«Of STEM we like everything but STEM». A critical analysis of a buzzing educational trend

Abstract

This article presents a critical analysis of the challenges and limitations of didactic approaches and educational research developed within the STEM movement. It is argued that most practices and studies labeled as STEM are of deficient educational quality and are scarcely new compared to existing science, technology and mathematics education approaches. The viability of STEM for the Spanish education system is likewise questioned, and the overuse of the acronym, often coined as a slogan to raise funding or to advertise long-established educational initiatives and materials rebranded as STEM, is discussed. Finally, the need for a rigorous didactic validation process to guide the potentials and limitations of STEM education is considered.

Keywords

• conocimiento del contenido
• conocimiento didáctico del contenido
• disciplinas stem
• educación stem
• integración curricular