WHAT IS STEM EDUCATION ?
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a broad term used to group together these academic disciplines. This term is typically used to address an education policy or curriculum choices in schools. It has implications for workforce development, national security concerns and immigration policy.
ORIGIN :
The STEM acronym was introduced in 2001 by scientific administrators at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The organization previously used the acronym SMET when referring to the career fields in those disciplines or a curriculum that integrated knowledge and skills from those fields.
COMPONENTS :
1. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math must all be in the mix. In any STEM program, all four disciplines in the STEM acronym must be present in lessons and activities, and integrated (woven tightly together; interdependent) throughout the learning. Some activities may be more dependent on mathematics, while others may be more strongly connected to a science principle. While other disciplines may be brought in to enhance a STEM project, to identify a program or activity as STEM, each of the core STEM disciplines must also be present in a purposeful and significant way.
In STEM, technology falls into place as a vehicle that students use to solve their challenge, or it may be the outcome of their work. (Remember that anything made by humans to solve a human need or want is defined as “technology.” So student-designed devices are technologies.) Most importantly, the engineering component is the driver in all STEM programs. Engineering is the heart of the STEM process.
2. The Engineering Design Process (EDP) has to be in play. Engineering design, by its nature, is a pedagogical strategy that promotes learning across STEM disciplines. It provides a process to improve students’ understanding of fundamental – often complex – math and science concepts in a way that makes sense to them. All STEM programs make use of the engineering design process. However, not all activities or lessons need to include every stage of the process.
