STEM Education in the Realm of Modern Academics

India, on the way to become a global manufacturing hub, needs critical thinkers and innovators who can solve real-world problems. This is where skills in STEM can help. In order to make this happen, traditional education system must change with an emphasis on practical learning. The existing rote learning can never fulfill the current talent demands. Hence, in order to create a desirable talent pool, significant emphasis should be put on integrating STEM education in regular school curricula.

To make necessary changes to the age-old academics, India needs to take initiatives which promotes STEM along with traditional learning. Students must be introduced to STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – from an early age so that they can develop an interest in these subjects. While students get basic knowledge of science and maths in primary and high school, they do not get enough opportunities to explore and experiment in these subjects.

STEM Education

STEM education allows students to learn through experiments. Students gather information, conduct experiments and evaluate their results to understand the authenticity of fallouts. All these activities enhance their learning outcomes and transform them into critical thinkers. Since the problems which they are working on are from real-life, they take more interest and get into cutting-edge research. They work individually or in groups, get to compare their results with others and note observations. All these things also enhance their communication, interpersonal and social skills.

Current scenario in India

The socio-economic status of families in India poses major challenge in creating a skilled taskforce. Lack of financial aids, IT infrastructure requirements and the shortage of skilled educators create difficulties on the way to implementing STEM. However, the government has already sensed the situation and is doing every bit to make STEM popular. NITI Ayog has proposed to establish Atal Tinkering Labs in select schools under Atal Innovation Mission.

 Authorised vendors like StemBridge Labs provide necessary equipment, IT and infrastructure support to establish STEM labs in elementary school. The government also provide financial aid along with other support to increase engagement of students in hands-on learning. For students, it provides them with immense opportunities for a better future with a lucrative pay scale.

Reference Link:

https://www.stembridgelabs.com/blog/stem-education-in-the-realm-of-modern-academics/

 

STEM Education – Driving Factors in Schools

As the need for innovation is increasing due to the effect of globalization, the demand for STEM is going up in India. Relatively new, STEM – the acronym referring to: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – has become something of a household term.

While the world has already started to shift towards STEM, our traditional primary schools are making a gradual move towards integrating STEM in regular curriculum. The power and importance of scientific innovation is realised by the world and our country needs to amend its educational system to adopt innovation which can lead its path to development. STEM education in India can help to create a highly skilled workforce that will be capable of providing solutions to modern day challenges.

Technologies changes rapidly, so it would be really difficult to predict trends which may influence STEM pedagogy. It, in fact, can be said that the ‘technologies to watch’ in future can have a direct influence on this method of education.

Modern and future trends that can influence STEM education and practitioners:

• The Internet of Things
• Virtual assistants
• Machine learning
• Wearable technology
• Gamification
• 3D printing

Most of these technologies have already made their presence felt in our lives and the classrooms. Though already known and being in use, evolutions in the mobile technology and online learning could also be included here. Comfort conferred by the emerging technology trends actually sets the stage for what’s to come, which also forms the basis for STEM education.

Also read : STEM Education in India – Paving the Way for Our Girls

Initiatives in India

‘Make in India’ roll-out is nothing new. If this idea is being promoted across the globe to attract manufacturers, providing the required skill-set is also compulsory. With the mission to create a highly skilled workforce, government has taken an initiative to establish Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across schools and institutions. A strategic partner in this program, StemBridge Labs helps establish ATLs which provide a scientific environment for critical thinking and innovation. StemBridge Labs also provides necessary equipment for hands-on training and experiment to learn how to solve real-world challenges.

Equipped with the latest technology, StemBridge Labs also provides training programs for teachers to counter the increasing demand for quality STEM educators.


Reference Link:

http://stembridgelabs.com/blog/stem-education-driving-factors-in-schools/

STEM Education – Nurturing Young Scientists

STEM education fosters curiosity and instills a love for learning in children. The sooner children come across disciplines, the faster they grasp concepts. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math often has a variation with the STEM e inclusion of Arts. It then takes the form of STEAM Education to ensure positive mental health practices among elementary students.  

When children are introduced to STEM at an early age, they develop a lifelong love for learning. We are living in a world that is constantly advancing in the fields of science and technology. Everything that we use is based directly or indirectly on some forms of technology. In this scenario, students must come out of the traditional learning systems and make a move towards innovation. In order to make this happen, they must have a keenness to learn. Without a passion to learn, students will have to struggle in the real world. And, elementary age is the best time to instill that drive and passion to learn.

Elementary students have immense curiosity and fondness for learning new things. With year it gets lost in traditional education. On the contrary, STEM education in elementary school drives curiosity and generates in them a thirst for knowledge. Gradually, students develop a passion to create something new and learn from innovation. These skills provide them with the much needed background to tackle challenges of higher education. No matter which area they explore, their drive and passion will ensure a path to success.

