Integrated STEM Education in Schools - An activity Systems Analysis of potential barriers to implementation
Ph.d. defence
Doctoral candidate
Abstract
Integrated STEM education has gained momentum in educational policies related to primary and secondary school in Denmark for years. However, there is no consensus about what integrated STEM is and only limited research about how to implement it in comprehensive schools in Denmark.
The purpose of this PhD study is an exploration of systemic contradictions mediating the implementation of integrated STEM education in comprehensive schools. This can help us understand how such contractions potentially pose barriers for successful implementation and suggest ways of overcoming these.
The research design of this PhD is based on a case study of teachers from four schools in the process of conducting the 'Science Marathon', an educational program explored as an example of how integrated STEM education can be implemented in comprehensive schools.
Data was collected through participant observations and qualitative interviews. First, all data was subjected to a thematic analysis. Second, selected themes were explored using an activity systems analysis on each school.
The study found systemic contradictions that posed barriers for implementation of integrated STEM to varying degree across the four case schools, dependent on the local school settings. This suggests that future attempts to implement integrated STEM must consider how these systemic contradictions present themselves in local settings and how to overcome them.
Download the thesis: Integrated STEM Education in Schools - An activity Systems Analysis of potential barriers to implementation (pdf).
Chair
Jesper Bruun, Associate Professor, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Assessment Committee
Per Daugbjerg, VIA UC
Berit Bungum, Professor in Science Education, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Supervisor
Jan Sølberg, Associate Professor, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen