Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is recognised as the latest development stage on the pathway to a highly capable future workforce, and is thus linked to a nation’s future development and prosperity. However, despite various appeals and efforts by the Australian Government, effective processes for constructing relevant educational programs within local curricula remain under-researched. A comprehensive review of the design, and design-led education literature, and of related attempts to develop suitable instructional content and approaches, has been conducted. Its outcome is a recommendation to adopt a design-based pedagogy utilising 3D printing for the development and implementation of integrated STEM programs. Accordingly, this paper proposes a new area of research that requires a deep understanding of appropriate design processes, skills, and mindsets, for integrated STEM education. This study also prototypes a design-led conceptual framework to assist educators in developing integrated STEM programs. Based on the learning theory of Distributed Cognition and the Four-component Instructional Design (4C/ID) model, this conceptual framework begins to address an urgent need to prioritise methodologically rigorous evidence-based research on integrated STEM education. It also has the potential to lead to the formation and collaboration of STEM education communities of teachers, students, and researchers as external instructional leaders to co-develop design-led integrated STEM curriculum.

综合科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育被认为是通往未来强大劳动力队伍的最新发展阶段，因此与一个国家的未来发展与繁荣息息相关。但是，尽管澳大利亚政府提出了各种呼吁和作出了努力，但在地方课程中建设相关教育计划的有效程序仍在研究中。对设计，设计指导的教育文献以及开发合适的教学内容和方法的相关尝试进行了全面回顾。其结果是建议采用基于设计的教学法，利用3D打印来开发和实施集成的STEM程序。因此，本文提出了一个新的研究领域，需要对适当的设计过程，技能和思维方式有深入的了解，用于集成的STEM教育。这项研究还为设计导向的概念框架提供了原型，以帮助教育工作者开发集成的STEM程序。基于分布式认知的学习理论和四部分教学设计（4C / ID）模型，此概念框架开始满足迫切需要对基于方法论的严格循证研究进行综合STEM教育的需求。它还有可能导致由教师，学生和研究人员组成的STEM教育社区（作为外部教学领导者）的形成和协作，从而共同开发以设计为主导的集成STEM课程。基于分布式认知的学习理论和四部分教学设计（4C / ID）模型，此概念框架开始满足迫切需要对基于方法论的严格循证研究进行综合STEM教育的需求。它还有可能导致由教师，学生和研究人员组成的STEM教育社区（作为外部教学领导者）的形成和协作，从而共同开发以设计为主导的集成STEM课程。基于分布式认知的学习理论和四部分教学设计（4C / ID）模型，此概念框架开始满足迫切需要对基于方法论的严格循证研究进行综合STEM教育的需求。它还有可能导致由教师，学生和研究人员组成的STEM教育社区（作为外部教学领导者）的形成和协作，从而共同开发以设计为主导的集成STEM课程。