Over the past decade or so, the acronym S.T.E.M. Has been thrown around quite a bit in the world of education. The subjects of science, technology, engineering and math are key factors in determining the success (or possible lack thereof) of the United States’ system of education, especially in comparison to some of our peer nations. Many claim that for American innovation to continue, we need all the scientists, engineers, and mathematicians we can get.
This graph, from the U.S. Department of Education, displays the ever increasing need for skilled employees in STEM fields. With unemployment being the looming problem for many in the twenty-first century, a look to the future of technology is viewed as a feasible solution. By adapting to our ever-changing society through developing fields such as environmental and biomedical engineering, jobs could be provided for many. However, we cannot make this leap without starting with our education system.
Looking at the Obama archives on the White House Website (I know, crazy that his presidency can already be found in the archives), one frequently notes references to STEM in his education policy. He advocated for NextGen high schools, which would incorporate “active learning” and “access to real-world experiences” for students. The goal would then be to use this experience and knowledge gained at an early age to search for opportunities in these fields, and apply this to the workforce later in life.
When I was in middle school, a STEM Academy was created in my hometown of Downingtown, PA. It is a small, public high school that promotes group collaboration, projects, and a rigorous STEM-focused curriculum. The school has a selective application process of 8th graders within the district. They do not have AP class, but instead IB, or International Baccalaureate, designated courses. This international equivalency is a clear connection to our attempts at gauging where we stack up next to other nations, and demonstrate that America is not behind the times in the classroom. The curriculum allows students to take a course in engineering as early as their freshman year, along with upper level math courses, and classes in history and the arts. Students can choose a “Pathway” in their junior and senior year which designates a discipline, or “Academy” they will focus their courses on for future career readiness. At a young age, they can see opportunity in fields of interest, and practical applications of their studies.
Listed here are the four Academy Choices:
o Academy of Corporate and Mathematical Innovation
o Academy of Health, Medicine and Biology
o Academy of Applied Science and Engineering
o Academy of Technology, Media and Communications
http://www.dasd.org/domain/1603
And the school has been a great success from many perspectives, with it ranking as the top school in PA multiple times in the past 5 years.
What is the potential flip side of focusing too much on STEM subjects? Some fear a lacking role for the arts and humanities. I was recently told by an associate professor of English at Penn State that the new Administration is planning to take away funding from such organization as the National Endowment for the Humanities, NEH, which had supported much of her search for over a decade. And after doing some research, I found this to be true for not only NEH, but also the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). According to the Huffington Post, however, the cuts would be “largely symbolic”, as the “combined funding for the NEH, NEA, and CPB totaled 0.02 percent of the federal budget. (See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-brian-c-mitchell/think-neh–nea-funding-is_b_14346016.html ). I can see how a show of our nation’s strength could be seen in an increased focus on technical learning, such as that in STEM fields, but I do not believe the ideals of the humanities to be contrary to robust support of natural sciences, engineering, etc.
The arts and humanities are the cornerstone of an enriched life, and allow for the preservation and furthering of our American culture. At the end of the day, this dilemma of choosing oddly reminds me of ordering a burrito bowl at Chipotle (sorry, I am a college student). If one really feels that STEM subjects should be the brunt of the workload or meal, that is fine. So you get your rice, beans, meat, and cheese for a hearty meal. Then, you remember the guacamole (the humanities). Sure it costs a little more, and we can sometimes grow frustrated with this tiny bit of extra money, but it is most definitely worth your while.