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Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STEM AT AN EARLY AGE

The Effects of STEM at an Early Age


Angela Vasquez
Waxahachie Global High
Capstone

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Abstract: STEM is a concept that connects Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, unlike
normal academics, STEM deals with problem-solving and interactive learning for the real world.
It is a beneficial teaching notion for the economy, community, and future. As the world develops
with the new innovations with technology, so have the increase in openings for the careers in
these fields. This learning prepares all students from different backgrounds for these
opportunities. Having a foundation in the STEM system will help establish an interest in STEM
related fields for a students future. They will also be better prepared for college level courses
and individuals pursuing these jobs will most likely earn a higher pay than in other non- STEM
related occupations. The government and school districts have seen the potential of STEM and
are implementing programs to create an enthusiasm inside of students. This will profit our
society by generating successful and creative innovators.

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Keywords: STEM, innovations, problem-solving, college level, opportunities,


creative
Introduction
As the world is changing so has education to prepare the students for this new century. A
blooming concept in the learning community is STEM, the acronym for Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math. This new topic introduces a hands-on, problem based experience. It
pertains to actual real world issues that will benefit students in the future (What is STEM).
Instead of just having the four subjects in segregation, they are brought together to form an
original field of study (The National Academies, 2014). Through this learning program students
become more critical and innovating thinkers; they understand how to work in groups to
overcome assignments, which is essential for this new generation. Normal academics involves
memorizing, practicing, and reciting while STEM is an intellectual learning that requires
reasoning, predicting and hypothesizing (Stewart, 2012). There is a process which is to be
followed to solve problems or sometimes make operations more efficient. (Mitts, 2016).This
level of education enables the students mind to interact with the environment.
Effective learning at a young age
STEM is a necessary teaching structure for all grade levels and is effective when
introduced at a preschooler level. Research shows that high quality pre-school cuts the rate of
children held back, juveniles, and students lack of attendance. In this age of the childs life the
brain is more receptive to learning math and logic (Chesloff, 2013). At the beginning stage of a
child there are many neurons inside the brain that serve as the nerve cells. Neurons, nerve cells,
in the childs brain are developing with synapses which are the connections in the brain, a large

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unit ready to retain information from experience (Graham). If a part of the network is not used
consistently, it is eliminated; this sets an important time in the students life to establish the
STEM concepts. Children are curious at a young age, here is when questions can be asked and
scientific discoveries can be made in their learning environment. STEM is also an interactive
learning, so children learn how to share and solve problems together (Nicole T., personal
communication, October 28, 2015).
History of STEM
In 1957 when the first worlds artificial satellite was launched by Russia, President Eisenhower
began a call for action in America saying:
We need scientists in the ten years ahead. They (the Presidents advisors) say we need
them by thousands more than we are now presently planning to have. The Federal government
can deal with only part of this difficulty, but it must and will do its part. The task is a cooperative
one. Federal, state, and local governments, and our entire citizenry must all do their share
(Woodruff, 2013).
After this moment there was a motivated drive in the country, bringing the birth of NASA
and other programs that made the United States more competitive (Woodruff, 2013). The
standards of science, technology, engineering, and math were positioned higher; in the 1990s the
four subjects were brought together by the National Science Foundation and given the acronym
STEM.

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Figure 1.1 Projected Increase of STEM Jobs

Source: Science, technology,


engineering and math: Education for
global leadership. (n.d.). U.S.
Department of Education. Retrieved
from http://www.ed.gov/stem.

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The importance of this


learning technique has risen with the need to fill occupations in these subjects. According to
stemconnector.org by 2018, 8.65 million workers will be needed for STEM related fields (as
cited in Livescience). In figure 1.1 to the right it shows popular STEM departments, and their
project increase in jobs by 2020 (Science). However a setback for the economy is that 28% are
only interested in STEM, but 57% of them will lose interest in it by the time they graduate
(Hom). A great factor to this issue is students not being fully prepared for the real world during
their time in school. In Public School Review, 82% of college students said if their secondary
school education would have set higher standards, they would have given a lot more effort
(Chen). The results are shown in the National Assessment of Education Progress where 66% of
fourth graders in the U.S. score below proficient in 2013 (Statistics). In 2012 Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA) analyzed 34 countries, ranking America 27th in math
and 20th in science. At the moment the state of the U.S. is steadily behind in the world
(Statistics).
Advances in the world of STEM

