SmartLab is a unified STEM learning ecosystem where engagement is the engine of growth.
Students build STEM identity, confidence, and purpose as they solve meaningful problems and connect classroom learning to the careers of tomorrow.
SmartLab students believe: I belong here. I can do this. I add value. I’m future-ready. This mindset takes shape through active, student-centered learning cycles—each ah-HA! moment steadily converting raw curiosity into resilient, purposeful problem solving.
What makes SmartLab different?
• Builds STEM identity through authentic, hands-on learning
• Connects classroom experiences to real-world careers
• Engages learners with integrated STEM applications
SmartLab connects what students are learning to the careers they may one day pursue — and the tools they’ll need to thrive. At the heart of each unit is a meaningful intersection: real-world STEM applications brought to life through industry-aligned career pathways.
There are many parts to each SmartLab and some are customized just for you.
Career-Connected PBL Curriculum
SmartLab’s PBL curriculum engages students through hands-on challenges connected to real-world careers. Projects apply STEM to 21st-century problems while building durable skills. The LearningHub platform provides personalized access and clear visibility into student progress for both educators and learners.
Customized STEM Learning Environments
Each SmartLab environment is designed according to your school’s goals. HQs are dedicated, ADA-compliant STEM labs built to foster teamwork, accessibility, and hands-on learning. FLEX environments serve space constrained schools by providing mobile, flexible setups that preserve core outcomes and student engagement.
SmartLab Certified Facilitator Workspace
Certified Facilitators guide student-centered learning cycles and manage daily lab operations. Backed by immersive training and a national cohort of peers, they bring confidence, consistency, and best practices that keep learning authentic and impactful.
Ongoing Support & Partnership
SmartLab sustains programs through hands-on onboarding, rapid technical response, and partner development that unlocks funding and volunteer support. Ongoing support and dedicated teams keep labs reliable, preserve instructional quality, and ensure programs endure and grow.
Hands-On Tools & Equipment
SmartLab equips learners with technology that supports student-driven learning. From robotics to digital media, tools promote exploration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Technology can include a CNC machine, laser engraver, 3D printer, and more.
SmartLab students develop durable skills by tackling realistic challenges.
SmartLab students build durable skills that are invaluable in all walks of life, equipping them for success in diverse careers—not only those directly related to STEM disciplines. As students explore, create, and solve problems, they build the exact capabilities employers value most: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and adaptability.
Ways of Working
Communication
Communication
Learners should understand that using various communication methods tailored to different audiences fosters effective and meaningful sharing of STEM knowledge and discoveries.
Ways of Working
Collaboration
Collaboration
Learners should understand that effective collaboration leverages the strengths of diverse groups, fosters mutual respect, and creates optimized outcomes that reflect shared goals.
Ways of Working
Design Process
Design Process
Learners should understand that iterative steps guide the creation of effective and innovative strategiesto evaluate and refine ideas, improve existing designs, and solve real-world problems.
Ways of Working
Research Design
Research Design
Learners should understand that professionals apply scientific inquiry and methods to analyze natural systems, make and test predictions about them, and use data and observations to address challenges.
Ways of Working
Tools of Knowledge Construction
Tools of Knowledge Construction
Learners should understand that the acquisition of new knowledge, connection to prior knowledge, and critical and creative thinking can be enhanced with effective use of technology and tools.
Ways of Thinking
Computational Thinking
Computational Thinking
Learners should understand that abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and algorithmic thinking can be used to understand and solve real-world problems.
Ways of Thinking
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking
Learners should understand that whole systems are made up of interconnected and interdependent parts that influence each other.
Ways of Thinking
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical Concepts
Learners should understand that mathematical knowledge can be applied through reasoning, modeling, and analysis to reveal patterns, understand relationships, and improve processes in complex systems.
Ways of Thinking
Natural Systems
Natural Systems
Learners should understand that natural systems are interconnected, dynamic, and self-regulating, maintaining balance through complex interactions between components.
Ways of Thinking
AI Literacy
AI Literacy
Learners should understand that AI systems are embedded into our everyday lives, making it essential to understand associated ethics, benefits, and potential risks.
Ways of Being
Ethics
Ethics
Learners should understand that solutions to real-world problems should consider short- and long-term trade-offs, sustainability, and stakeholder impact.
Ways of Being
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship
Learners should understand that digital literacy allows for benefits of the interconnected world; however, it comes with responsibilities and opportunities that should be leveraged in a safe, legal, and ethical way.
Ways of Being
Persistence
Persistence
Learners should understand that when approached with a growth mindset, failures provide valuable insights and opportunities to expand understanding, which can be applied to solve real-world problems.
Ways of Being
Data Literacy
Data Literacy
Learners should understand that data collection and interpretation allows for the extraction of meaninful insights and data-driven decision making.
Ways of Being
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong Learning
Learners should understand that embracing a mindset of lifelong learning empowers us to adapt to change, stay relevant, and make meaningful contributions throughout our lives.
These skills shape how students think, work, and grow across every grade level.
These skills shape how students think, work, and grow across every grade level.
Recognized Excellence in STEM Education
Honored by leading organizations for advancing STEM education and empowering schools nationwide
District Administration’s Top EdTech Products of 2024 Award
Districts across the country use SmartLab to strengthen engagement, improve performance, and empower students. Explore how different communities are making it work.
I was a SmartLab facilitator from 2015-2017 in Oceanside, CA. Teaching in the SmartLab was career-changing for me and gave me a love for STEM! I look back fondly on those years in the SmartLab and can say, without hesitation, that they were the best, out of my 18 years in education. I’m no longer in CA and no longer in a SmartLab, but I still use so many of the SmartLab ideas and activities to bring STEM to my 3rd grade classroom. Thank you for doing what you do and keep it up!
Heather Fleck
Educator, Tullahoma City School District | Tullahoma, TN
“We are able to work with our students to get them career and college ready, and we do that K-12. SmartLabs help by getting students’ hands on projects and activities, getting them working with partners in the classroom, and getting them building something they would’ve never have imagined they could build…it’s actually shown our community what our students are capable of.”
Dr. Deirdre Pilch
Superintendent, Greeley-Evans School District 6 | Public | Greeley, CO
Student engagement is at levels I have never seen in my 23 years of teaching. Students love the lab and are constantly asking if they can come down in their free time to continue working with Ukits, or Engino, etc. I’ve never been busier as a teacher, but also have never had more fun. It’s encouraged me to gladly take work home and get more proficient in areas such as coding and circuitry. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and this lab not only meets the needs of my students but also fulfills my own growth as a facilitator and person. I appreciate my administration for investing in this lab and appreciate SmartLab for offering such an incredible product!!!
Chad Burrows
Facilitator, Huntington Middle School | Public | Chillicothe, Ohio
“The communication I’ve had with industry leaders within Michigan about the program itself comes primarily from their visits to our schools. I tell them, ‘Get prepared, because you’re going to have 18-year-old kids with more knowledge than some of your employees.’ That’s an exciting proposition for them because a lot of jobs are unfilled.”
Mark Whelton
Superintendent, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community SD | Public | Bridgeport, MI
Ready to transform learning in your school?
Together, we’ll bring the SmartLab ecosystem to your school. Students will engage deeply in STEM, take on real-world challenges, and build the skills for lifelong learning, leadership, and career readiness.
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