STEM Deserves an F: The Role of Foundations of Education in the UTEACH Model of Teacher Preparation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/ce.v8i15.186247Keywords:
Social Foundations, STEM, DemocracyAbstract
The relative position of the social foundational studies of education (SFE) within the overall curriculum of teacher preparation has been tenuous for decades. Within the last several years, the confluence of three streams of pressure have undermined the inclusion of SFE courses within such curricula. These include, the perceived lack of direct applicability to the tasks of teaching, the rapidly rising costs of higher education, and political disillusionment. This paper explores each of the streams of resistance to SFE courses within teacher preparation. This exploration culminates in an examination of the latest incarnation of SFE-free teacher preparation programs, the UTeach model for preparing in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Only two of the 39 reviewed UTeach replication programs required the inclusion of SFE courses for prospective STEM teachers. The paper concludes with a discussion of importance of including SFE coursework in the preparation of STEM teachers.
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with Critical Education agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).