Theorising the possibilities of stem education in the 21st century

Abstract

Significant socio-economic transitions are characterised by a rise in change when, from one generation to the next, people work and live differently than they used to and, daily life becomes radically different (Miller, 2001). These transitions are induced by different inventions, leading to major changes in how people live and relate with one another. The first industrial revolution recorded the introduction of the steam engine which transformed industries, while the second revolution was associated with the use of electricity to operate new technologies for manufacturing. This era was based on combustion engines and, the development of transport, communications and high-tech industries. This was followed by the third revolution which saw a shift from a society based on conventional fossil fuel to one based on renewable energy. This revolution is widely known to have being inspired by information technology. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the fourth industrial revolution has been in progress and it presents the possibilities of unprecedented inventions and emerging breakthroughs in technology (Gordon, 2016; Lee et al. 2018; Aggarwal, 2019).