ERIC Number: EJ1116392
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Oct
Pages: 30
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0951-5224
EISSN: N/A
Universities Conducting STEM Outreach: A Conceptual Framework
Eilam, Efrat; Bigger, Stephen W.; Sadler, Kirsten; Barry, Fiachra; Bielik, Tom
Higher Education Quarterly, v70 n4 p419-448 Oct 2016
This paper addresses the positioning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach programmes within universities' operations. Though universities in many respects form a rather homogenous international community, there is wide diversity in regard to the provision of STEM outreach by different institutions. To explain this diversity, a conceptual framework was developed by using the Theory of Legitimacy as an organising concept. The framework considers two opposing scenarios that form a continuum between them, namely: "top-down" initiative by the university governance "versus" "bottom-up" grass-roots initiative. Using the Theory of Legitimacy, internal and external outreach relationships are characterised and explained under the two scenarios. The framework was applied to two settings chosen due to their essential differences in outreach provision, namely, Australia and Israel. The differences that were found in internal and external legitimacy provide a useful lens for examining the low-performing, fragile system in Australia as compared with the high-performing, thriving system in Israel.
Descriptors: STEM Education, Higher Education, Outreach Programs, Foreign Countries, Theories, Governance, Cross Cultural Studies, Cultural Differences
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia; Israel
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A