Episodes

  • (STEM)2 S8E7 - EarthDay News in STEAM Education
    Apr 8 2026
    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.
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    9 mins
  • Series 8 Bonus Episode 6: Vygotsky, Piaget, Driver and New Research in Children’s Cognitive Development in the Age of AI
    Feb 17 2026
    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.
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    9 mins
  • (STEM)2 S8E5 Series 8 Episode 5: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (9 & 10)
    Feb 4 2026
    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.
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    11 mins
  • (STEM)2 S8E4 Series 8 Episode 4: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (7 & 8)
    Jan 30 2026
    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.
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    11 mins
  • STEM)2 S8E3 - Series 8 Episode 3: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (5 & 6)
    Jan 28 2026
    Series 8 Episode 3: 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM for 2026 (Topics 5 & 6 of 10 key research areas) - In the third episode of 2026 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 the diverse cultural taxonomies for learning and design in STEAM lessons for K-12 students. This includes STEAM studies related to indigenous and linguistically diverse populations. Other case or meta analysis needed in the areas of gender, exceptionality and socioeconomically vulnerable populations of learners. The sixth research topic relates to updating how microbiology and body systems/health education might be taught in STEAM in order to address student/family health gaps and misconceptions that have emerged since the recent global pandemic. The introduction of early microscopes and other body/health information for learners is discussed within the field of educational research in STEAM as well in the United States and Canada where preventable childhood illnesses are on the rise.
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    11 mins
  • (STEM)2 S8E2 - Series 8 Episode 2: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (3 & 4)
    Jan 22 2026
    Series 8 Episode 2: 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM for 2026 (Topics 3 & 4 of 10 key research areas) - In the second episode of 2026 we continue exploring the most important educational research topics in STEM & STEAM graduate and doctoral students might want to consider in 2026. In the second episode we explore educational research topics in STEM related the need to more fully understand the developmental taxonomy of children’s conceptions and misconceptions of STEAM based on theoretical model analysis and assessment design. The fourth educational research topic relates to how the use of educational AI tools and softwares impacts K-12 learners concepts of STEM and proposes a series of experimental research projects combining the use of educational AI that includes children’s direct observation of natural phenomenon and real world problem solving and engineering design.
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    10 mins
  • (STEM)2 S8E1 - Series 8 Episode 1: Top 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM Ed for 2026 (1 & 2)
    Jan 22 2026
    Series 8 Episode 1: 10 Graduate and Doctoral Research Topics in STEM for 2026 (Topics 1 & 2 of 10 key research areas) - In the first episode of 2026 we explore the most important educational research topics in STEM & STEAM graduate and doctoral students might want to consider in 2026. In the first episode we explore educational research topics in STEM related the need to understand rapidly changing educational policies related to the STEM fields and education in Mexico, the United States and Canada as large scale quantitative educational studies. The second of ten research topics in STEAM education explores the need to better understand how the changing STEM curriculum might be more effectively aligned with diverse communities based on cultural demographics, diverse geographies and economic differences as more localized case studies.
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    10 mins
  • (STEM)2 S7E5 - Episode 5: The Big News in Science and Education in North America for 2025
    Dec 19 2025
    Series 7 Episode 5: The Big News in Science and Education in North America for 2025 - In the final episode for Series 7 we focus on the big science and education news in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Canada sees a surge in science research investment while there are significant reversals and funding challenges in the United States and Mexico in a critical time for STEM education and investment. We also explore three major science news topics as it relates to STEM teaching and learning including the possible discovery of fossilized life on Mars, rising cases of Measles in Canada and the United States and, finally, discussing educational challenges and opportunities with extreme weather and climate change in North America. The news links below include articles from NASA, Science, and the World Meteorological Organization.
    • News Link: NASA Rover May Have Discovered Evidence of Possible Life
    • Article Link: Canadian Climate Institute - Climate Change & Storms
    • Article Link: Canada and Americas Lose Measles-Free Status as Disease Spreads
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    14 mins