“Scientists discover the world that exists, Engineers create the world that never was!” -T.V Karmen
What is STEM?
An acronym penned for Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics!
How do we relate it with the curriculum?
Whenever we instruct the students to make a project which includes either one of the above quoted concepts, we are engaging in STEM activities.
Were the above two answers sufficient to answer all the queries related to STEM? (Certainly Not!)
The word STEM in education has become a common jargon with everyone. Say STEM and everyone thinks that 21 st century skills and everything related to the latest educational trends and technology is being delivered.
Well in most cases it is not so!
I have come up with my own personal definition of “What is STEM?’’ to help my teachers understand it better.
Whenever the student offers a solution to the problem that he or the world is facing using Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics, then he is said to have used a STEM based approach.
Every solution in this world is connected to a combination of STEM concepts!
So STEM is all about creating or finding solutions!
Application based education is STEM.
Memory based reproduction of knowledge is not STEM.
STEM judges you by how effective your solution to the given problem is. It does not test how much you know.
When a student thinks for himself, it is STEM. When we tell the student what to think, it isn’t STEM.
When we put up a problem in front of the student, it is STEM. When we provide them solutions, it isn’t STEM!
Important: All students must understand and gain mastery over STEM subjects. Hence the focus on teaching application based Science and Math at the early levels is to enable them to master these subjects as they grow up. The students start applying logical reasoning and computational skills to every problem that they encounter. They calculate, measure, explore, think and then arrive at a conclusion which is termed as a solution.
The pandemic revolutionized the teaching methodologies and put us on an online mode of teaching. We got associated with technology and became adept at using it. The same happened with the students. They were given technology to assist in their learning. But most of us are just using it to gain knowledge and complete our education or impart education. The day we use it to find solutions, we will enter the STEM zone.
So how do we convert our digital natives into STEM enthusiasts?
1 Application based teaching: All Science and Math based concepts should be taught experientially. Examples for these concepts can be given from real life. Allow the students to touch, feel, explore, apply and experiment. Let them observe the results and arrive at a conclusion.
2. Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving: The students should be exposed to questions which demand logical reasoning. They should be given worksheets based on reasoning and problem solving. It should be a part of Math curriculum in the schools. The best part about reasoning questions is that they cannot be taught how to solve. The students have to think and solve it. Each question is different from the other. So the approach to the solutions vary and they matter.
These questions or problem statements, force the student to think and arrive at a solution. If the solution is wrong, then they themselves have to figure out what went wrong. This enhances their thinking skills and it significantly impacts their cognitive behaviour.
While attempting these questions, their knowledge of Science and Math is at foreplay. If their understanding of these subjects is good, they will be able to solve the questions with ease.
3 Looking for Problems: The teachers have a mindset that they are supposed to give the solutions to the students. Generally in the form of answers to the assignments given in the textbooks. The parents also have a fixed mindset towards the assignments and their solutions given by the school. The teachers must put up the questions and let the students find the solutions. This is the best way to encourage thinking. While imparting STEM education, a teacher must prod the student to think independently. Don't teach them what to think based upon the answer that you want. This approach damages a student’s ability to think independently. They always try to think of an answer which should be right according to the teacher. The expectation of a reward or praise or acknowledgement from the teacher upon a correct answer also kills this thinking instinct of the students.
Hence the teacher should not begin sentences with: Wrong answer….
4 Personalized learning: This is the best way in which you can give them an opportunity to think. Provide them with a topic and give them certain details on how to research and come up with the relevant material related to the topic. Also ask them to make observations and write comments after analysing the situation from their point. Questions which invite opinions also encourage the thinking process.
Remember when we speak of STEM we want the students to think and come up with a solution. This will ultimately lead to certain innovations and inventions by them.
5 Creativity: Creativity can be learnt and taught very well with pictures and drawings. I strongly believe that there is nothing original in this world. Everything is copy and then paste with a difference. The human mind keeps absorbing whatever it sees and observes in the environment. Based upon your past experiences, these observations are converted into something creative by your mind. So observations are mixed with past experiences and the result is creativity or innovation.
The teachers can easily encourage creativity by asking the students to draw and by showing them various pictures related to the concepts that are being taught.
6 Research based learning: As teachers we believe in giving extra information to the students during the class. But all of that information is not retained by the students. Hence the role of a STEM educator is to arouse the curiosity of the students and lead them towards research and finding out information on their own. One of the important aspects of education is to help a student convert knowledge into wisdom. This is possible only with time as they mature or if the student indulges into in depth research related to the given topics.
7 Fear and Hesitation: The teachers have to develop confidence among the children so that they do not hesitate to experiment or apply what they have learnt in real life. This can only happen when the students are allowed to experiment or apply everything that they learn.
NOTE: Hesitation and fear will not have any place in the act of Problem Solving. We need confident students who do not hesitate to take a step. Because problem solving involves experimentation, innovation, invention and failure. Sometimes it takes days and years to arrive at a conclusion which solves the problem. They need to make several attempts before they arrive at what they want. Resilience and patience will be the key emotions at play here.
Statements like-What will people think? Should not linger in the hippocampus (an area which predominates the subconscious mind) area of the brain.
STEM integrated with subjects:
Languages: When you give a statement like-Write a paragraph about how we can control deforestation?
You are asking the students to think, research, calculate and then make a decision based upon the learning. This is certainly STEM.
Social Studies: How can the displaced migrants from flood prone areas be settled in cities or on the higher reaches?
You are definitely calling for solutions which require the integrated approach of all STEM subjects including certain skills like Problem Solving.
UNSDGs and STEM
The 17 sustainable development goals given by the United Nations are the problems that the world is facing today. We have to urge the students to find solutions and put them into practice to help solve these problems.
Every solution that the child attempts will have an integrated base of the STEM concepts. Hence understanding a STEM based approach has become a priority. Most teachers think that STEM is all about learning or studying Science and Math and gaining a mastery over the subjects to secure a well paid job in the future.
Well they are correct but upto a certain point only. Developing a STEM approach is training the young minds to use applied STEM concepts to come up with solutions to ease problems in the world or their environment.
STEM jobs:
Now when we speak of STEM jobs, it also means that the students have-
1 Mastery over STEM subjects
2 Skills like problem solving and critical analytics
3 Creativity and Innovation
4 Team spirit and leadership approach
5 Communication and presentation skills.
6 Decision making
STEM jobs will be the highest paying jobs in the coming decade. So it is important to remember that these jobs involve a mastery over STEM subjects and a Problem Solving approach.
I hope the teachers understand the importance of the word STEM now.
We are not looking at reproducing the models and projects which are already made. We are now looking at projects and models which are providing ideal solutions for the given problems.
So try not to give projects like- make a kutcha house and a pucca house.
Instead give a statement like-
Design or construct a house which has an efficient rain water harvesting system in place.
Hope your understanding of STEM in education would have increased. Now go on and put it into practice. (Words cannot replace actions!)
