What is STEM?

No, it’s not what you think; I am not talking about the plant stem – I am trying to shed some light on the science STEM.

STEM stands for:

• S- Science
• T- Technology
• E- Engineering
• M- Mathematics

The importance of STEM:

Even though we don’t acknowledge or even recognise it as much, STEM has a very vital role in our daily life. STEM ranges from complex robotics problems to basic critical thinking. Being well-versed in this field has many advantages since it not only provide us scientific knowledge but also helps us to function better in real-life situations with faster and better analytical thinking.

Importance and presence of STEM in schools:

STEM schools: These days there has been an increase in the number of ‘STEM schools’ - sound fancy, right?

Well they are nothing but normal schools that have opted to introduce the program of STEM learning. STEM learning is a more practical and application based way of learning. I personally think that it is easier for the child to grasp difficult concepts while following this pattern of learning.

Integrating more advanced concepts in schools

STEM as suggested by the name is a very educational yet fun way of learning. It is also very beneficial since most children don’t even realise when they are exposed to high level topics

And are able to learn them better. Since STEM is entirely based on practical learning it is quite easy to introduce advanced concepts in an informal yet very helpful way. This not only helps students understand the STEM concepts but also helps them do better in their actual academic, course subjects.

Learning the uses of advanced technology

The technology and engineering part of STEM helps the students to focus and learn about the latest new gadgets that have been released in a smart and controlled way. They help children get familiar with types of technology that wouldn’t have been possible with the traditional curriculum. Some of these technologies would be: 3D printers, robotics kits and computer simulations. I believe that the introduction to such technologies is very important for they provide the student with a break, something productive to do when they don’t feel like studying. Overall these technologies provide the students with a refreshing yet educational break.

There is a robotics team at my school and we also recently purchased a 3D printer. Robotics is an activity that all the students thoroughly enjoy and we seriously can never get our eyes of the 3D printer. All these tools are like a magical addition to our otherwise plain environments.

Centre for Computational and critical thinking:

STEM involves coding, which is a true exercise for our brains and if started at a young age it can help shape our brains in a very analytical and strong manner. When a child does coding, not only to they understand how to give commands to a computer but they also polish their basic problem solving skills and logical reasoning. Once this has been done it is a lot easier for the child to face daily life problems in a more effective and rational manner.

Interdisciplinary learning:

Since one cannot simply open a book and start to ‘teach’ STEM. It is quite obvious that children need to work together to get anything done. This is very good because when they learn peer to peer it becomes easier to learn concepts and they are also able to practice teamwork. This is basically what we can call interdisciplinary learning – But for it to function properly project must be assigned, these projects normally consist of a practical application of all the subjects combined which really help to sharpen the students brain.

interdisciplinary learning also comprises of group discussions; that if done right help to boost the child’s self-confidence, leadership skills, teamwork and so many more things.

Professional Skills Development:

It is quite clear that learning STEM has many benefits, another one of them being ‘Professional Skills Development ’- Quite a strong phrase right? Don’t worry I will break it down for you. Since STEM provides a more practical based learning, it automatically arms the children learning it with many professional skills in particular fields that other children may not possess. For example: a child that wishes to become a robotics engineer, could do a project about building a robotic arm. Just understanding how the mechanics of that arm work will put the child two steps ahead of another one trying to pursue the same career.

Other than that, like I mentioned before the group discussions help to improve the child’s communicational skills – which are becoming increasingly important in today’s world.

To have good communicational skills a child must have a good amount of knowledge which can also be gained by STEM.

Increased participation in competitions:

Be it at school, college or even at work we all love a good competition. What if I told you that STEM can help you with just that, regardless of your age! Yes, since STEM is such a popular and competitive field there are hundreds of people just ready to get together and have contests.

On a smaller scale STEM competitions are becoming increasingly popular in schools. This is awesome because they provide multiple children to go out and participate in something worthwhile and interesting.

Cons:

STEM is pretty much a flawless topic, there can only be one flaw that I find worth mentioning: Since it is such a tedious and time taking task that requires all of your attention, it can interfere with your academic courses a bit. This will not be a problem if you maintain a proper balance. Other than this STEM is quiet perfect.

Conclusion:

To conclude I would like it if more people opt for STEM, especially schools because it is important to start early if we want to exceed in any field. I would be very happy if I managed to motivate any of you into thinking about STEM.

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