Industrial actors and their rationales for engaging in STEM education

Maria Andree, Lena Hansson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)
35 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In science education, critical discussions on the engagement of industrial actors in STEM education are scarce. In this study, we take the perspective that industrial STEM education initiatives are an arena for governing STEM education. The aim is to contribute to a critical discussion on the involvement of industrial actors in STEM education by scrutinizing how they describe their engagement. More specifically, we look at the discursive repertoires industrial actors put forward as rationales for engaging in STEM education initiatives. The data consist of web materials wherein industrial actors describe and justify their engagements. We identify the following interpretative repertoires used by industrial actors when justifying their engagement in said initiatives: a) Securing competent labour, b) Securing economic growth, c) Improving the public image-marketing, d) Contributing to a bright future, e) Increasing interest in STEM, f) Increasing knowledge in and of STEM and g) Empowering young people. The repertoires are discussed in light of potential tensions between public and private good. The notion of 'boundary repertoires' is introduced to discuss repertoires which can be adapted across discursive practices and which afford industrial actors possibilities for speaking to a varied audience-shareholders as well as teachers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)551-576
Number of pages25
JournalJournal of Curriculum Studies
Volume52
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Swedish Standard Keywords

  • Educational Sciences (503)

Keywords

  • Industry
  • STEM
  • commercialization
  • governing
  • science education
  • science education policy

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