STEM represents some of the fastest-growing and in-demand fields in the world today. And here at Mallard Creek STEM Academy, we’re passionate about inspiring the next generation of engineers, artists, and innovators.
Why is STEM so important, now more than ever before?
The world is changing around us. Digital technology has become a core part of our everyday lives. Advances in technology impact everything, especially the world of work.
As the world of work changes, we will need to change our skills to match. Overcoming these limitations requires a priority focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including the development of workplace skills in STEM. Future careers will also rely heavily on ‘21st-century skills’ — for example, critical thinking, creativity, cultural awareness, collaboration, and problem-solving. When done well, STEM education complements the development of 21st-century skills.
STEM learning is also important for students in their everyday life in our contemporary world, with the rise of new technologies in biomedicine, microfabrication, robotics, and artificial intelligence. The ability to understand and apply data, and develop solutions to complex problems, will be important life skills.
Benefits of STEM Education
Encourages Experimentation
Without a little risk-taking, and experimentation, many of the technological advancements that have occurred in the last couple of decades would not be possible. Many of these innovations were created by people who were told that their ideas wouldn’t work and their response was, “Let’s try it and see.” This type of attitude can be encouraged with STEM learning during the K-12 years. How can you accomplish this? By allowing students to experiment and take risks during learning activities as we do at Mallard Creek STEM Academy
Encourages Teamwork
STEM education can be taught to students of all ability levels. Students of varying levels of ability can work together in teams to find solutions to problems, record data, write reports, give presentations, etc. The end result is students who understand how to collaborate with others and thrive in a team-oriented environment.
Encourages Knowledge Application
Students are taught skills that they can use in the real world. This motivates students to learn, as they know that the skills that they acquire can be utilized immediately, and in ways that positively impact them and their loved ones. The ability to apply their knowledge to new and novel tasks will bode well for them when they enter the workforce.
Teaches Problem-Solving
STEM education teaches students how to solve problems by using their critical thinking skills. By engaging in STEM learn experiences, students learn how to examine problems and then create a plan to solve them.
Fosters Ingenuity and Creativity
Ingenuity and creativity can pair with STEM and lead to new ideas and innovations. Without ingenuity and creativity, the recent developments in artificial intelligence or digital learning would not be possible. These technologies were created by people who learned that if the human mind can conceive it, the human mind can achieve it.
History of STEM
The term was introduced early in the 21st century as a way to refer to careers and/or curriculum centered around science, technology, engineering and mathematics — the most rapidly growing industries in the U.S. economy. Then as the U.S. and companies continued to ramp up technological innovation, in order to remain competitive across the globe, the movement around integrating STEM into educational frameworks began to gain a lot of traction.
People began to recognize that it was time to start preparing our youth, and our economy, for the future, by helping students of all ages develop the 21st-century skills they will need to be successful and to play an effective role, in the future workforce.
Building and engineering projects are valuable for developing thinking skills and encouraging the ability to design and create. Mallard Creek STEM Academy fosters its students’ critical thinking through STEM activities. Learn more about STEM activities here!
