Leveraging Technology to Improve STEM Education

Technology's effective integration and use increase STEM learning and student success.

FREMONT, CA: "STEM education" refers to the teaching and learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at all grade levels, from pre-kindergarten to post-doctoral, and in both formal and informal classroom settings. Policymakers and educational experts worldwide are increasingly concerned with assuring students' persistence and performance in STEM and their preparation for a STEM-dominated labor market. Modern education systems, however, require students to be engaged since they are based on academic concepts developed over a century ago. For example, the majority of STEM education in elementary and secondary schools emphasizes theory over application and experience learning and perpetuates separation between the many STEM disciplines. As student involvement in STEM is a critical societal need, it is essential to examine how technological advances might encourage and promote student engagement in STEM.

Integrating technology into teaching and learning enhances curricula and student outcomes. Technology facilitates creative, flexible, and intentional thinking and knowledge production in the classroom and expands students' educational prospects. With the rapid progress of information and communication technology, educators and researchers are emphasizing the potential benefits of using educational technology to enhance STEM learning outcomes.

HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE STEM EDUCATION

Online Interactivity in Education: Online education has become indispensable for expanding STEM instruction and enhancing student comprehension. Where innovation and hands-on learning experiences are crucial, the STEM education sector frequently finds itself at the exciting intersection of traditional and online learning. As online learning continues to transform the educational landscape, those of us have a tremendous chance to embrace digital innovations and, eventually, improve traditional classroom environments and hands-on programs for students. Technology corporations like Google have successfully integrated online learning into K-12 classrooms. Google introduced its online learning platform, G Suite for Education, more than a decade ago to provide students and teachers with a simple and safe way to share papers and other novel features. Their user-friendly technology has fundamentally altered how teachers and students interact and collaborate.

Simulation: Simulation technologies facilitate STEM education by allowing students to manipulate virtual and physical situations. Students can increase their comprehension of STEM disciplines and the core abilities of the discipline. Models of real-world behavior or natural/scientific phenomena, such as ecosystem models or simulated animal dissection, are typically used to develop simulations. Real equipment can be challenging to get in STEM fields; thus, simulations allow students to experience phenomena they would not otherwise be able to encounter directly. For instance, simulations can replace laboratory equipment that may be too expensive or risky for a school to purchase.