Everybody is talking about the future of STEM learning. As our awareness of it grows, so does our awareness of its importance to what lies ahead. There's no doubt that STEM is picking up steam as schools continue looking to the possibilities STEM learning presents. In fact, it's becoming increasing important as a course of study to provide our learners with. Just how important is something you can learn from this infographic from Everfi entitled The Future of STEM Education is Now.
It presents an alarming fact about STEM in schools that is worth considering as we move into new modes of thinking and designing curriculums for our learners:
Today’s students have unprecedented access to the tools of the digital age ... these students will compete in an emerging global economy fuelled by rapid innovation, but many will be unprepared to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Our nation is facing a growing shortage of employees who are skilled in STEM, yet the majority of teens lose interest in these subjects before they enter tenth grade.
Here are some additional facts about the future of STEM from the infographic:
- 70% of the top paying jobs in the future will require STEM education
- Less than 50% of graduating students have enrolled in senior STEM courses
- 30% of companies in the biotech filed have reported a lack of employees qualified in STEM
So how do we bridge the gap and get STEM into our classrooms. Unfortunately there's no easy answer, but you can begin with a little bit of inspiration from us here at the Global Digital Citizen Foundation. We urge you to take some time to watch one of our latest presentations, Beyond STEM to Future-Focused Learning, featured on our YouTube channel. It profiles 10 shifts of practice that provide a gateway to bringing STEM education into your instructional practices the right way.
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