New Report: STEM Education Needs Repair, and the Steps To Do It
Education Week released a report today on the state of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in U.S. schools. The report comes at a time of growing concern among business leaders, policy-makers, and educators who fear competition from well-educated and lower-paid foreign workers may cut into U.S. leadership in innovation and prosperity.
Analyzing student achievement data from around the industrialized world, the report finds U.S. students consistently finishing in the middle of the pack on both math and science tests. According to the report, students did not fair well on the federally-sponsored National Assessment of Educational Progress math and science tests either. The report also takes a look at public school STEM teacher’s backgrounds and finds nearly four out of ten 7-12th grade math teachers do not have a college major in the subject they teach.
The report maps out progress trends in STEM education among public school students and grades different states on their use of technology in the classroom.
All is not lost. States and the Federal government are starting to pay more attention to the challenges of STEM education. According to the report, schools have begun employing new strategies, from raising the bar on math and science coursework to adopting new technology-based approaches to STEM teaching. The Federal government is stepping up as well, coordinating the efforts of disparate agencies to improve best practices in STEM education and research stronger teaching methods.
The research may go a long way in plugging holes in the STEM system and better-preparing students for technical careers.
Image: Education Week
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