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Recognizing these faults, companies have pushed to invest and create opportunities for
students to be interested in higher level thinking subjects. Chevron claims to be an engineering
company at heart and has given money to

Figure 1.2 Percentage of Racial and Ethnic


Characteristics as Scientists and Engineers

STEM related programs and projects,


in hope to increase innovation and
have future eligible workforce
(Bajarin, 2015). Other companies
like Intel and Boeing are doing the
same as Chevron, helping to train the
next generation for a beneficial
outcome. Lockheed Martin provides
funding and a 56,000 group of
engineers, scientists, and IT
professionals to assist with every
STEM learning from both the

Source: Computing and engineering in


afterschool. (2013). Afterschool, (62).
Retrieved from
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org
/issue_briefs/issue_comp_engineering_6

aspect of
student and

teacher development side (STEM education). With the assistance of STEM, new occupations are
being developed such as a robotics engineers; these jobs are fast growing in order to keep up
with modern society.

Lack of Diversity
As a community our position in the STEM fields has a lot of gaps in diversity; almost
75% of U.S. scientists and engineers are White. In figure 1.2, the percentage of characteristics in
Stem careers is shown to the right. This issue is occurring partly because of the lack of

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information and access to these high level learning subjects (Computing and Engineering, 2013).
Schools that serve minorities have been given a lower investment in education and teachers
compared to White communities (Students of color, 2012). For example, many highly populated
minority districts do not offer classes like Algebra 2 (Dervarics, 2011).
President Obama in 2009 launched Educate to Innovate, a program invested in increasing
the engagement and resources of STEM in America (Educate). This structure of teaching is
understood to be necessary in excelling worldwide. Even the Naval Academy has a summer
program focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (Summer STEM). A lot is being
invested into this because pursuing STEM related careers will bring up the economy of middle
class because the majority are high paying jobs. Studies have shown that 65 % of those with
Bachelors' degrees in STEM fields earn more than Master's degrees in non-STEM occupations
(usnews). This is not only addressing the middle class but will also be beneficial to the minority
students as it is slowly being implemented in public schools because of giving room for an
opportunity to grow in learning, since on many occasions important classes are not offered at
minority schools. Events, such as the one held in the University of Texas at Dallas are involving
girls in STEM (Introduce a girl). The Introduce a Girl to Engineering event is sponsored by
Dallas Independent School District in hope to encourage young girls through hands on activities.
Evaluating the progress that has been achieved so far gives the community a good
indicator of where to direct the new efforts. The congressional education leaders rewrote the No
Child Left Behind law, to support STEM learning (Brown, 2015). Alongside, the idea of a
stronger teaching curriculum and learning plan has been proposed to increase student work
satisfactory (Gerard & Christensen, 2016). The issue of students dropping out is very prominent
in Cleveland, Ohio because of the economically disadvantaged district. However, MC STEM

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High School opened in 2008 and 95% of the first class graduated successfully (Vega, 2012). This
is showing the gradual positive increase effect of STEM in school districts.
More than 50% of STEM-related degrees are being given in Japan, China and Singapore
(Adkins 2012). This should encourage Americas need that has now risen to create an enthusiasm
in students about these four high level thinking subjects. As the support for STEM careers
increase, the United States can become stronger in the competition against other countries.
Programs and scholarships are being made available to motivate students, especially the
minorities to expand the diversity (Minority student recruitment). Elementary schools with
STEM focus are now discussed and planned (Science). New related material directed towards
young readers are being developed (Stemscopes). The world is changing, the opportunities are
endless. Together with a team effort, STEM can become the foundation for the next generation to
achieve success.

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References
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Bajarin, T. (2015). Why Chevron is helping fund STEM education. Time. Retrieved from
http://time.com/3718812/chevron-stem-education/.
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