STEM and the Social Good: Forwarding Political and Ethical Perspectives in the Learning Sciences

This compilation of empirical studies explores the global high-speed train of STEM education, focusing on its potential to empower marginalized communities. It offers a range of analyses from scholars of race, education, and learning, framing STEM learning as a personal and political enterprise. The studies cover diverse topics such as Latinx students' reflections on social justice mathematics, African American primary school students' studies of water and justice, Indigenous families' storytelling with robotics, college STEM mentors' work with youth, and online portals created for youth in Singapore to envision a STEM-infused future. The book emphasizes the socio-political grounding and visioning of these works, making it a valuable resource for researchers, teachers, teacher educators, and policy makers in STEM.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 150 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive collection of empirical studies delves into the global phenomenon of STEM education, particularly its potential to empower marginalized communities socially, economically, and politically. Scholars from diverse fields, including race, education, and learning, offer a diverse range of analyses that shed light on the who, what, and why of STEM education. Alongside scholarly commentaries, these studies present STEM learning as a personal and political endeavor that warrants closer examination in the lives of children, adults, and nations. While the studies encompass a wide range of scopes and scales, they converge in highlighting the ideologies and values underlying the rapid integration of STEM in schools and communities as a social benefit for all.

The book takes readers on a journey through the experiences of Latinx students, African American primary school students, Indigenous families engaging in storytelling with robotics, college STEM mentors working with youth, an online portal created for youth in Singapore to envision a STEM-infused future, and frameworks for teaching and research that engage marginalized children's histories, cultural practices, and sensemaking. The socio-political grounding and visionary perspectives of these works make this a vital resource for researchers, teachers, teacher educators, and policy makers in STEM.

The chapters in this book were originally published in a special issue of the journal, Cognition and Instruction.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367544669