Baseline STEM Description

Recording Link: Here

690: Reflective Blogpost 1

1) How would you describe STEM education to a friend or family member in informal conversation?

When I speak to people about STEM education, my goal is to dispel the idea that it is a contemporary “buzzword”. Many people’s first impressions of the term “STEM” is that it was born out of a bureaucratic process like NCLB or Common Core, and will be pushed out of the education system in a few years. My first point is to explain that STEM is a way of getting rid of the question “Why am I learning this?” in classrooms. STEM has such a strong emphasis on real-world scenarios and career-oriented tasks that, when a lesson is planned properly, a student never has to wonder why they are learning a subject. STEM education also has emphasis on learning through problem solving. It is a much more organic way of learning, rather than having a student take notes in a lecture. Hands on learning is a great way to keep students active and engaged in the classroom.

2) Why do you think STEM education is (or is not) important?

            STEM education has become important, and more so than ever in the last ten years. With more career fields popping up all over the nation, it is important to allow students to learn about potential careers that can have an impact on their lives and the world. With STEM education properly implemented, concepts that are abstract in a textbook become tangible and easily understood concepts that can inspire students to become engaged in science and math classes that may otherwise seem too intimidating.

 3) What is the value of incorporating or enhancing STEM in public education.

            I think that STEM has the ability to inspire boys and girls in classes that are often deemed boring or difficult. Negative stereotypes in classes like math, biology, physics and chemistry often prevent students from even enrolling in these course unless they are required. If STEM education in public schools goes beyond teaching towards a standardized test and becomes relatable to a student’s everyday life, it may not become such a daunting prospect.

1) How were your initial thoughts reinforced by the resources you explored?

I think that the Huffington Post is incredibly relevant to the way STEM should be taught. Instead of fighting students over their use of personal technology, the teacher in the article invites and encourages students to use their cellphones in a way that is positive in the classroom(Mason 2016) . It also provides students with a new use for their phones, as a research tool. I agree with Bullington (the teacher from the article) when she states that while the material in class is important, the process of problem solving using modern technology is more important. To be able to point out to students that their phones are more useful than just a tool for social media is an incredibly important lesson.

2) What are some additional reasons to incorporate STEM education into your planning and instructions?

            One of the things that I had not considered before reading the U.S. News article what the factor of diversity in the STEM field (Bidwell 2015). Increasing the amount of STEM education in public schools, as I mentioned before, allows science and math to become more accessible fields in school, which could inspire entire classrooms of students, regardless of socio-economic status, gender, or ethnicity, to pursue careers. One needs to think of STEM education not as a means to complete tests at the end of the year, but as a means to inspire students to strive towards successful careers, lifestyles, and societal contributions.

Social Media Survey

So, I misinterpreted the assignment (but as a result found out about the Magic School Bus reboot, so I'll take that as a win). So I when back to Facebook and reached out to my friends via social media regarding what STEM is to them. Here's what I got:

References

Bidwell, A. (2015, February 24). STEM Workforce No More Diverse Than 14 Years Ago. Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2015/02/24/stem-workforce-no-more-diverse-than-14-years-ago

Mason, R. (2015, November 19). Student Solutions to Global Problems: STEM Education in South Carolina. Retrieved January 26, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randal-mason/student-solutions-to-glob_b_8591808.html