Government policy and reports and the broader socio-political context shape the work of STEM teachers/leaders. You are required to provide an analysis of a minimum of two main policies/reports that influence the shape of STEM education. (One of the policies selected for analysis must be from another country). This might include STEM reports, International PISA and TIMMS reports, an ACOLA report, National Innovation and Science Agenda (Australia), OECD reports such as Engaging the future of STEM (2017), Towards 2020 Priorities for STEM education and careers in Europe, Asia: Promotion of STEM Education – Unleashing Potential in Innovation (2015).

The analysis will identify:

1. The history of the policy/report – so, how and why did it came into being?

2. Was it commissioned? By whom?

3. What assumptions underpin why the report/policy was commissioned/developed?

4. The values/beliefs that are privileged in the policy/report?

5. What is silenced in the text? (minority groups, funding, access to specialists)

6. Impact of the report/policy for your country and for your local context (school and regional setting).

7. Implementation - how the policy/reports connect or disconnect with the socio-political context within your country.

• Knowledge and understanding of the current policies and contexts for STEM education including the history, forces that call for change, impact and implementation.
• Evidence of analysis of a minimum of two main policies/reports including one international, which have influenced the emerging need for change.
• Identification and examination of the values privileged and what is silenced within the policies/ reports.
• Explore, identify and articulate emerging issues for leadership and resources that can address the chosen reports/polices’ intention in leadership in STEM education.
• Through the evaluation of these policies/reports, identification of suggestions or resources that would improve the future within STEM education.
• Demonstration of appropriate academic writing conventions including acknowledgement of information sources using APA 6th edition referencing conventions.
  

International studies, reports and policy texts confirm the importance of strong leadership for supporting the learning and development of students understanding of STEM, for promoting an organisational culture that supports a professional learning community and for the success of change agendas in education contexts. You are to conduct a ‘case study’ of a person or group of people who have led a successful change within your context or in another education setting. You need to provide a report of your case study identifying key insights and learnings about leadership and leading change. Your report needs to be informed by the relevant literature on leadership and STEM.

It may be important to evidence the claims in your report by documenting some of the processes used during the case study in order to write your report. These would be included as appendices.

• Knowledge and application of leadership theory to identify key features and challenges including organisational culture in STEM settings.
• Identification and examination of the enactment of leadership roles and responsibilities and the processes implemented to create a change.
• Identification and development of a collaborative community of learners and partnerships to accomplish the implementation of the change.
• Analyse and articulate key insights and learnings from the case study that inform future actions for the implementers in this case study and then the sector more broadly.
• Clear identification of legal and ethical issues relevant to the chosen case study and consideration of these issues in subsequent planning and implementation.
• Demonstration of appropriate academic writing conventions including acknowledgement of information sources using APA 6th edition referencing conventions.