STEM Education and the Factors That Make It a Preferred Choice
Education systems have witnessed a significant transformation in the recent years. Nowadays, education is not just confined to a particular subject, but focuses on the integration of diverse subjects.
What is STEM education?
STEM is an acronym, which can be expanded into the following main elements:
- S stands for science, which implies studying the natural world.
- T stands for technology, which relates to products made by humans for satisfaction of various needs and requirements.
- E stands for engineering which denotes the design processes used in problem solving.
- M stands for Math which implies the study of quantities, shapes and numbers.
STEM education hence focuses on grouping diverse subject areas and developing a scientific and mathematical understanding of concepts. It integrates concepts from diverse subjects and focuses on the practical application of the knowledge obtained. The stem education curriculum is designed in a way that it acts as a base for developing creative and investigative skills, teamwork and reasoning.
The system of education exposes students to opportunities related in the field of STEM. A variation of the STEM system called STEAM, which also incorporates design and art is increasingly becoming popular.
STEM related fields offer a host of career opportunities. Students can explore career avenues in the fields of engineering, programming, energy, pharmacy, agriculture, communication, teaching, athletic training, risk analysis, finance and many more. The integration of various subjects in stem learning prepares students to take up jobs in a number of diverse fields.
Characteristics of STEM education
The stem education system consists of the following main characteristics:
Focus on the real world problems
STEM curriculum focuses on finding solutions for real world issues. It addresses a number of environmental, economic and social issues. It hence marks a shift from theoretical knowledge and takes into consideration various types of issues faced in our daily lives.
Engineering design process
EDP or engineering design process focuses on identifying problems and then creating customized solutions for the same. The solutions are found by researching to develop multiple solutions. Prototypes of the solutions are designed, tested and evaluated. The prototypes may subsequently be redesigned if they fail to offer a feasible solution to the problem.
Inquiry and exploration
STEM adopts an open ended learning process where students are encouraged to explore solutions by inquiry and investigation. This aspect ensures innovative and accurate solutions to various kinds of challenges.
Teamwork
STEM emphasizes on team work and encourages students to develop solutions by pooling in their ideas, investigations and solutions. These are effectively communicated to arrive at feasible solutions.
Integration of Math and Science
STEM integrates the concepts of math and science. The collaboration is used to design plans for attainment of objectives and for finding solutions to problems. The concepts are also used to design new and innovative products.
STEM education is a modern concept which is becoming popular due to its comprehensive nature. STEM can help students in career advancement.
If you are looking to incorporate STEM education in your curriculum, contact Paxton/Patterson. They are experts in providing high quality STEM education supplies across various parts of the United States.