The Future of STEM: Socioecological STEM Education

The STEM Education movement started in the United States to enhance quantitative and computational literacy, motivate students to pursue STEM careers, and increase the ability to compete globally. The movement has influenced the teaching and learning of STEM disciplines. Despite the focus on broadening participation in STEM, the context of STEM activities remains detached from students’ cultural backgrounds and family practices. Socioecological approaches have the potential to broaden participation in STEM by de-centering the individual to one that is eco-centric, focusing on relationships among people and between people and nature. We share an example of a STEM socioecological activity with U.S. preschool and nine-year-old students. We argue that the future of STEM education focuses on curriculum reform that positions students’ cultural backgrounds and family practices as a legitimate way of engaging in STEM, and in working collaboratively on local or global challenges affecting students’ communities.