Last week, The National Research Council announced the publication of “Successful STEM Education”. The report recommends ways to improve K-12 STEM Education and calls on policymakers to raise science education to the same level of importance as math and reading.
The report responds to a request from Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va) for the National Science Foundation, which sponsored the Research Council report, to identify highly successful K-12 schools and programs in STEM fields.
Outlining key aspects of STEM schools and programs, the report identifies a number of strategies for improving overall STEM education.
What aspects of STEM are addressed in “Successful STEM Education”?
“Although there are a variety of perspectives on what STEM education in K-12 schools entails, for the purposes of this report the committee focused its analysis on the science and mathematics parts of STEM. This decision was influenced by the fact that the bulk of the research and data concerning STEM education at the K-12 level relates to mathematics and science education. Research in technology and engineering education is less mature because those subjects are not as commonly taught in K-12 education. Although integrating STEM subjects is not the focus of this report, the committee recognizes the variety of conceptual connections among STEM subjects and the fact that science inquiry and engineering design provide opportunities for making STEM learning more concrete and relevant. The nature and potential value of integrated K-12 STEM education are the focus of an ongoing study of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council by the Committee on Integrated STEM Education. It is expected to be completed in 2013.”
“Successful STEM Education” may be downloaded from STEMReports.com by clicking on the name of the report. It also may be downloaded from the National Academy of Science. Hard copies of the report are also available for purchase from NAS.
