“Creative Pragmatics for Active Learning in STEM Education” opens with a chapter that introduces Creative Pragmatics as a flexible and evolving approach aimed at fostering active learning in STEM. This introductory chapter, provided as open access, advocates for competence-based education that prepares learners for the unpredictable and multidimensional challenges of today’s world. It challenges the traditional view of scientific knowledge as stable and complete, urging educators and students to develop competence and skills to navigate the unpredictable challenges of today’s science and society.

Spanning 13 chapters, the book features contributions from a diverse array of scholars and practitioners, from Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Nebraska in the USA, with experts from Sweden, Germany and several Danish universities and university colleges. These contributors explore themes such as creative learning strategies, dynamic teacher-student interactions, innovative assessment methods, and the design of learning environments. Each chapter further develops the idea of Creative Pragmatics, emphasising a holistic approach that fosters creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and active student engagement.

This collection is a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers who seek to rethink STEM education. The book offers practical insights and a ‘bigger picture’ perspective for fostering educational environments that enable students to develop the competencies needed to engage with complexity. It encourages an exploration of the world that nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and creative agency, thereby promoting professional and civic responsibility towards environmental, societal, technological, and scientific challenges.

Bringing together a transdisciplinary and global team with professional backgrounds spanning Asia, the Americas, and Europe, this book is part of a series on European Science Education Research and Practice, contributing significantly to the field.