Sociocultural Approaches to Stem Education: An Iscar International Collective Issue

This book is a contribution to the sociocultural approaches to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. It offers a new interpreting theoretical framework coming from the Cultural Historical Psychology. The authors highlight some serious elements of the sociocultural context that mediates learning on STEM or with STEM adds. The book brings together the work of researchers interested in developmental psychology and childhood, with a special focus on using Activity theory and Cultural-historical research approach to unite these two opposing approaches to the study of children. The authors reconsider our relationship and experiencing with technology. It moves the attention from the pure instrumental aspect of technology to a deep human and societal approach. Moreover, the book focuses on the issue of teachers' continuing education in both formal and informal settings is being seen under a sequential system of expansive cycles and the key role of contradictions in transformative educational settings.

Katerina Plakitsi is a full professor of Science Education and member of the Governing Board at the University of Ioannina. She is ISCAR President and co-founder of the ISCAR-STEM section. She is journal editor, principal investigator and director of a master's program working on Formal and Informal Science/Environmental Education and Cultural Historical Activity Theory for Sustainability.

Sylvie Barma is a full professor of Science Education at Laval University. Her experience as a practitioner and curriculum writer is put to use in her research. She is co-founder of the ISCAR-STEM section. Her research interests are: Expansive learning theory and the Change Laboratory methodology, addressing socio scientific issues in the science class and collaborative problem solving.