keyboard with STEM
Historically, the United States has emerged as a global leader in healthcare, economy, technology and national security due to the brilliance of its inventors, scientists and engineers.
The Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Education believe that in order for the United States to remain a global leader, our education system needs to focus on teaching in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
A federal, five-year Strategic Plan for STEM Education is now in progress through this agency to sustain and engage youth by providing an equal opportunity to STEM instruction for grades kindergarten through 12, undergraduate, and graduate students. The five strategies of this plan are:
- To provide specialized STEM training to existing and 100,000 new teachers by 2020.
- To increase the number of children who have STEM experience by 50% before high school graduation.
- To graduate one million more students with degrees in STEM fields over the next 10 years.
- To increase the participation of under-represented groups in STEM careers such as women and minorities.
- To improve graduate training in STEM fields according to national importance.
Locally, our public and private schools are working toward these goals. In addition to STEM curriculum, students in grades 3-5 can participate in regional math competitions, science fairs, LEGO engineering, and Hour of Code, where all elementary and select middle school students learn to write code for computer programs. Middle and high school students can achieve industry Microsoft Certification and participate in regional science and engineering fairs. High school students can enroll in engineering academies and advanced courses in math and science. All students can participate in STEM conferences and other STEM-related fairs.
Some local businesses and organizations are providing STEM-related extra-curricular opportunities as well.
The NAACP of Collier County, in collaboration with Florida Gulf Coast University, has organized STEM summer camps for youth to increase skills in math and familiarity with STEM-related fields by exposing minority and low-income students to practicing professionals and potential internship opportunities.
STEM education “is more than a school subject, ” President Obama once stated. “It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world...”The Collier and Lee County Libraries offer numerous free programs such as LEGO clubs and STEAM workshops that provide age appropriate learning activities throughout the year.
STEM education also can occur in the home. When shopping for toys, instead of focusing on “girl toys” or “boy toys”, look for puzzles, science experiments, and problem-solving games. Construction toys, such as LEGOs, are vital to building engineering skills for boys and girls alike. On weekends and vacations, families can visit C’MON and the Imaginarium in Fort Myers for exhibits that focus on hands-on learning. Learn about environmental science at places like the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Corkscrew Sanctuary, and Rookery Bay. Marine science is all around us in Southwest Florida and can be observed through free, guided beach walks at Barefoot Beach and eco-tours with organizations such as the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project.
STEM education “is more than a school subject, ” President Obama once stated. “It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world...”
Stacy Nicolau is the mother of 3 and the Assistant Publisher of Neapolitan Family magazine. Stacy frequently writes about educational topics.