The most recent tendencies in STEM Education for schools

Society is progressing towards Industry 4.0. The industry will entail a large number of keen minds to develop and apply the corresponding technologies in order to make all those progresses. Teaching youngsters about STEM is a critical part of their education and future careers, as it supports them in learning useful life skills and encourages them to be part of the future. At the moment, there are five trends in STEM that may show how today’s youths are becoming tomorrow’s STEM-related workers.

  1. The importance of Robotics competitions

Since its inception in the late 1980s, robotics has taught students how to construct robots and find solutions to issues. Teams have accomplished amazing things, including saving animals, building wheelchairs for community members, and even relieving the COVID-19 pandemic’s pressures. Robotics competitions give students of all ages a chance to apply what they have learned. The majority of robotics competition prizes are intended to pique students’ interest and ignite their passion for this field. Participants in robotics competitions have the chance to develop software-based skills like coding and programming. Regarding soft skills, these competitions foster determination, resiliency, and goal orientation, as well as teamwork.

Robotics Competitions have been helping a lot of youngsters in increasing their STEM skills (Image: Talon Robotics, under CC licensing)
  1. STEM? More like STEAM!

Science and art have been viewed as being too dissimilar and incompatible to coexist for far too long. But creative subjects like music and art can broaden students’ perspectives and improve their problem-solving skills. Schools have started pushing for a mixed-gender programme to start in 2020 because major STEM fields place a high value on these characteristics. A youngster’s mind can be given the flexibility they require to excel in subjects that focus on numbers when art is incorporated into STEM education. Classes in English and drama teach young people how to think creatively, even though they may not seem useful for developing medicines or building computers. An important part of this educational approach is that students who are taught under a STEAM framework are not just taught the subject matter but also how to learn, how to ask questions, how to experiment and how to create.

Art can be the perfect ally for STEM (Author: Pasco County Schools, under CC licensing)
  1. The early bird gets the worm

Young children learning to code or construct circuits is probably not what comes to mind when you think of STEM learning, but that is exactly what some professionals are endorsing. Since 85%-90% of the brain develops between birth and age five, this is one of the most important times for brain development. This is why some people want STEM education to start before age 6 in order to make the most of the amount of knowledge children can learn.

 

  1. Learning by Playing

Some toys can assist children in learning these ideas without realising it, in addition to early STEM introduction. These can assist kids in expressing their curiosity without making them feel like their parents are pressuring them to learn something. STEM toys are best introduced to growing children at a young age. They aid in introducing different science and math topics and making them more understandable. Additionally, STEM toys help develop a growing child’s cognitive abilities. Even if they do not choose STEM careers until much later in life, they still need to develop their imagination and creativity. Most importantly, using these toys with peers to learn science and math is a great way to develop interpersonal skills.

STEM Toys is a booming industry (Author: NASA/Bill Ingalls, under CC licensing)
  1. Increased Digital Learning

Many students had to attend classes online due to many reasons: climate change, social movements, oil shortage and, more recently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the fact that many are moving away from it, this is not always the best choice for STEM education. Children from Generation Z prefer YouTube for learning, with 59% of them preferring it over interactive apps and games (47%).

Online education has many benefits, one of which is that the material is always current, which is essential for science-based subjects.

GoCube (Ed.). (n.d.). What Are The Benefits Of Stem Toys In The Growing Years? GoCube. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://getgocube.com/play/stem-toys-benefits/

Lathan, J.,; Bio, R. F. (2022, July 25). Why steam is so important to 21st century education. University of San Diego Online Degrees. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/steam-education-in-schools/

Team Sphero (2023, January 2). 3 STEM education trends to watch in 2023. 2023 STEM Education Trends | Sphero Blog. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://sphero.com/blogs/news/stem-education-trends-2023

Botzees Toys (2023). Top 6 trends in STEM education in June 2022. Botzees Toys. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://botzeestoys.com/blogs/news/top-trends-in-stem-education

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