STEM education is a critical part of a comprehensive K-12 education–it helps students build and improve critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and it teaches students to be persistent when presented with a challenge.
And while STEM education is essential, it’s not always accessible–underrepresented groups, including female students and minority students–often lose interest in STEM subjects as the subjects grow more challenging and as they move through school.
Representation is another obstacle to more ubiquitous STEM participation. When students don’t see STEM professionals who look like them represented in advertising, on TV and in movies, or in classroom resources, they have a harder time envisioning themselves in STEM careers.
But with the right engagement and approach to STEM subjects, which do become more challenging as students progress, students can become lifelong STEM learners. Here are five great insights about STEM education:
1. Female middle and high school students have a high aptitude fit with, but low interest in, STEM careers, such as technology, manufacturing, and architecture, among others, according to the 2023 Female Student and STEM Career Exposure Gap Report from YouScience. Based on nationwide data, key findings show that female students have more than 11 times the aptitude for advanced manufacturing careers than interest and 8 times more aptitude for computers and technology careers than interest.
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