Strategic Plan to Develop Student Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Related Careers
Success in K-12 math and science classes has a direct effect on student’s decision to pursue careers in engineering and technology. In a recent International assessment conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) there were some unacceptable statistics released about the United States schools. The results of this latest research place the United States 25th out of 30 OECD countries in math achievement among 15-year-olds and 21st in science achievement (Nagel, 2007). Without adequate preparation American students will not develop the skills or interest necessary to fill existing and developing technical jobs. In a world constantly being changed by technological advancements it is imperative that American students develop interest in STEM related careers. In an effort to peak student interest in these fields this literature review addresses the following questions:
1. What factors in our public schools have contributed to students lack of interest in STEM fields?
2. What MI Strategies can be created to create interest in STEM disciplines?
What Factors in our Public Schools Have Contributed to Students Lack of Interest in STEM Related Fields?
In the United States there has been a tremendous decline in interest in the fields of engineering and technology. This decline is a result of lack of student interest in math and science. The current lack of interest can be contributed to two key factors: 1) The United States has a poor math and science curriculum and 2) Lack of qualified math and science teachers. America’s competitive edge in the global economy, the strength and versatility of its labor force, its capacity to nourish research and innovation – all are increasingly dependent on an education system capable of producing a steady supply of young people well prepared in science and mathematics (USELDC, 2005).
With wonderful learning opportunities, a team of sharp and intelligent classmates and teachers, and specialized equipment, the Governor’s School at Innovation Park is the ultimate dream of all determined math/science devotees. With my natural curiosity for mathematics and science and eagerness to take on challenging ideas, I can collaborate with the team at Governor’s School to develop our wide spectrum of ideas and abilities into a highly sophisticated product.
Career and technical education courses are intended to prepare high school students to enter the work force in a skilled trade. It equips the students with the experience and education necessary to succeed in an average skill level job while maintaining the student’s interest. In an article that focuses on an aviation CTE program, a “senior policy analyst at the Morrison Institute, said that Career and Technical Education provides another opportunity for students who struggle in high school.” The assumption is that students who struggle in high school presumably do not want another four years of education to attain a bachelor’s degree. Until recently, schools have been excessively geared towards college readiness. The dogma was elementary school, high school, college, without exception. With this “one size fits all” education system in place, a different education course had to evolve. CTE courses offer a break from the tedious grind by introducing career readiness as an alternative. In place of the four years in a college, CTE programs gives student...
United States. National Center for Education Statistics. Long-Term Trends in Student Science Performance. Sep. 1998. Web. 2 May 2009. .
STEM is significant to our society, we need jobs not only to compete globally, but to also fix the important problems of the world. Technology is pervasive in almost every aspect of daily life, and as the workplace changes, STEM knowledge and skills grow in importance for a variety of workers (not just for mathematicians and scientists) (Traurig par. 6). If corporations increase female participation in the future, not only will it increase more genders and diversity to work in the corporation, but it will also help solve the important problems of the world because of all the minds that are working together. STEM is the future for this next generation as technology use is on the rise and more problems occur day by day. Remember when turning on the TV to show your daughter the commercials, that one commercial you showed can be the difference between her being interested in STEM or
Steen, Lynn Arthur . "Integrating School Science and Mathematics: Fad or Folly?." St. Olaf College. (1999): n. page. Web. 12 Dec. 2013..
One of the biggest factors is poverty is a huge factor in education when students can’t afford to get out of the broken public school system they can’t get most jobs because nowadays you need some sort of degree in order to make enough money to get out of poverty. The parents know this and believe that without a good education they’re kids will be stuck in poverty.
The lack of fundings for schools plays a huge factor in children 's education. In my
Unfortunately, this shift in focus has caused the overall high school experience to stray away from its intended purpose. If students are not prepared for their career, what purpose does a high school education have? If High Schools inserted more elective course opportunities into their standard set of curriculum, it would further prepare students for the career of their choice, allow them to truly master a subject, build their confidence, and refine their talents so that they may grow and succeed in their future occupations. Schools currently have a required curriculum, that limits a student's personal choice, by forcing him or her to take classes that are not suited to their aspirations. Typically, the standard material for most schools consists of mainly the "core" classes, like English, math, and science.
STEM is best known as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM for many years has been primarily seen as and stereotyped into a masculine work field. But as of recent years, while it expands, more and more women have been rising in these fields. However, there is still a tremendous gender gap between men and women in these fields and areas of work. The gender gap between men and women in STEM is alive and well. There is no denying that the gender gap between men and women in STEM is immense. But there instead are many sufficient reasons as to why there is such a huge gap between men and women within in fields. Some probable causes for the lack of women seen in these areas are biased towards women, unconscious bias girls receive
Public understanding of science is considered to be one of the most important issues facing educators in today’s technological world. It is see...
With this promise came serious concerns over education taught students ranked 28th in the United States out of 40 other countries in Mathematics and Sciences. 80% of occupations depend on knowledge of Mathematics and Science (Week and Obama 2009). In order to ensure that educators have enough money to fund the endeavor to be more competitive with the rest of the world in Mathematics and Science, President Obama will increase federal spending in education with an additional 18 billion dollars in k-12 classrooms, guaranteeing educators have the teachers, technology, and professional development to attain highly quali...
As a secondary subject, society often views mathematics a critical subject for students to learn in order to be successful. Often times, mathematics serves as a gatekeeper for higher learning and certain specific careers. Since the times of Plato, “mathematics was virtually the first thing everyone has to learn…common to all arts, science, and forms of thought” (Stinson, 2004). Plato argued that all students should learn arithmetic; the advanced mathematics was reserved for those that would serve as the “philosopher guardians” of the city (Stinson, 2004). By the 1900s in the United States, mathematics found itself as a cornerstone of curriculum for students. National reports throughout the 20th Century solidified the importance of mathematics in the success of our nation and its students (Stinson, 2004). As a mathematics teacher, my role to educate all students in mathematics is an important one. My personal philosophy of mathematics education – including the optimal learning environment and best practices teaching strategies – motivates my teaching strategies in my personal classroom.
Does constructivist teaching have an effect on high school students’ engagement in the science classroom?
In high school, I was sort of a science wiz; most of my peers would rely on me for answers to the question on homework assignments. Science came natural to me; however, that wasn’t always my strongest subject. In fact, while I was in middle school, I hated science and could not understand anything about the subject. I also constantly achieved no higher than a 40 on my science quizzes in 5th ...
Public education has been for granted and later on in life young people become affected by it. Some of the youths were not taught about the majority of the knowledge that they will need to apply in the real world, which began to hold them back when they go out in the world to find a proper job. There are not enough teachers out there that are willing to go the extra mile for the youths in making sure that they are receiving the knowledge needed to take the higher and become successful. The punishments that teachers throw at the youths when they misbehave in school are a part of the reason why most of the students are falling behind. We need a stronger public system and less mistreatment in the system. We also need more interesting lessons that relate to the outside world. That way the youths will be more focused on school and will be able to find a proper job. The public education has become