Science, mathematics, technology, and engineering are not cool subjects, according to todays students. Female students are underrepresented in these topics and professions, and students are opting for easier versions of these subjects, impacting the pool of certified applicants for these areas. Science and mathematics aren’t cool topics, say students.
Consequently, if these topics are compulsory, students opt for a less strenuous stream in supplementary college and are less likely to transition to university technology programs. In addition, feminine students are under-represented in areas such as mathematics, astronomy and physics. Around the global world, the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are in grave trouble in secondary and tertiary institutions. But worse, STEM university graduates may not work in a field of their expertise, departing STEM organizations and organizations to hire from a shrinking pool.
In 1995, 14 percent of Year 12 supplementary college mathematics students researched advanced mathematics, while 37 percent researched elementary mathematics, according to the Australian Mathematical Science Institute. Fifteen years later, this year 2010, ten percent were studying advanced mathematics and 50 percent had taken the easier option of primary mathematics. The Australian Mathematical Science Institute exposed that basic mathematics was growing in reputation among supplementary students to the detriment of intermediate or advanced studies. This has resulted in fewer colleges offering higher mathematics programs, and there are reduced graduates in mathematics consequently. But could it be actually a dire problem? The first question is one of supply.
Are colleges producing enough quality scientists, technology experts, technicians, and mathematicians? Harold Salzman of Rutgers University and his research colleague, B. Lindsay Lowell of Georgetown University in Washington D.C., revealed in a 2009 study that, unlike widespread perception, america continuing to create engineering and research graduates. However, fewer than half actually accepted jobs in their field of expertise. They are getting into sales, marketing, and healthcare jobs. The next question is one of demand.
Is there a continuing demand for STEM graduates? An October 2011 survey from the Georgetown Universitys Centre on Education and the Workforce confirmed the high demand for science graduates, and that STEM graduates were paid a larger starting salary than non-science graduates. The Australian Mathematical Science Institute said the demand for doctorate graduates in mathematics and statistics will rise by 55 percent by 2020 (on 2008 levels). So why arent graduates undertaking science careers?
The reason is because its just not cool — not at secondary school, nor at university or college, nor in the labor force. Georgetown Universitys CEW reported that American research graduates seen traditional science careers as too socially isolating. In addition, a liberal-arts or business education was regarded as more versatile in a fast-changing job market often.
How can governments make technology cool? The task, says Professor Ian Chubb, mind of Australias Office of the principle Scientist, is to make STEM topics more appealing for students, females — without dumbing down the content especially. Specifically, Chubb calls for creative and inspirational lecturers and teachers, as well as an increase in female academics, for positive role modeling, and to set science in a modern context.
- Always use the strong password in your Computer
- Memento (Post-It Notes)
- Has to be motivated to give his/her pupil the same interest for the subject that he has
- 2100 mAh Battery with 12 hours speak time/ 9 times standby
Instead of restructuring and changing the curriculum, he advocates training educators to create ways to make research and mathematics more highly relevant to students lives. Communicating about science in a more mainstream manner is also critical to imparting the worthiness of scientific innovation. Chubb is a fan of social media to bring science in to the mainstream and to change peoples perception of science careers and scientists. Social networking can bring immediacy to the rigor also, analysis, observation and useful components of science. Contextual, situational, relevant science education is much more likely to determine links between theory and practical application.
This can be showed through real-world applications, including technology appointments and explorations in the neighborhood environment, whatsoever known degrees of education. Even university students should you shouldn’t be cloistered in study rooms, and be subjected to real world, real environment situations. Furthermore, technology educators advocate the utilization of spring-boarding college student queries, interests, and motivation into extra-curriculum styles that capture their creativity and invention. Therefore, enabling students to expand core curricula requirements to add optional themes, projects, competitions, and activities chosen by individual students, groups, or school clusters lead to increased student (and teacher) motivation and participation.
In addition, integrating and cross-fertilizing science with non-science topics and day-to-day activities (e.g. the research of chocolate, sport science, technical drawings, artistic design, and clothing design) can powerfully place STEM topics firmly into useful applications. Scientists in residence programs, where local researchers work periodically in college and college or university configurations, can inspire students and offer two-way communication opportunities. These strategies can provide a far more realistic concept of the work scientists perform from an area to a worldwide perspective.