Government agencies, business groups, and policymakers continue to prioritize support for the STEM fields. But K-12 educators note that these fields present many places where kids can get stuck—from weak instruction in the early grades to traditional calculus classes in high school and college. Even the end goal, improved employment outcomes, remains murky. In this special report, Education Week takes a closer look at these STEM gateways, searching out ones that offer new avenues—like hands-on preparation for advanced manufacturing—and the efforts to break down longstanding barriers, like remedial algebra.
Each stage in students’ progression through K-12 poses obstacles to persisting in STEM learning. Our special report outlines the challenges—and possible solutions.
Devlin Griffin, Kollin Coleman, and Ledger Hardy test a nest they engineered with aluminum foil to see if it will support the weight of a raw egg. Such lessons illustrate basic concepts in physics, biology, genetics, and ecology in a science lab at Hutchens Elementary School in Mobile, Ala.
This data breakdown looks at the staffing needs in certain STEM fields, how much particular jobs pay, and what level of education is required for those jobs.
According to new research, parents are an untapped resource in promoting STEM motivation, writes one psychology professor.
Judith Harackiewicz, May 22, 2018
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3 min read
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