In the current day, innovations have become a part of life and we often hear about advancements happening across the world. Lately, we also hear about developments and innovations in education, especially in the early years of a child’s education.
Since educators are now realizing the importance of STEM in the classroom, they are coming up with a curriculum that fulfills the need and aims to keep children curious through the growing years.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and it is a set of skills that are necessary for the future and workforce strategy. President Barack Obama stressed the need for STEM education in the U.S in order to stay on top of global leadership. STEM education helps kids pique their curiosity through numerous engaging activities.
Programs like STEM Camp London differs from traditional education because it encourages critical thinking, analysis and project-based learning. Ultimately, teaching kids STEM makes the learning process fun, and relevant and it is skills that can be used in the classroom as well as in future jobs.
STEM based learning can start as early as two years of age because children’s brains are like a sponge, soaking up all the information. So, introducing STEM early in a child’s life is a good way to condition their brains for better problem solving skills and it builds a positive attitude towards the subject as well. It makes curious learners and gives them reasoning skills.
By elementary school years, kids will develop an interest in technology. That is why Kevin Cougler says it is so important for schools to develop programs that put an emphasis on STEM. Schools should take the focus off of test scores and assessment and turn their heads to hands-on learning experiences.
The learning process is different for every kid but if they are introduced to STEM before they are introduced to traditional methods of education, they will likely observe and experiment better which will keep their learning efficiency high.
STEM gives kids the change to ask questions so they can understand the concept being taught, and this makes the learning environment more interactive. Since many children spend the majority of their hours with adults or teachers, needless to say, it matters how they spend this time qualitatively.
Additionally, parents should play a major part in helping their children learn. They know better than anyone their child’s skills, interest and motivational factors. At home, parents can implement STEM activities like in an informal setting.
In the 4th Industrial Revolution, moving forward, we will continue to witness the effect of technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics which will reshape businesses and our way of life in general. It is also highly likely that developments in technology will cause more automation but at the same time, creating new jobs across many industries.
From diagnosing illness to self driving cars, STEM is something that all kids will need to have in their wheelhouse as they grow up and start looking for jobs.
