Stem Education

STEM refers to the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The STEM initiative promotes education in these areas so that students would be better prepared to pursue STEM related careers. ITAA President Harris N. Miller emphasized that “increasing global competition from countries like India and China is fueling major concerns in corporate America about how well the United States is developing the pipeline of skilled STEM workers.”
In fact, the National Bureau of Economic Research noted that as of late 1975, the United States granted more scientific and engineering doctorates than Europe, and more than three times as many as Asia. However, by 2001, Europe granted 40% more science and engineering doctorates than the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. ranks below 13 other countries in the percentage of 24 year olds with a college degree in STEM related subjects, down from the third place 25 years ago. Overall, it’s not surprising that most engineering jobs are now given to people born abroad. Indeed, 24% of U.S. jobs requiring a Ph.D. in science and technology were filled by individuals born abroad in 1990. Now that number has increased to 38%. If current trends continue, by 2010, 90 percent of all scientists and engineers will be living in Asia.
With the way STEM education has been progressing and the retirement of the baby-boomers, The National Academy of Science argues that we will eventually lose quality jobs to other nations, resulting in a lower standard of living, reduction of tax revenues, and weaker domestic market for goods and services.
Our task as educators is to educate graduates for STEM related fields. First of all, we need to reshape the curriculum. With the creation of No Child Left Behind Act, intense focus on math and reading has been placed across schools at the expense of programs focusing on science, engineering, and technology. Furthermore, NCLB requires students to be only tested in reading and math. The literature suggests that the U.S. is the only country that emphasizes reading/language over math/science. Other nations have recognized for a long time how important science and math education is to the future of the country. The United States needs to grasp the same lesson.
The research also suggests that we do not have trained teachers educating our students. In fact, there is a shortage of trained science and math teachers. A study found that 28% of science teachers who teach science in middle school and high school do not have a major in science. Even more shocking is that 40% of public school math teachers who teach math in grades 7-12 have not majored in math in college. It seems that math and science graduates have more lucrative career options than teaching. After all, the state teaching certification requirements has not made it easier or more appealing for trained graduates to enter the field of teaching.
I agree with Steve Ricks, a state director of the STEM initiative, in that the first step for educators is to have the students enjoy the subjects. Schools can establish this with trained professionals. Teachers who have not majored in math/science already approach the subject as if it was something difficult, giving students the impression that math and science are difficult subjects. A survey also discovered that nearly two-thirds of students are discouraged to pursue STEM careers because they don’t have contact with anyone who works in these fields.
I believe that school curriculums need to be reshaped entirely so that math/science are priority. Furthermore, I think schools need to do a better job recruiting science/math teachers and exposing students to STEM related careers. With enough perseverance and funding, I believe that the United States can at least provide some skilled STEM workers so that we do not depend entirely on Europe and Asia.