Broadening Perspectives of STEM education: A new Conceptual Framework

This systematic review aimed to uncover the commonalities and divergences in the conceptualisations of STEM education from the literature to develop a framework that depicts how STEM education is framed in various national and global contexts. This study employed a qualitative desktop research methodology to examine the evolution of STEM conceptions over the past decade, focusing on its relevance to the 21st century. It utilised the triangle framing framework to emphasise the three axes of support, that is, the epistemological, psychological, and didactical dimensions. The research was systematically organised into three sequential phases to examine the body of peer-reviewed literature on STEM education. The initial phase involved the identification and retrieval of pertinent studies focused on conceptions of STEM education. This was succeeded by a thematic analysis to develop comprehensive syntheses of the literature. Finally, the synthesised findings were critically analysed to uncover new and nuanced ideas and concepts related to STEM education, pushing the boundaries of current understanding. The themes that emerged from the meta-analysis and synthesis of STEM conceptions were compartmentalised against multidisciplinary and integrated approaches, dominance of disciplines, extending the core disciplines in STEM, policies and practices of STEM education, integrated STEM education, epistemological considerations for STEM education, STEM for employability, and realigning assessment in STEM education. The structured framework, developed from the conceptions that emerged during the meta-analysis and synthesis, is essential for broadening the understanding of STEM education and it opens avenues for future research.