NSTA summarizes the many variations of STEM education by saying, “It is about moving forward, solving problems, learning, and pushing innovation to the next level.” Preparing Students for Careers in STEM FieldsĪccording to the U.S.

Even these, at their core, focus on foundational subjects in education and effectively preparing students for the future. Variations on STEM include: STEAM (adds “arts”) and STREAM (adds “reading” or “research” and “arts”). There are also many variations of STEM that incorporate additional subjects.

The NSTA goes on to state that this definition leaves questions in what STEM education truly means, and discusses how the definition can changed based on the perspective of the individual – whether an educator, a member of the workforce, etc. What is STEM education? It’s widely accepted that the acronym STEM stands for “science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”Īccording to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), “A common definition of STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school, community, work, and the global enterprise enabling the development of STEM literacy and with it the ability to compete in the new economy.” Perspectives Change the Definition

What is the purposes of stem education