An educational program is the backbone of an education system. It sets out the curriculum and the learning outcomes for students through their years of formal education. Most schools have a laid out educational program structured through the affiliated boards of education, which are recognized by the Ministry of Education. These days, however, many schools opt to use a different educational program by external sources. These programs are meant to complement the classroom learning and enhance the learning outcomes. The learning outcomes are varied but usually, there is syllabus connect with the existing set-out curriculum. These programs act as an aid to better learning rather than an addition to the curriculum.
The STEM-based education program is the most popular of such programs. There are many benefits to the STEM approach:
1. Developing Scientific Temperament and spirit of Enquiry:
A STEM Educational Program student gains proficiency over a combination of behaviors, such as engagement in inquiry, logical reasoning, investigation, analysis, collaboration, and teamwork. The educational program enables the students to develop inquiry as an attitude. This makes them investigate real-world problems and global issues from a fresh perspective. They are able to identify global challenges and move towards solutions.
2. Integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Curriculum:
The STEM Educational Program prepares students for higher studies by making them experts at integrations of these different domains. They learn to identify and analyze different subjects with a common approach, share ideas and work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary and an inter-disciplinary team to achieve a common goal. This also teaches them to be receptive to others peoples’ ideas and work as an effective team player.
3. Project-based learning approach:
Students engage in the hand son learning approach and further the maker’s approach where they learn by developing their own projects. This learning-based educational program enables them to first-hand experience the challenges involved in different real-life problems. They can engage in critical thinking and logical reasoning and have more creative and innovative approaches to problem-solving.
4. Better Communicators:
The educational program also aims at making students better communicators. They become more efficient at interpreting information and communicating it effectively and precisely to others. STEM approach makes students proficient at using the various modes of communication like audio, video and presentation content to convey information and ideas. Also, they learn to evaluate the usability of the vast amount of information available and extract important pieces of information while also integrating multiple sources of information presented in various formats like multimedia, videos or data.
5. Strategic Application of Technology:
One of the most prominent effects of the STEM Educational Program is an observed enhancement in the capabilities of students to effectively apply technology. They can identify different technologies and understand which technology can be used to develop solutions to different problems, and construct answers to complex questions. Furthermore, they can make responsible use of the available technology, improve upon and create new technologies to extend the scope of technological capabilities.