Another “M” for STEM? Moral Considerations for Advancing STEM Literacy

Abstract

Although workforce readiness is often cited as the primary rationale for STEM education, a broader view of scientific literacy, one that envisions students as members of an informed citizenry able to reason thoughtfully and ethically through increasingly complex STEM issues, seems warranted. To that end, this position paper advances the argument that STEM, particularly with the incorporation of engineering in the Next Generation Science Standards (U.S.), must serve as a context for moral development by expanding student argumentation and discourse to include the moral and ethical consequences of STEM decision making. In addition, STEM is positioned as an ideal domain for inclusivity, capable of advancing a more just and equitable society through broader engagement and participation. To illustrate how these visions might be realized in the classroom, the author transforms a typical STEM lesson into a “moral” STEM lesson through the incorporation of two curricular frameworks, Socioscientific Issues (SSI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate the manner in which STEM content and practices can be preserved and enhanced while widening curricular objectives to include the development of an informed, reflective, and inclusive STEM-literate citizenry.