Canadian K–12 STEM education is facing mounting strain. Although STEM is widely promoted across the country, it remains loosely defined and is too often treated as a slogan rather than a coherent research-informed educational framework. At the same time, teachers face expanding pedagogical and technological demands with limited time, preparation, and support.

In this presentation, I argue that these challenges persist not because teachers resist innovation, but because research-based insights from STEM education are not consistently translated into teacher education, policy, and classroom practice. Drawing on more than three decades of education research and ongoing collaboration with leading Canadian scholars, I present concrete examples from studies of STEM modelling, “Lesson Play” research, technology-supported inquiry-based learning, and STEM teacher professional development. These studies demonstrate how students’ and future teachers’ active engagement in STEM facilitates meaning making. They also highlight that teachers’ pedagogical growth depends on sustained, research-informed support networks, which are often limited by everyday classroom realities.

I further argue that novel technologies (e.g., AI-based tools, interactive simulations, smartphone apps) can powerfully support meaningful learning when used with clear pedagogical purpose, but often devolve into superficial additions in the absence of research-informed guidance. Finally, I draw on STEM outreach initiatives, including the UBC Physics Olympics, to show how large-scale, authentic problem-solving experiences can foster authentic mathematical reasoning, student collaboration, and meaningful engagement. The talk concludes with implications for researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers, emphasizing the need for closer alignment between research evidence, teacher preparation, and the practical realities of STEM classrooms.

Bio. Dr. Marina Milner-Bolotin is a Professor of Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she teaches undergraduate, graduate, face-to-face and online courses in STEM education. She holds an MSc in theoretical physics from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, and MA and PhD degrees in mathematics and science education from the University of Texas at Austin. With more than three decades of experience teaching STEM across five countries—Ukraine, Israel, the United States, China, and Canada—she brings a strong global perspective to preparing future educators. Her research examines how pedagogically grounded technologies, including simulations, data tools, and AI, can deepen inquiry, engagement, and meaningful learning. Widely recognized for her scholarly and teaching contributions, she has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and received national and international awards for excellence in STEM education. She actively mentors teachers, researchers, and students worldwide today.