In current efforts to promote and launch STEM education programs in schools, many educators and institutions sponsoring STEM education are taking a new approach in getting children access to this type of learning.
Although it is an age-old approach, one which you might have heard, it still does wonders is the creation of positive world change. I’m talking about teamwork. When it comes to STEM education, it’s about collaboration and bringing together the STEM disciplines in a way that is hands-on, applicable to the real world, and team-based. It’s about showing students how they can use their skills and knowledge from all academic disciplines to solve real life problems in creative ways.
STEM Education
Image: Kate Skegg via Flickr
Improving STEM education is also about partnerships and making use of our resources. A recent article, “STEM Education’s National Moment,” provided an excellent example of this. The National Science Foundation has a program called the K-12 Fellowship program where STEM graduate students collaborate with K-12 teachers, bringing leading STEM research into schools. These graduate students help teachers create lesson plans based on their field of study.
This is a genius idea. For one, it enriches STEM learning in K-12 schools by bring in the best, most recent research. This program also gives graduate students a chance to learn how to effectively communicate their work in ways that teacher and student audiences can understand.
In our effort to improve STEM education in the U.S, we must work like a team. That means pooling our skills together in creative, efficient yet effective ways. If we can combine our strengths, we will be well on our way to providing high quality STEM education for all students and giving them the greatest opportunities to achieve.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-esner/stem-education_b_2537460.html
Feature Image: David Reeves via Flickr
