Abstract
The growth in interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education has been the catalyst for this book. There has been a worldwide trend to focus on the teaching of STEM across all sectors of schooling, and this is evidenced by the geographical spread of the authors in this book. The initial intent of STEM education was to build strengths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics due to the declining number of students undertaking these courses of study in high school or at university, a perceived decline in the quality of teaching, and an increased recognition that STEM is a key driver in advancing societies (see Han et al. 2015). Most societies have taken the urgency to develop STEM in schools and in the labour market very seriously, with many nations developing productive strategies to boost STEM in schools and in the workplace. While increased emphasis has occurred overall, within the four STEM elements, there is a disparity in the amount of attention each element receives, with science and mathematics remaining the main focus. Daugherty et al. (2014), for example, argue that technology and engineering education continue to struggle to maintain a foothold in secondary education and that, despite some curriculum initiatives in the USA (e.g. Project Lead the Way, Engineering by Design), the “influence of technology and engineering education curriculum at junior high and high schools across America is clearly less than it was just 20 years ago” (p. 45).
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | STEM Education in the Junior Secondary |
Subtitle of host publication | The State of Play |
Place of Publication | Singapore |
Publisher | Springer |
Pages | 5-14 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9789811054488 |
ISBN (Print) | 9789811054471 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 9 Aug 2017 |