STEM matters in schools because it builds the collaboration, problem-solving and digital skills students will need for jobs that don’t exist yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIn 2015, all Australian education ministers agreed to the\u00a0National STEM School Education Strategy 2016\u20132026<\/a>, which focuses on foundation skills, developing mathematical, scientific and digital literacy, and promoting problem solving, critical analysis and creative thinking skills. The strategy aims to coordinate current activities, and improve STEM education.<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/www.education.gov.au\/support-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Many countries appreciate the necessity to stimulate innovation and to prepare students for an uncertain future where half of the jobs they will be employed in do not even exist yet, using technologies that have not yet been invented. While this quote is often attributed to Richard Riley, Bill Clinton\u2019s Secretary of Education back in 2006, it is still true today, although some authors now believe we have upped the ante to about 65% of the future jobs have not been invented yet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do we, as educators address such a contention? We ned to “future proof” our students, hence the push for 21st century skills such as the 4Cs (Collaboration, Communication Creativity and Critical thinking). We need to prepare our students for an uncertain future by equipping them with the skills to adapt to change and to work together to solve problems and find solutions to global issues through creativity and invention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many countries, therefore, have tasked educators to highlight the learning areas of STEM. It is through using pedagogical approaches such as inquiry learning or project-based learning. These pedagogies are found in many of the STEM challenges that pervade the Internet ready for teacher download for their class. However, as teachers, we need to scrutinise, as always, what we are downloading to use with our children. Simply “doing” a STEM activity will not necessarily enhance their 21st-century skills or develop their STEM knowledge or skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why STEM Matters in Schools \u2014 What Good STEM Activities Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In order to be productive and educative, STEM activities need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- provide for a “hands-on” inquiry pedagogical approach to solve an authentic problem;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- provide opportunities for collaborative work (small groups) and communication;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- provide practice in the design\/engineering process;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- provide a rigorous scaffolded application of Maths\/Science principles and concepts; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- provide a climate where mistakes are welcomed and lead to further learning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STEM matters in schools because it builds the collaboration, problem-solving and digital skills students will need for jobs that don’t exist yet. In 2015, all Australian education ministers agreed to the\u00a0National STEM School Education Strategy 2016\u20132026, which focuses on foundation skills, developing mathematical, scientific and digital literacy, and promoting problem solving, critical analysis and creative … Continue reading “The push for STEM”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[44,47,43,46,27,26,45],"class_list":["post-105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-steam","tag-engineering","tag-future-proof","tag-maths","tag-science","tag-steam","tag-stem","tag-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t