This edited volume offers a crosscutting view of STEM and is comprised of work by scholars in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. It offers a view of STEM from the disciplines that comprise it, while adhering to the idea that STEM itself is an interdisciplinary treatment of all the associated disciplines in a meaningful way. This book raises and answers questions regarding the meaning of STEM education and research.

Preface.- Foreword to Critical Questions in STEM Education.- Part I: Nature of the STEM Disciplines.- Chapter 1. Nature of Scientific Knowledge and Scientific Inquiry (Norman G. Lederman and Judith Lederman).- Chapter 2. Nature of Technology (Theresa A. Cullenand and Meize Guo).- Chapter 3. Toward Defining Nature of Engineering in the Next Generation Science Standards Era (Hasan Deniz, EzgiYesilyurt, Steven Newman, and Erdogan Kaya).- Chapter 4. The Nature of Mathematics and Its Impact on K-12 Education (Rick Hudson, Mark Creager, Angela Burgess, and Alex Gerber).- Part II: Critical Questions in Teaching STEM.- Chapter 5. Inquiring into Environmental STEM: Striving for an Engaging Inquiry-Based E-STEM Experience for Preservice Teachers (Angela Burgess and Gayle Buck).- Chapter 6. Navigating Theory and Practice: Digital Video Games (DVGs) in STEM Education (Isha DeCoito and Lisa K. Briona).- Chapter 7. A Self-study on Teaching Integrated STEM Education to K-12 Science and MathematicsTeachers (Xinying Yin).- Chapter 8. Learning for the Real World: Interdisciplinary Challenge Projects to Facilitate Real World Learning in STEM (Jessica Dobrin).- Chapter 9. Collaboratively Learning to Teach STEM: A Model for Learning to Integrate STEM Education in Preservice Teacher Education (Sevil Akaygun and Fatma Aslan-Tutak).- Part III: Critical Questions in STEM.- Chapter 10. Public Portrayal of Indiana STEM Certified Schools (Steven Newman, Taukir Ahmed Khan, Meize Guo, Alex Gerber, Angela Burgess, and Valarie L. Akerson).- Chapter 11. Current Praxis and Conceptualization of STEM Education: A Call for Greater Clarity in Integrated Curriculum Development (Christopher Sgro, Trisha Bobowski, &Alandeom W. Oliveira).- Chapter 12. Future Elementary Teachers' Perspectives on the Importance of STEM (Lauren Madden, James E. R. Beyers, and Nicole Stanton).- Chapter 13. Switching Lanes or Exiting? STEM Experiences, Perceptions, and Identity Construction among College STEM Switchers (Youngjin Song, Ann Y. Kim, Lisa Martin-Hansen,and Elaine Villanueva Bernal).- Refection on Part I: Natures of the Disciplines that Make up STEM.- Reflection on Part II: Critical Questions in Teaching STEM.- Reflection on Part III: Critical Questions in STEM.- Afterward - STEM: Unrequited Dreams in a Material World.