Why Educational Publishers Should Consider eBooks for STEM Learning
Short for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, STEM is an educational curriculum that focuses on teaching these four subjects through an interdisciplinary approach, where lessons are linked to real-world applications. What this means is that rather than teaching each of the four subjects as separate and discrete, STEM integrates them into a unified curriculum.
The aim behind this is to ignite a desire among students to learn about these subjects and other related fields, such as computer science, aerospace engineering, physics, chemistry and so on. These subjects are relevant to almost every aspect of life and the world around us. By exposing students to a hands-on, applied format of learning STEM subjects, it might just help build a passion for a career in a related field.
The need for such an approach is fairly evident from the figures released by the US Department of Education, which reveal that only 28% high school freshmen express an interest in a STEM related career, of which 57% lost interest in the field by the time they graduate from high school. However, given the direction in which the world is moving, knowledge of science is more important than ever before.
Why STEM Education Matters
According to a new Pew Research Center report, employment in STEM occupations has risen from 9.7 million in 1990 to 17.3 million in 2016, representing a growth of 79%. This is higher than the overall job growth in the United States. STEM workers also tend to earn more than non-STEM workers, with a similar level of education. By offering students the opportunity to explore STEM related concepts, educational institutions and publishers can foster a passion for these subjects in the future workforce, which will ultimately prove beneficial for their career growth, as well as the world at large.
STEM education also helps in bridging gender and ethnic gaps that have been characteristics of the field of math and science. According to a 2018 report by the National Science Board, women make up only 28% of the workforce in the science and technology fields. STEM education breaks these traditional gender roles and increases participation of women.
Apart from this, STEM education also fosters ingenuity and creativity among children, leading to innovation and new ideas, which is always a good thing for any field. However, it is the way that this curriculum is delivered that can make a huge difference in both the interest of students in STEM education, as well as the learning outcomes.
Advantage of eBooks for STEM Learning
The written word doesn’t make it easier for a student to grasp complex concept, regardless of how descriptive the text might be. More than any other subject, it is STEM that lends itself perfectly to digital learning. In addition, the aim of STEM education is to make the subjects fun and interesting for students, so that it sparks their imagination and gets them interested in STEM jobs.
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