Distribution and Hotspots of Research on STEM Education in China

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics)education has gradually become a critical component of talent strategic planning and national competitiveness development for each country. To identify domestic research status, distribution and focuses on STEM education research filed have been explored by mapping knowledge method and bibliometric method. It is found that domestic research on STEM education, yet with an incomplete research coordination network and less quality papers, has gained lots of achievements due to enthusiastic researchers increasing in recent decade, and also formed a foundation for domestic STEM system construction based on research of theory and policy, education and teaching practice, innovation education, and modern information technology application. To improve the quantity and quality of domestic STEM research, it is primary to establish partnership among researchers and institutes, optimize research methods, and explore international frontier issues.