STEM Learning: Why Such a Big Deal?

Over the last several years, more and more curriculums and schools are focusing on STEM learning. Sometimes it is referred to as STEAM learning. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The a in STEAM adds art into it.

STEM learning takes all of these subjects and combines them as one. The student would complete one project but it would actually cover learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Nationwide, growth in STEM careers outpaces that of any other occupational category. These careers offer higher beginning salaries and more career earning potential than most other fields. Today’s careers require STEM skills at all levels of employment from service industries to engineering. Students without these skills would be at a strong disadvantage when entering the workforce.

STEM Demonstrated by LEGO Sets

LEGO sets are a very common display of STEM. Children use the manual and follow it step-by-step until the product is built. This is a major part of the STEM framework. LEGO starts with basic sets and goes all the way to their engineering sets which are for older kids.

STEM engineering kits add in different types of parts and the next level in education. These sets include gears and axels along with other types of parts not included in the classic LEGO sets. Children can build more elaborate sets that have moving components. The great thing is your children will be learning all of these concepts involved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics without even knowing it. They will be having way too much fun. They will think you just bought them a new toy to play with when really, they are learning skills needed later in life.

LEGO prides itself on providing you with the materials you need to help your children learn these concepts through play. They have an excellent page that talks about how to use some of their products to teach and reinforce these skills. You can find the U.S. LEGO STEM site here.

LEGO for Girls

In just the last few years, there has been a big push to engage girls in the STEM fields. LEGO is one of the companies that have listened to its customers and have pushed out, even more, sets aimed towards girls, such as their Friends LEGO line.

Companies wanted to start attracting females into STEM occupations. This trickled down to even the younger kids. LEGO started to put out their sets for girls besides their engineering kits which are their high-end STEM products. The idea was that STEM is no longer just for boys, but girls could have successful careers in STEM occupations too.

Tablet Robotics

Tablet robotics is a part of STEM. Our library just bought these right before the pandemic and had a small robotics club. The tablet controls the robots based on the instructions the student puts into it.

This is a great way to incorporate STEM learning into your homeschool. The children love it! They get to make the robot move in different directions. They can easily see what they put into the tablet corresponds with the movements of the robot. Later on, this can lead to more advanced coding and higher levels of STEM concepts. This is a great starting point for both boys and girls.

Computer Programming

Computer programming has become a big part of learning today. There are many different levels of coding. They can start as young as Kindergarten. These programs allow students to create games, tell stories, and do many other fascinating things. Then, they get to share their work with the rest of the coding community in that program.

MIT created one of the first programs we used for computer programming. It is called Scratch. They start with drag and drop blocks. Then they write more and more code as they progress in learning. First, it starts by inserting a few words in the coded blocks and the student builds from there. If your child would like to learn Scratch and create some basic, awesome games they can sign up at https://scratch.mit.edu/. Just like their website says, “Scratch is the world’s largest free coding community for kids.”

There are other computer programming companies out there with classes in the different computer programming languages. There are a few which are free or can be taken at a low cost. Other classes are more expensive. The higher your child goes in the computer programming languages, the more you will need to find a company that teaches coding for the tasks your child wants to learn.

FAQ

What is STEM?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. When all the fields are put together intentionally, it is considered STEM education. This creates a student-centered learning atmosphere. The goal is for students to investigate and engineer solutions to problems. It focuses on hands-on, problem-based learning.

What is a STEM Program of Study?

STEM programs of study are classified based upon four occupational clusters. These include the following:

• Computer Technology
• Mathematical Sciences
• Engineering and Surveying
• Natural, Physical, and Life Sciences

Occupations:

• Aeronautics Professionals
• Architects
• Biologists 
• Biotechnologists 
• Chemists 
• Civil Engineering: Structural Engineers, Design Engineers, Engineering Managers, or Geotechnical Engineers
• Computer Science: Data Scientists, Web Developers, Systems Analysts, and Network Architects
• Electrical Engineering: Electricians or Computer Hardware Engineers
• Environmental Engineers or Environmental Scientists
• Industrial Engineering: Health and Safety Engineers or Logisticians
• Information Systems: Database Administrators, Information Systems Managers, or IT Consultants
• Math: Financial Analyst or Economist
• Mechanical Engineering: Mechanics, Maintenance Engineers, or Technicians