Publication

What is behind the current narrative “more STEM in schools and societies” that this special issue aims to address? If, indeed, we are committed to more STEM in schools and societies, what does this look like in practice? Where do we currently stand in terms of endorsing inclusive and com- prehensive STEM practices that engage in and are committed to questions about STEM learning for whom and toward what ends? With these questions in mind, I read the articles, but then also explored a recent report by the Committee of STEM Education of the National Science and Technology Council, mandated by the United States Government (2018), and published in December 2018, entitled “Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education.” I situate my commentary in this report, which endorses a vision of STEM that hints at a change not just in vocabulary but also in its inherent definition that transcends disciplinary and epistemological boundaries in ways the articles in this special issue also address. The report also points to pathways of success through partnerships that not only make STEM more widely accessible and therefore inclusive, but also more deeply seated in current challenges, realities, and issues we face as a nation through a valuing of heterogeneity or multiples. The report suggests that to respond effectively, we have to bring not only expertise in STEM to the table, but also a positioning of selves as critical agents of change who are open-minded and have the skills to engage with others and other disciplines to then address the challenges of our times together.