Also Read : Integrating STEM in Traditional Curriculum

STEM doesn’t affect the regular curriculum, instead imparts skills for better planning and using creativity to solve challenges. This interdisciplinary way of learning is not only limited to geeks in lab coats, but has benefits for everyone. STEM is all around us and it’s for everyone, and more benefiting than one can think:

• Its real-world inspired, engaging and motivating
• Students develop a sense to apply learned concepts to solve real-life challenges
• It uses sense and allows students to do so
• It’s creative and there is nothing life failure, but each failed experiment is a lesson to learn
• STEM requires students to develop teamwork and collaboration which helps forever

To make STEM education an integral part of traditional curriculum, StemBridge Labs provides the necessary tools and support to schools. Their endeavors are to benefit children from elementary STEM programs.

For more Information about STEM Education Please Visit here

Challenges Faced in Implementing STEM Education in India

Debating around the importance of STEM Education in Indian curriculum is nothing new. With the government’s aid, the country is making great developments in popularizing STEM subjects among students. Focused towards developing critical thinking, self-management and innovative skills, STEM Education is all about hands-on learning. ‘Do-it-yourself’ activities remains at the core of this rather modern education system.

However, a country like India which produces the highest number of scientists and engineers still struggles to increase involvement of students in this curriculum.

Several challenges are being faced in implementing STEM Education. 

Let’s have a look:

The biggest obstacle in this direction is the infrastructural support. Schools need to design infrastructure to create an environment of scientific learning. It requires funds to bring the required DIY tools and equipment including the best computers. Difficulties are also faced while finding the best guidance and support for children. Making arrangements towards educating the ecosystem about the need for such programs could be one of the possible solutions to overcome these challenges.

Educators’ conventional thinking and more inclination towards traditional learning also create problem. They think that STEM labs will divert students from studies and defined curriculum would be difficult to complete on time. Probably, this problem could be addressed by creating awareness around STEM education and showing the positive side of introducing students to STEM learning.

More boys and fewer girls in this discipline also creates an imbalance. Providing them equal opportunities and career prospects can be a way to bring equilibrium.

India is a developing country that is gradually striving to make its position among renowned nations of the world. This would turn into a reality only if its sizeable young population is educated in science and technology, which is a huge challenge. A major proportion of India’s population is economically backward and lives in poverty.

In this scenario, keeping pace with the global scientific and technological innovation seems like a distant dream. Now, integrating latest developments in STEM in traditional curricula while considering both the employ-ability and the social development of students is a huge challenge. A possible solution could be to increase awareness around the need of education and introducing STEM at the school level. Global STEM job requirements are already up.

India needs to make strategic plans and establish STEM labs in elementary schools to acquainting students to research life, identity their interest areas, foster curiosity and nurture innovation. In addition, there’s a strong need to assist academically brilliant students from economically backward sections to make greater advancements in STEM.

Reference Link:

https://stembridgelabs.tumblr.com/post/175108354847/challenges-faced-in-implementing-stem-education-in

How to Promote STEM Education in School?

Indian education system has realized the potential of STEM in technological and scientific developments. Efforts are also being made to implement STEM education across schools and promote a culture of practical learning and creative thinking. However, there’s a long way to go to increase the popularity of STEM among teachers and students.

While it is clear now that STEM education in school is compulsory for the evolution of skilled workforce to compete at the global level, its practical implementation is still under scrutiny. Besides initiatives like Atal Tinkering Lab, it is crucial to pay attention to other factors that can lead to popularity of STEM.

Let’s look at a few:

Creating a support channel for teachers

Whatever students learn in their classroom, teachers have a great impact on that. Teachers are their first guides and play a significant role in the kind of learning they receive. In this light, it is right to say that teachers’ knowledge and skills affect students’ work and their learning outcomes. Therefore, skilled teachers are first and foremost requirement in creating a STEM learning environment.

Effective teacher preparation can help here:

1. Providing practical learning to teachers
2. Enabling teaching candidates to get involved into the content of their area
3. Focusing on developing their knowledge and capacity
4. Providing them STEM training
5. Allowing them sufficient time to get engaged in teacher development program
6. Providing them skill enhancement programs on regular basis
7. Learning climate

Proper learning environment is essential when it comes to delivering education. Considering the nature of STEM subjects, it is important that the schools provide the kind of environment that facilitates project based learning. Scientific and technology based learning requires state of the art tools and equipment.

Strategic partnerships

Partnerships with institutions to provide support for teachers and students can positively influence the demand for STEM. Curriculum partnerships, collaborations to train teachers or establish STEM labs within school premises can help. These associations and partnerships can enhance the outcome of education system.

Reference Link :

http://stembridgelabs.com/blog/how-to-promote-stem-education-in-school/