Academic standards in the United States advocate for the integration of science, and technology and engineering (T&E) content and practices within the elementary grades (ITEEA, 2020; NGSS Lead States, 2013). However, elementary educators often receive limited preparation for developing and facilitating safer hands-on science and T&E…

When it comes to eye safety, there are some situations in which regular safety glasses will work adequately for the needs of the STEM education classroom or laboratory. However, there are certain instances in which safety goggles must be used for safer protection. Taking the time to analyze hazards and assess the risks prior to any activity in the…

Markerspaces and areas to conduct collaborative STEM activities are becoming increasingly popular in schools, libraries, media centers, and community centers. These are numerous examples of rooms that were originally designed as traditional classrooms being converted into markerspaces or collaborative STEM work areas. This also involved the use of…

The weeks leading up to summer break can be stressful for instructors and administrators, as they are ultimately responsible for inspecting and cleaning up their STEM education facilities to ensure a safer start the following academic year. In this article, the authors present a three-pronged approach to aid in safely closing down a makerspace or…

Imagine you are an instructor in a STEM education lab or makerspace. It is early in the day, and students are working on an engineering design challenge using hand and power tools. You are circulating around the classroom supervising and assisting students. Suddenly a student yells that a classmate is bleeding. You rush over to find the student's…

This month's Safety Spotlight focuses on holding students accountable for their safety actions in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) labs and makerspaces. Most teachers should understand the importance of a proper safety program. In this article, the author describes his work permit system for safety. The work permit system…

A strength of technology and engineering (T&E) education programs is that they provide a unique context for students with varying abilities to apply their knowledge and skills in nontraditional ways. These courses help prepare students with valuable skills needed for college and career readiness. Makerspaces, fab labs, and STEM labs often…

Technology and Engineering (T&E) education has traditionally included safety as a core component of its curriculum and instruction. Recommendations for safety instruction can be found in manual arts and industrial arts documents (Christy, 1938). Safety was emphasized across all grade levels, including the elementary grades (Miller & Boyd,…

As more and more states contemplate the new school year following the Coronavirus lockdown, teachers, supervisors, and administrators have to determine strategies to safely open their schools. It is hoped that the advice will help guide stakeholders in their decision-making process to be better prepared to meet the current pandemic challenges in…

For decades safety has been an integral component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and CTE (career and technical education) instruction. Given today's litigious society, safety in P-12 STEM education and CTE has received greater attention. This in part is the result of the rise in popularity of collaborative learning…

The beginning of a new school year can be hectic, but it is an opportune and critical time for teachers, supervisors, administrators, and school systems to establish proper safety procedures and practices. It can be more difficult to correct inappropriate behaviors or unsafe habits later in the year. This is especially true if a safety accident…

Research-based learning motivates students to identify with different subjects. The orientation program MINTgrün at Technische Universität Berlin offers two study semesters for open choices of teaching modules, including a series of specially designed laboratories covering topics like robotics, construction, environmental research, programming,…