“Education at all levels in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—STEM—develops, preserves, and disseminates knowledge and skills that convey personal, economic, and social benefits. Higher education provides the advanced work skills needed in an increasingly knowledge-intensive, innovation-focused economy and society.” – National Science Foundation
STEM education, focusing on the four disciplines of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics, allow the subjects to be taught as a
united, real world model. While the United States has overwhelmingly been a
leader in the STEM fields, lately fewer and fewer students are choosing these
careers. While 28% of high school freshman declare an interest in STEM-related
fields, 57% of these students will lose that interest before graduating high
school.
The lack of inspiration and motivation necessary for
students to succeed in STEM subjects is directly related to inadequate numbers
of qualified teachers in the classroom. The Obama and Trump Administrations
have made specific grants to be accessed by educators to enhance and support
STEM learning. Tapping into these grants to develop more engaging, invigorating
science education benefits students and their future career choices.
STEM diverges from conventional science and mathematics teachings
by showing students how they can apply the scientific method and scientific themes
to everyday life, using STEM as a tool for understanding their world. Developing critical thinking and
problem-solving skills that begin at a very early age is lacking. Much of STEM
education focuses on early education and the underrepresented populations in
the STEM fields. Introducing STEM courses, raising awareness of the STEM
occupations and fields, and igniting interested in pursuit of science are the
fundamental objectives of STEM studies.
The representation gap within STEM fields is ever
increasing. Male students are 3 times as likely to pursue a STEM career than
female students. Within STEM graduates, male students are more likely to pursue
engineering and technology fields while female students prefer the science
fields of chemistry and biology. Looking further into the demographics of STEM
fields, we see racial sparsity within career choices. Asian students have
displayed the highest interested in STEM fields, where African American
students have continuously dropped interest from being the most to least
interested demographic. Work is needed by educators to ensure STEM fluency is habituated,
regardless of students’ background, by delivering a quality learning
environment to each child’s zip code.
STEM careers are of the most value, each focusing on
applying scientific principals and problem solving. STEM related jobs grew three times as quickly
as non-STEM positions from 2000 to 2010. STEM careers are shown to be better
paid, and more plentiful than many other careers. While the average salary in
the United States is around $43,000, STEM occupations earn more than 12-30%
across all education levels. Research shows that around 72-75% of STEM
employees hold at least a bachelor’s degree. For each graduate with a STEM
degree there are 1.73 jobs for each individual, compared to non-STEM occupations
in which 4 individuals are competing for each job. Even so, many who hold STEM
degrees work in other fields due to their competency. STEM degrees are in much
higher demand, showing to be more competent in complex problem solving,
troubleshooting, and reasoning.
Recent studies show that when high schools make additional
science and mathematics courses available, there was no impact in the rate of
which students declare a STEM college major. Teaching in traditional styles lack
the effect of an invigorating educational experience. It is necessary for
students to be engaged in STEM education to begat success. Hands-on science enrichment
allows students to have a glimpse into what an exciting STEM career would
emulate, simulating the rewarding future in the STEM fields.
High Touch High Tech was founded in 1994, long before the term “STEM” was popularized. We provide a hands-on science experience at a young age, supporting teachers in developing future STEM graduates. Today’s youth is being under served in STEM, lacking the full circle, real world implications that science supports and develops. High Touch High Tech programs reach over 16 million students annually, granting a discovery in young minds that will change the world.
Sources Cited:
Hom, E. “What is STEM Education?” Live Science, February
2014. Retrieved from: https://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html
Smithsonian Science Education Institute. “The STEM
Imperative.” STEMvisions, 2019. Retrieved from: https://ssec.si.edu/stem-imperative
Sawchuk, S. “Is STEM Oversold as a Path to Better Jobs?”
Education Week, May 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/05/23/is-stem-oversold-as-a-path-to.html
Today’s students are tomorrow’s pioneers. Occupations in STEM-related professions are probably the quickest developing and best paid of the 21st century, and they frequently have the best potential for work development. The most ideal approach to guarantee future achievement and life span is to ensure that the students are well versed in these subjects.
Building a strong STEM Foundation through a balanced educational plan is the most ideal approach to guarantee that understudies are presented to math, science, and innovation all through their instructive profession. “If we want a society and culture that work for everyone, we need innovation in our relationships along with innovation in the STEM fields and STEM education”. The craze for STEM Learning has now significantly increased in young students. The universities are coming up with various STEM Learning Programs in collaboration with other institutions & researchers.
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