The value of a STEM education
Mastering STEM skills can create attributes and soft skills that will help children develop their future career paths. With STEM programming, students are provided opportunities to develop research questions and follow a process that will encourage them to investigate multiple perspectives and connect ideas to solve a problem.
Whether it is an Engineering Design Process, the Design-Thinking Process, or the Scientific Method, students will be afforded learning opportunities to collaborate with others; ask questions; demonstrate leadership and test ideas to reach a solution.
Popular tools to encourage STEM learning
An education in STEM provides a diverse and constantly evolving experience. Overall, the STEM landscape is expected to continue evolving, with new technologies and advancements creating opportunities for those with expertise in these areas.
Some of these include:
Coding and Software Apps: Coding software and apps are very popular in K-12 education. These tools can be used to learn coding skills and computational thinking.
Robotics: Robotics programs have also recently made an appearance in K-12 education. Robotics can be used to teach coding, engineering and problem-solving skills.
Virtual and Augmented Reality: Virtual and augmented reality technologies are used to create immersive learning experiences. These technologies allow students to explore virtual environments and interact with digital objects in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Many schools have begun to introduce STEM DIY kits and Maker Spaces within the school day to provide students with hands-on learning experiences. These kits can include materials for building and experimenting, such as circuits, sensors, processors and microcontrollers. Overall, the knowledge gained, and skills developed through STEM experiences will enable students to adapt to a changing world of education and work.
The United Nations have included STEM education and literacy as a key factor in accomplishing the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) laid out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Meanwhile, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations are projected to grow over two times faster than the total for all occupations in the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2019–29 employment projections show that occupations in the STEM field are expected to grow 8.0 percent by 2029, compared with 3.7 percent for all occupations.
Even though many STEM occupations are expected to enjoy faster than average employment growth in the 2019–29-decade, high demand for computer occupations is largely behind the expected increase in STEM employment in the next decade.
