In my issue brief topic I will be looking at the current system for STEM education primarily at the pre-collegiate level. Currently, STEM related subjects are taught in a way that don’t teach students skills that they will use on an everyday basis and are often disregarded if students do not continuing in a STEM related field.
I will frame the issue by posing that our current society has taken a form in which the most prosperous and powerful nations are the ones that are able to embrace and further science and technology. The world has grown to become dependent on science and technology, yet almost no one knows anything about these crucial areas of knowledge. Our politicians are making vital decisions based on funding and regulations, although most of them don’t have any more than a baseline scientific knowledge. If this continues as we begin to exponentially expand the boundaries of these fields and uncover new possibilities, it could potentially be very damaging to our country. I agree with these claims and also feel like the current educational system is not focussing on underlying critical thinking principles of STEM related subjects that are often lost by many disinterested students.
The policy actors that I will be addressing will primarily be the groups responsible for education in the United States. Additional policy makers that I am debating including are network providers who may be able to produce short televisions series based on STEM subjects which recently have been successful in reaching a wider audience by provide information in an accessible and entertaining manner.
Tentative Thesis: The current STEM related curriculum of the pre-collegiate educational system in the United States is not efficient at providing citizens with a sufficient working knowledge of science and technology that is crucial in today’s age, and should be reformed in order to emphasize its importance, critical thinking skills, and relevant knowledge so that citizens can make educated decisions.