NSF STEM K-12 (STEM K-12)

Overview

The NSF STEM K-12 program in the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) supports fundamental, applied, and translational research that advances STEM teaching and learning and improves understanding of education across the human lifespan and a range of formal and informal settings.

The NSF STEM K-12 program encourages multidisciplinary collaborations that bring together expertise and methodological approaches from various fields, including education research, social and behavioral sciences, implementation sciences, computer science, and all STEM disciplines. In addition, the program encourages partnerships that integrate perspectives from education research, education practice, and industry, as well as perspectives of learners and other critical stakeholders who would benefit from the work.

The program also welcomes quantitative, qualitative, mixed method approaches, and a range of research and/or development efforts across broad areas of scientific inquiry, including but not limited to:

• foundational studies that advance theory or build new conceptual frameworks related to STEM learning and teaching;
• design-based research that iteratively develops and refines learning environments, instructional models, systems, or approaches;
• projects aimed at cultivating the skills, dispositions, and knowledge needed to succeed in computer science, AI pathways, and technology careers, and more generally build capacity in the STEM workforce;
• development and study of innovations for teaching and learning (e.g., curricula, assessments, professional learning resources, technologies, media, etc.) for any STEM field;
• investigations of teaching and learning processes, including cognitive, motivational, or social aspects of learning;
• development and use of advanced research methods and analytical frameworks and tools, such as data science methods and machine learning, to study learning at scale or in complex learning environments; and
• the study of deeper learning and more effective teaching to create opportunities for all Americans everywhere.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting organization's local time): Proposals Accepted Anytime

Important Information And Revision Notes
The following solicitations are currently archived. Investigators who would have applied to these programs are particularly encouraged to consider NSF STEM K-12.

• Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL)
• Computer Science for All (CSforAll)
• Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12)
• Translation and Diffusion (TD)

Investigators who would typically submit to the EDU Core Research (ECR) solicitation for research in K-12 and informal settings are encouraged to apply to NSF STEM K-12. ECR will only accept proposals for DUE and DGE focused projects.

Award: Suggested ranges for funding requests of STEM K-12 proposals under this solicitation are as follows: (1) Research and/or Development proposals: $350,000 to $750,000 with a duration of two to three years; and (2) Conference proposals: $25,000 to $99,000 with a duration of up to two years. Proposals that contain budgets significantly beyond these ranges may be returned without review.