development. Additionally, research on STEM education can help to develop a deeper understanding of how humans think and learn more generally. Ultimately, this type of research can help to improve educational outcomes for all students.

Conducting research into education at all levels of instruction within the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM disciplines). We also work to integrate education research into STEM teaching and learning through our many programs, projects, and partnerships.  Conducting systematic reviews to explore the status and trends in specific disciplines is common in educational research. For example, researchers surveyed the historical development of research in mathematics education and studied patterns in technology usage in mathematics education.