3 Common Challenges STEM educators face in the classroom and how to overcome them
While educators in STEM prepare students to meet the challenges of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, they face their own challenges of working in STEM education. Gender stereotypes, the perception that STEM is boring and difficult, and an education system that fails to value active learning are some of the greatest hurdles STEM educators have to jump through. We will address these three challenges in STEM and discuss what teachers can do to overcome them.
The Gender Divide and Stereotypes
In K-12 education, girls and boys generally score equally well in mathematics and science standardized tests. So why do women only make up 28% of the STEM workforce? According to statistics from the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCB), as students advance through their education, far more boys than girls enroll in advanced STEM classes like engineering and AP computer science. This gender gap is also observed in institutions of higher education.
How to Overcome it:
Educators have the opportunity to dismantle gender stereotypes and encourage more females to pursue their interests in STEM. One way for teachers to do this is by highlighting the work of important women in STEM. Brilliant women have been contributing to the field for years, but due to systemic sexism, their hard work often goes without credit in our classrooms.
Here are 3 women you should idolize in your classroom:
Katherine Johnson, NASA Space Scientist
Radia Perlman, Internet Pioneer
Adriana Ocampo, Planetary Geologist
Additionally, talk to your female students about opportunities to study STEM outside of school. Girls Who Code is an organization that provides classes, online resources, and summer camps for girls who are interested in coding.
The Perspective that STEM is Boring and Difficult
Many students have a difficult time imagining themselves in STEM due to the misconception that STEM is boring and difficult to learn. In reality, everything is difficult to learn until you try and STEM is an incredibly exciting field of study! Unfortunately, students might associate STEM with dense readings, boring lectures, and demanding homework assignments.
How to Overcome it:
There are many ways teachers can debunk this myth and make their classrooms an exciting place to learn. Hands-on projects, field trips, competitions, and group work are just a few ways to make learning STEM more fun. Teachers can also highlight the exciting jobs available to students who study STEM, such as videogame engineer and underwater archeologist!
The Discouragement of Active Learning in the Education System
Traditional methods of teaching have seldomly given students opportunities to be active participants in their learning process. When classrooms are teacher-centered environments, students are less likely to be engaged and develop personal agency. To make learning a meaningful experience, students need to be more involved.
How to Overcome it:
Use problem-based learning (PBL) strategies to engage your students. When students learn through problem-solving tasks they make deeper connections to new material compared to when they are just told what to think. Give students the opportunity to learn for themselves with hands-on learning activities such as science experiments or maker kits. These types of activities allow students to build, learn, experiment, and develop a love of STEM.
Final Thoughts
STEM classes help students explore, create, design, and develop problem-solving skills in all aspects of life. It is crucial for the development of our society that students continue to study STEM and look for new ways of understanding our world. When educators take steps to close the gender gap, highlight the exciting fields of STEM, and engage students in active learning, they make the world of STEM move inviting to students.
