Options
Examining ‘STEM education as culture’ through an analysis of lesson plans as cultural apparatus
Citation
Teo, T. W., & Mabulo, S. J. S. B. (2024). Examining ‘STEM education as culture’ through an analysis of lesson plans as cultural apparatus. Research in Integrated STEM Education, 2(2), 147-181. https://doi.org/10.1163/27726673-bja00022
Abstract
This article presents findings from the document analysis of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lesson plans written and enacted in Southeast Asian classrooms aimed at providing integrative learning experiences for students. The authors argue that the culture of STEM education is embodied in teacher-designed STEM lesson plans or cultural apparatuses. The authors applied Sewell’s theory of culture to unpack the cultural embodiments (physical and abstract elements) embedded in six STEM lesson plans comprising lesson schedules, worksheets, and handouts. The findings showed that certain categories of culture were more evident in specific components of a STEM lesson package. The article contributes to the relatively nascent literature that, to date, has not closely examined teacher-designed integrated STEM curricula using a cultural lens. The study also has implications for STEM teachers to consider making cultural embodiments and practices more visible during their lesson planning and framing of STEM curriculum.
Date Issued
2024
Publisher
Brill
Journal
Research in Integrated STEM Education
DOI
10.1163/27726673-bja00022