STEM education: A deficit framework for the twenty first century? A sociocultural socioscientific response

• Dana L. Zeidler 

Cultural Studies of Science Education volume 11, pages11–26 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

After speaking with a lifelong friend, "Mrs. Naomi Cerre", happily retired from the NY Board of Education I was motivated to learn more about "the deficit network". I'll post more as I learn more. NDJ

The ubiquitous of STEM education initiatives in recent years has created a bandwagon that has moved at nearly light speed. The impulse of the science education community and policy-makers is to grab hold for dear life or be marginalized from subsequent discussions about the necessity and consequences of using STEM initiatives to prepare and inform our next generation of citizens. This commentary questions the prudence of STEM-related science education goals, as typically represented and discussed in the literature, and likens the current practice to a deficit framework. A sociocultural perspective framed through socioscientific considerations is offered as an alternative conceptualization as well as surplus model to hegemonic STEM practices.