HI Judith and all
Maybe.. but there's definitely something very odd about the acronym
in question containing reference to both engineering and technology
as it is surely the case that engineering is a branch of technology.
There are lots of things, like agriculture, which are undoubtedly
technologies, rather than sciences, but which aren't branches of
engineering.
So why does engineering get counted twice? is it just that it
provides a convenient initial vowel and so converts a clumsy
abbreviation into a pronounceable acronym or is there some more
profound reason?
Also does anyone know which side of the Atlantic 'STEM' was coined?
is it a US import, or have we wished it on Uncle Sam?
Cheers
Richard.
Richard Ellam
L M Interactive
Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff
[log in to unmask]
On 7 Oct 2010, at 09:19, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Agree, of course, that blanket terms 'science' and 'the sciences'
> are useful, just making a plea for more precicion where poss.
>
> If STEM is useful to professionals, also, great. Just don't imagine
> it means anything useful (anything at all!) to the general public.
>
> Interesting you say engineering could be subsumed by technology.
> Wouldn't it be the other way round?
>
> Jb
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Ellam
> Sent: 06/10/2010, 18:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] STEM education has little to do with broccoli
>
>
>
> Hi Judith (and all)
>
> While I understand where you are coming from, and entirely take your
> point that journalists are lazy about the use of the word 'scientist'
> I don't think its patronising to want to have a general term to
> describe what we do.
>
> The problem that I face is that in my work, presenting science shows,
> I cover a range of disciplines, including physics, chemistry and
> engineering, as well as philosophy and the history of science. That's
> quite a mouthful, and gabbling that lot off every time someone asks
> what I do make me sound like a pretentious, pedantic twit.
>
> So its better to say I do science shows, even if I'd agree with you
> that some of the stuff I talk about shouldn't really be called
> science. I also work with primary schools - they don't 'do' physics
> and chemistry, and ... They 'do' 'science', and they have 'science
> coordinators' who lead the teaching of 'science'.
>
> The reason we need something like 'STEM' to cover the range of
> subjects we talk about is that there isn't really any existing
> collective term that covers 'the sciences' plus engineering and other
> technologies, and mathematics. By comparison painting and opera and
> sculpture and literature and dance not to mention music and
> (sometimes) cinema, arguably equally as diverse a group of subjects
> as those covered by 'STEM' are quite happy to be subsumed under the
> collective banner of 'the arts'.
>
> Perhaps because scientists (and the rest) are more given to demanding
> accuracy in the use of language all attempts to subsume mathematics
> and engineering and technology within a grouping known as 'the
> sciences' meet with resistance, so that's why we need a term like
> 'STEM'.
>
> Its interesting to ask why if the 'T' stands for technology, which
> surely subsumes engineering within it, the engineers get their own
> letter 'E' as well, and so get counted twice. I suspect the reason is
> that if you want make a pronounceable acronym it needs at least one
> vowel, and this is most conveniently obtained from the engineers!
>
> So, yes we do need 'STEM' or something like it, unless you want to
> try and persuade engineers and mathematicians that they are really
> scientists
> (good luck!), and as acronyms go its not too bad, and I think that
> its now quite well understood here in the UK, even if the Americans
> get confused by it, poor dears.
>
> Cheers
>
>
>
> Richard Ellam
> L M Interactive
> Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
> On 6 Oct 2010, at 13:16, Judith Bunting wrote:
>
>>
>> Hear hear.
>>
>> Has long stuck me that one problem with 'science' education, is
>> that such a variety of interesting stuff is lumped under a single
>> word. What's wrong with talking about biology, chemistry, and good
>> old physics? Not to mention biochemistry, metallurgy, pure
>> mathematics etc etc. If we read about an artist, they're unlikely
>> to write plays.
>>
>> Correct titles for experts are informative, and yet journalists
>> often simply term experts 'a scientist', or say that 'scientists
>> report'. It's wasteful, lazy and doing the myriad glorious subjects
>> we all care about, no favours whatsoever.
>>
>> Are we so patronising we don't think anyone outside will appreciate
>> the difference between different disciplines?
>>
>> 'STEM' is just another step in the same horrible, reductionist,
>> direction.
>>
>>
>> Judith
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Judith Bunting
>> 07914 835 073
>>
>>
>> From: Phillip Kent <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Sent: Wednesday, 6 October, 2010 12:49:31
>> Subject: [PSCI-COM] STEM education has little to do with broccoli
>>
>> I enjoyed reading this piece in the New York Times which expressed
>> some
>> of my own frustrations with the 'whole STEM thing' ....
>>
>> STEM Education Has Little to Do With Flowers
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/science/05angier.html
>>
>> <quote>
>> According to survey results released last month by the nonprofit
>> group
>> Entertainment Industries Council, when some 5,000 participants were
>> asked whether they understood the term “STEM education,” 86 percent
>> said
>> no. “They said it made them think of stem cells, branches, leaves and
>> broccoli stems,” said Brian Dyak, the group’s president. “I have no
>> clue
>> on that last one.” Clearly, he added, “we have a branding issue
>> here.”
>> </quote>
>>
>>
>>
>> ++++++
>> Dr Phillip Kent, London, UK
>> mathematics education technology research
>> [log in to unmask] mobile: 07950 952034
>> www.phillipkent.net
>> ++++++
>> "Anything can happen in the next half-hour"
>>
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