Myths and Motives behind STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education and the STEM-Worker Shortage Narrartive

Autor/in	Stevenson, Heidi J.
Titel	Myths and Motives behind STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education and the STEM-Worker Shortage Narrartive
Quelle	In: Issues in Teacher Education, 23 (2014) 1, S.133-146 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1536-3031
Schlagwörter	STEM Education; Misconceptions; Supply and Demand; Career Choice; Labor Market; Labor Supply; Educational History; United States History; Salaries; Higher Education; Elementary Secondary Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? STEM; Missverständnis; Bedarfsplanung; Labour market; Arbeitsmarkt; Labour Supply; Arbeitskräfteangebot; History of education; Bildungsgeschichte; Entlohnung; Gehalt; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen
Abstract	The Business Roundtable (2013) website presents a common narrative in regard to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, "American students are falling behind in math and science. Fewer and fewer students are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and American students are performing at levels far below students in competitor nations on international standardized tests in these subjects." (para.3) This message is echoed in numerous federal reports (e.g., NAP, 2005; 2010; PCAST, 2010:2012) and statements concerning STEM education from the United States' (U.S.) President Barack Obama. The narrative posed by the Business Roundtable of a failing U.S. education system and STEM-worker shortage seems to be confirmed by businesses, nonprofits and the Obama administration, as they show their monetary and organizational support to remedy this purported STEM crisis. In this article, the author first puts the STEM-worker shortage narrative into context by exploring its development. Next, she critically analyzes the answers to the following questions: (1) What if instead of a U.S. STEM-worker shortage, there is a STEM-worker surplus? (2) What are the advantages of stating there is a STEM-worker shortage if there is none? and (3) Who benefits from perpetuating a manufactured STEM-worker shortage? (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10