Acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), previously known as SMET, was used for the first time by the biologist Judith. A. Ramaley and describes a new educational approach. It combines technology and engineering advances with science and mathematics to explain the laws of the universe and develop practical skills of young generations to make then prepared for increasing global competitiveness. STEM was designed to improve the quality of education and facilitate access to it.
This education method aims to foster critical thinking, provides tips for better processing of facts and information, and focuses on solving problems by offering innovative approaches. STEM encourages children and students to answer questions and develop hard and soft skills to become more competitive in the labor market.
During the last decades of science development, we witnessed an unprecedented technological breakthrough. Nowadays, technology is present in any sphere of our everyday life. It’s essential to understand how it works and be involved in the fast-developing industry. That’s why it’s critical to start acting now and choose STEM careers. According to recent studies, 58% of current students under 25 are studying careers that will be automized in the nearest future. At the same time, the STEM job offer is raising 17%.
The knowledge gap between children from different countries is impressive. To increase the performance and guarantee progressive development, the governments in developed countries invest considerable funds in STEM education’s pioneering initiative. The contemporary world requires an innovative way of thinking and an open-minded mentality, along with a persistent desire to achieve new goals. STEM education favors gender and ethnic equality. It’s essential to establish healthy social relations and move forward. It broadens the horizon of our minds, teaches us to be creative, and develops imagination.
STEM education encourages students to lose fear and stimulates to experiment.
Risk and thirst for experimentation always guide STEM students toward discoveries and advances. Many of the great inventor’s ideas were considered crazy and impracticable. Nevertheless, they stubbornly went toward the goal, proving to themselves the correctness of their judgments. Students who from childhood learned to think outside the usual framework have no limits and consider each intention as a step to success and not a failure.
STEM education techniques teach to apply in practice acquired knowledge.
It’s essential to know how and when to use the theoretical knowledge we received during the learning process. STEM method shows us to utilize immediately acquired skills that consequently motivates us to continue studying and discovering new material. There is nothing more demotivating than analyzing vast amounts of information and never putting them into practice. Such disciplines seem unnecessary and merely outdated. However, their importance should not be underestimated. STEM sets itself the task of the immediate practical application of the acquired knowledge to assimilate and memorize them as soon as possible.
STEM promotes teamwork and time management.
Working as a team makes it easier and faster to find solutions to problems, analyze data, edit reports, and make presentations. STEM education encourages students with different skill levels and abilities to get together, brainstorm, and solve problems. This practice is widely used in many companies, so students who studied in a similar environment will be psychologically and emotionally prepared, and professionally grounded to work in a team.
STEM stimulates the imagination and fosters creativity.
This educational approach claims that if the human mind can conceive an idea/concept, there are sufficient resources to make it a reality. Ingenuity and creativity are the best companions on the way to technological advances. STEM teaches us that there are no limits to imagination.
STEM builds character.
STEM methodic professors teach the students that failure is a must learning exercise. Without faults, there is no active learning process. Students educated in an environment where the fall down doesn’t provoke ridicule or judgment, feel more confident, ready to work, and experiment until completing the task. This feature of character is indispensable and is cherished by every employer.
STEM education motivates the use of tech products.
New inventions and technologies often provoke curiosity bordering on fear. When you are dealing with technology since childhood, you feel familiar, trying new gadgets, using products, and new applications. Have you ever noticed that children are elementary to handle any device without reading manuals, they don’t have social imposed fears of judgment or misunderstanding. The only goal they pursue is to get to the point and understand how it works. They face challenges and win.
STEM teaches to accept the situation and adapt to the circumstances.
To succeed in work and life, one must be able to face challenges with calm and wisdom. Plans do not always follow the very best scenario, but this is not a reason to give up and panic. You missed the deadline for your assignment – talk to the professor and explain the situation; can’t find the right words for your essay – turn to DoMyEssay essay writers for help; can’t attend a lecture – ask your classmate to record it, etc. Adherents of the STEM method teach students to face challenges by looking at solutions. They encourage not to limit with one option but to search for different possibilities, and train to exercise multiple tasks. In this way, they prepare high-quality specialists who are ready to work under pressure and constant deadlines, and, simultaneously, sensibly and rationally solve the task.
Ultimately, the job market is changing, and we can notice these transformations. Routine manual jobs turn to automation, and current typical jobs tend to transform; meanwhile, new specialties are surging. 75% of new positions will require STEM skills, and 95% will need digital skills in the next 2 to 5 years. The demand for high-tech specialties is growing every day, and, unfortunately, there is still a shortage of qualified personnel. To improve the situation, the US government creates and promotes programs that aim to integrate traditional educational methods and STEM.
We presented you unbiassed look at the advantages and benefits of STEM education, being confident that someone may find this method prejudicial and contra-productive. Anyway, the decision is up to you.
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