STEM vs Traditional Education: Transcending Learning with the STEM Education Advantage
July 25, 2024 / By Lucas Modrall
With an expected increase of 10.8% in job growth surrounding STEM occupations by 2032, the topic of STEM education is increasingly relevant. Comparing this with the 2.3% growth in non-STEM jobs, the choice is easy for many parents. STEM is found in varying levels of education, but there’s a heavy focus on early development.
This style of learning combines critical thinking and active applications. STEM educational toys, and curricula offer a dynamic learning experience that translates to many real-world applications.
STEM learning practices aren’t necessarily a brand-new concept. There’s still a disconnect in what makes it different. From the focus of hands-on learning to its applications later in life, STEM practices offer an immersive experience. This dynamic path in education is growing in popularity, with an important focus on early childhood development.
Comparing Stem Education to Traditional Learning Methods
The memorization techniques have their place. Although, it isn’t always the best approach. This is especially true when you consider the technical and multi-faceted nature of STEM subjects.
STEM education is very forward-thinking. It offers more tailored learning for how the world is evolving. This is a core part of why it’s beneficial to start children with easy STEM activities. In many ways, STEM already trumps many traditional methods of early learning
Key areas where traditional education is lagging in comparison:
- ● Slower learning technology integrations
- ● Poor interdisciplinary understanding
- ● Passive education that solely relies on notes and text documentation
- ● Zero physical interactive applications with various subjects
- ● Heavy focus on memorization rather than application
For those who are new to STEM, it’s understandable to ask the question: How can STEM education improve student learning? It’s definitely more than just a few bullet points; it’s a method of learning that can be applied at every level of education.
How STEM Education Improves Student Learning and Engagement
The intent isn’t to ditch everything traditional education has created. It’s to create new active learning experiences and build upon the academic content that’s already vital. STEM isn’t a narrow path in the slightest. Education in STEM subjects crossover into a seemingly endless list of potential career paths.
Below are a few examples of what hands-on STEM education can look like:
- ● Partaking in simple to more complex programming exercises
- ● Solo or group-based science, engineering, and design projects
- ● Working with and creating STEM solutions to solve real-world problems
- ● AR and VR experiences using interactive 3D modeling
- ● Complex math-based digital, written, and hands-on puzzle solving
Technology plays a significant role in STEM learning. This has made adapting these learning experiences to different age groups easier than ever. In the sections below, we offer a closer look at how STEM meets the needs of today’s students. From more effective education to better preparation for careers, there are long-term benefits for young learners.
Innovation in learning efficacy
Bridging the gap between education and industry
- For high school students, these educational experiences can include:
- Cross-curricular hands-on projects
- Collaborations with professional development opportunities
- Building projects, lab experiments, and an almost endless variety of simulations
- Differentiation and customizing instruction for unique learning needs
- Combines problem-based learning, such as:
- Hypothesizing
- Solution presentations
- Self-directed learning projects
Preparing students for STEM careers
STEM has often shown that it can offer several improvements in education. Knowledge retention and a better understanding of complex topics are a few examples. This partly comes from the focus on critical thinking and problem-solving skills toward real-world applications.
However, looking at STEM on a broader scale, you’ll find the best learning experiences include various teaching methods. Developing the best approach for students includes collaborative and innovative hands-on learning. This can be a blend of real-world, theoretical, and practical applications.
It can go even further than this. Community engagement, internships, and even testing innovation through STEM competitions are common. It’s these finite details that help close the gap between traditional learning and modern industry demands.
Many students have struggled to transition from higher education to the ever-changing workforce. This stems from the lack of real-world application from what they learned in traditional education.
Here’s a good look at what integrative and strategic STEM education can include at different curriculum levels:
Many students find it difficult to adapt to many real-world applications through traditional learning alone. This is where STEM education picks up the slack. The interactive and immersive nature of STEM learning offers better preparedness for future careers.
Skillsets surrounding STEM fields are already in high demand and have been for quite some time. This won’t change anytime soon. Students educated in STEM fields will always be highly valuable.
While STEM learning can help point students in the right direction, there are several key details that are important to consider. A few examples include potential prerequisites and recommended skills. Certain advancements in STEM opportunities come with a few requirements as well.
Skills and prerequisites students may encounter can pertain to analysis as well as teamwork. Other reference points relevant to STEM learning include creativity, innovation, and how social responsibility is managed along the way.
Many students in STEM are reviewed for these details. This helps STEM programs and companies determine whether they're an ideal candidate for a particular opportunity. STEM education delivers the applicable knowledge and hands-on experience to make that transition into a career more seamless. There are many standing examples of successful programs focused on STEM for both teachers and students.
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a great example, as they offer support in curriculum, implementation, and more. Moreover, they offer plenty of stats on how their program has benefited students.
Missouri high school students who took at least two PLTW courses chose college STEM majors 13% more often than those who didn’t. This comes from a PLTW report to the KC STEM Alliance.
It also included a diverse research team that focused on many upsides to the PLTW program. STEM may be growing in popularity, but ongoing efforts to raise awareness and accessibility are crucial.
Awareness and Accessibility of STEM Education
FUnlocking Creativity: STEM Learning through Building and Engineering Toysbeing for the brainiacs of the world, awareness is vital. This combined hurdle in STEM education has made it challenging for many students to take advantage.
To help highlight this further, we can take a look at a report from Code.org on computer science education in 2023. It shows that 57.5% of public U.S. schools offer a foundational computer science course.
However, only 5.8% of students across 35 states are enrolled in these foundational CS courses. This is a great example of lacking awareness, resources, and understanding of STEM learning. One of the best ways to instill awareness is to introduce STEM learning experiences as early as possible.
From the best STEM toys in the world to high-level, practical, real-world applications, STEM education can be pursued from an early age. Qualifying for STEM learning opportunities requires harnessing what it has to offer. Those able to show their applications of STEM learning will be better suited for progressing to new opportunities.
STEM demands individuals who can showcase their dedication and skillsets. Awareness around this topic still has a long way to go. In 2021, panelists made a comment that offers a unique perspective on this. Only 20% of high school students are prepared for college-level coursework in STEM. There are many reasons for this, of course, but it’s another example of why STEM learning is so important early on.
Getting started with STEM
For those who are looking to guide their children toward a path with STEM learning, it is always best to start early. The growing relevance of STEM occupations and the benefit of real-life applicable skills will eventually make it the new norm in education. Creating new immersive learning experiences on top of innovating old traditions is creating a major change in how kids learn.
Regardless of the age range, you can discover STEM toys, unique curricula, and numerous supportive programs for your children. This gives them a head start in a world that continues to rapidly evolve. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of STEM education, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re just a click away.
