SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE OF LAGUNA

OLD NATIONAL ROAD, CITY OF BIÑAN, LAGUNA

Critical Review of a Research Article

STEM 2026: A Vision for Innovation in STEM Education

Tanenbaum’s report entitled “A Vision for Innovation in STEM Education” was published in the Office of

Innovation and Improvement under the Unite States (UN) Department of Education 2016 elucidates the

strategies and factors in promoting diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

(STEM). For years, the implicit bias and stereotypes of STEM limits specific individuals from full

participation and engagement in that strand hence it is important to counter stereotypes and reduce biases as

well as change its image and access the quality education of STEM among all members of society. STEM

2026 aims to encourage diversity in STEM opportunities and careers by means of increasing awareness of

unconscious bias and stereotypes, encouraging collaboration between producers and STEM professionals to

achieve accurate STEM-themed presentations, and engaging actively with the factors that portray STEM

such as mass media and toy production.

The article explicates the source of STEM bias such as mass media, toys, games, popular films, and movies

as well as the countermeasures. Stem 2026 aspires to reduce the prejudice and gap in STEM strands by

altering the negative perspective established in the education system as well as the practices of society and

the environment (Handelsman and Sakraney, 2015). In fact, according to Mercier and Carlone (2022),

evidence-based research, practices, and strategies have been emerging to promote STEM strand and

professions that target children to produce more innovative and competent STEM identities. For instance,

schools promote activities like playing with gender-neutral toys like Legos and robots as well as

programming while students who participate in robotics competitions develop technical and social skills

vital for STEM careers (Ofgang, 2021).

The language of the article seems to be understandable and there are various pieces of literature used to

support the author’s claims however, the writer feels that statistical data should be included in this portion of

the report especially regarding STEM students, graduates, and professions in relation with gender, sexuality,

race, ethnicity, and financial status as well as persons with disabilities. Regarding the alteration of the
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 SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE OF LAGUNA
OLD NATIONAL ROAD, CITY OF BIÑAN, LAGUNA

misconception of STEM image and promoting diversity, the article focuses on producing accurate STEM-

themed popular media and toys by having media, toy developers and retailers collaborate with professional

STEM graduates, but the writer feels that the author should also include more literature on solving the

implicit bias in educational policies, practices, structures, and institutions. In fact, according to Dalal (2021),

a study shows that teachers with established perspectives affect the diversity in STEM, specifically,

engineering in the framework of social culture. The unconscious bias is still prevalent in STEM which

impacts the underrepresented portions such as women, underrepresented minorities, people with disabilities,

and others (Ormand, 2018). Nevertheless, the article is accurate, articulate, and fair, presenting different

reliable literature coherent with the obstacles of STEM perception and the solutions proposed. The writer

does not see any hidden agenda in the report since Tanenbaum tends to be as objective as possible as she

used multiple published works and literary texts to present the prevailing implicit bias as well as the

promotion of diversity in STEM.

Overall, the writer agrees with the author that altering the bias in STEM image is a must, especially for

young children and adolescents who are at the age of forming their understanding of their role and place in

society. Currently, the underrepresented group in society is put in the spotlight due to the ‘Covid19

pandemic and the social justice movements of 2020 and 2021’ whereas students from marginalized

communities experience limited access to educational resources and discrimination hence The National

Alliance Partnership for Equity (NAPE) highlights providing equity education to students to ensure quality

education and resources that secure opportunities and career paths (Sharp-Grier, 2022). The writer also

agrees with the author’s proposal of producing accurate STEM-themed media, toys, and films to engage

children in STEM-related roles and identities since these factors are their first contact with ‘societal and

cultural images’ aside from their homes. Evidently, the writer finds the report relevant since Tanenbaum

presents a solution to one of the most significant issues related to the unequal statistics of STEM students

and professionals which inherently affects the career choice and dreams of the future generation. Thus, the

writer would recommend this article to fellow students and researchers whose interests lie in the same topic.

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OLD NATIONAL ROAD, CITY OF BIÑAN, LAGUNA

The article simply tells the significance of reducing stereotypes and biases in components that project STEM

image among society by spreading awareness regarding STEM bias and advocating partnership between

producers and STEM experts as well as promoting STEM-inspired outputs. The writer rates the report as

Beyond Expectation since the author was able to concisely present the information in an organized and

cohesive manner where she expounds on the idea of implicit bias in STEM along with proposed solutions

that are supported by published literary works.

References:

Dalal, M. (2021, January 24). ASEE PEER - Stereotypes and Implicit Biases in Engineering: Will Students

Need to “Whistle Vivaldi”? ASEE PEER. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://peer.asee.org/stereotypes-

and-implicit-biases-in-engineering-will-students-need-to-whistle-vivaldi

Mercier, A., & Carlone, H. (2022). Science isn’t for me, or is it? Integrating STEM for Equity through

Environmental Problems. Science and Children, 45(4) 29. Retrieved April 2, 2022 from

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A697279170/EAIM?u=phsmcl&sid=bookmarkEAIM&xid=447697a2

Ofgang, E. (2021). HOW TEACHING ROBOTICS FOSTERS TECH AND SOFT SKILLS: Students who

compete in robotics competitions learn STEM skills, but equally important are the social skills they

gather. Tech & Learning, 15+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A682702740/GPS?u=phsmcl&sid=bookmark-

GPS&xid=2f98b9a4

Sharp-Grier, M. L. (2022, February). CHANGEMAKERS FOR EQUITY: CTE teachers examine

unconscious bias through micromessaging. Techniques, 97(1), 28+.

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A696234492/GPS?u=phsmcl&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=45693698

Ormand, C. (2018, November 8). SAGE Musings: Implicit Bias in STEM. SAGE Musings. Retrieved April

6, 2022, from https://serc.carleton.edu/sage2yc/musings/implicit_bias.html#:%7E:text=Extensive

%20research%20has%20documented%20that,of%20us%20who%20belong%20to

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