including testing AI for the classroom, building math confidence, the politest alien in STEM, and Zoombinis Club!
August 2025
STEM education insights and resources for educators
Programs & Materials Highlights
Our forward-thinking and groundbreaking research projects often result in insightful and inspiring learning materials, many for free.
Zoombinis Clubs
What it is: Zoombinis Clubs are facilitator-friendly enrichment programs built around the award-winning logic game loved by generations. Designed for small-group settings like schools, libraries, and after-school programs, each club encourages kids to develop pattern recognition, deductive reasoning, and collaborative problem-solving, all while having a blast.
Zoombinis Clubs are built to be fun, flexible, and easy to run. They give educators a ready-made solution that supports STEM learning, encourages collaboration, and fits seamlessly into existing programs.
Takeaway: Early experiences and teaching approaches shape how students see their own math abilities, with real-world, engaging instruction helping sustain interest and confidence over time.
How TERC Can Help: The new book Interweaving Equitable Participation and Deep Mathematics:Building Community in the Elementary Classroom gives educators practical strategies, real classroom examples, and ready-to-use tools to create inclusive, engaging math environments where all students see themselves as capable mathematicians.
STEM Fact!
The STEM acronym was originally SMET until 2001, when NSF’s Judith Ramaley rearranged the letters into the version we use today.
Educators don’t have time to test every new AI tool. In TERC Tech Talks, a new Video Podcast series, STEM education researchers and guest experts do it for you—candid and with real classroom needs in mind. See what’s useful, what’s not, and get Top 3 tips if you want to try it yourself.
📩 Sign up now to get first access when the series premieres next week, plus bonus content.
Can saying "please" and "thank you" to an AI actually change how it responds and even how we treat each other? This blog post explores surprising research, insights from AI developers, and how a neurodiverse design team wove politeness into an alien language in a STEM-based VR game.
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