A summary of STEM

in the educational system for

K-12 curriculum

By:
Stacy DiMattio
ETCV 399 Fall 2015
Dr. Czerkawski

The educational system in the United States is continually trying to find new ways to
make learning more fun while also wanting to expand the young minds to help them find the
focus of what they would like to do in life. One of those ways that is in more current times is
implementing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program that
assists students to find an admiration for those fields that are needed in our technological world.
It is through these STEM programs that help foster that admiration into a career that can take
students to new place or even to where their imagination can carry them.
According to the National Research Council, it has been shown that while there are
programs for technology and engineering it seems to be that the emphasis is more on science and
mathematics programs. The research that the National Research Council conducted showed that
there was a limited understanding of how technology and engineering are doing in K-12 STEM
programs as compared to the information and research that there was for science and
mathematics (National Research Council, 2011). There is evidence that shows that many of the
U.S. students arent proficient in their mathematics skills by the time they leave the 8th grade
(NRC, 2011). There is also evidence to show that those that are in an underserved group of
black/white, Hispanic/white, or low/high income, students perform roughly at the 20th percentile
rather than the 50th percentile (NRC, 2011). The United States as a whole have only 10 percent
of 8th graders that meet the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study benchmarks
where as it is 32 percent in Singapore and 25 percent in China (NRC, 2011). The United States
educational system needs to be able to help meet the needs for those that may not have the
resources of STEM programs to be able to find a students potential for growth in those fields.
The National Research Council has 3 goals to help the United States with their STEM
programs.
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The 1st goal is to:

Expand the number of students who ultimately pursue advanced degrees and careers in STEM
fields and broaden the participation of women and minorities in those fields (NRC, 2011).
Though the United States has grown their STEM program, the emphasis needs to be to
recognize those underrepresented (Black, Hispanics, and low-income) students that have the
potential to expand their knowledge in these fields (NRC, 2011). The STEM programs do need
to recognize that women are also very capable of being able to do anything they would like in the
STEM fields. According to the NEA Foundation, a schools in Ohio would do good to have a
connection for those with limited resources by bringing together a diverse group of teachers to
engage in a unique STEM education immersion experience (The NEA Foundation, 2012). The
Ohio Appalachian Educators Institute (OAEI) brought forth some educators for a professional
development, but what happened was that the educators learned how to work together to
collaborate on new development as a unit (The NEA Foundation, 2012).
The 2nd goal is to:
Expand the STEM-capable workforce and broaden the participation of women and minorities in
that workforce (NRC, 2011).
The United States can help advance the workforce by acknowledging that vocational
certifications with specialized STEM knowledge such as medical assistants, nurses, and
computer and green energy technicians are just as important as having an advanced degree
(NRC, 2011). Those with these skills need to be shown that their skills are a necessity as well.
The vocational skills is where those that work in those fields are able to focus on their goals and
realize that their contribution to the workforce is just as important.
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The 3rd goal is to:

Increase STEM literacy for all students, including those who do not pursue STEM-related
careers or additional study in the STEM disciplines (NRC, 2011).
The STEM literacy is defined as the knowledge and understanding of scientific and
mathematical concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in
civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity for all students (NRC, 2011). According to
Ann Linson and Dr. Rebecca Lamon, they noted that communities and different school districts
are looking to have students be exposed to college and career opportunities, the more choices
that will be available to them upon high school graduation (Linson and Lamon, 2015). Linson
and Lamon noted that some of the fields go around what STEM has to offer with some of those
being Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, Business and information Technology, and
Health and Related Services (Linson and Lamon, 2015). Linson and Lamon show that it is while
education is essential, students need to also look at how STEM can help them in the real world
(Linson and Lamon, 2015). According to the NEA Foundation, when teachers give students the
opportunity to be interested in a field they didnt understand before makes students expand their
minds and see that interest in science that will lead to college and career will do wonders for a
student (The NEA Foundation, 2012). When a student is made more aware of what STEM is and
what can do, it can never be dismissed that it could open a new door for students to want to
explore the possibilities of a STEM field. It only takes a spark to fuel the drive to want to learn
more and see what their future could be.
When students were given the opportunity to be taught to engage in STEM practices by
their teachers, they were able to learn more and were given a better understanding of what STEM
could do for them (NRC, 2011). As with any growth, one thing that was noted by the National
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Research Council was that for those students that found interest in STEM programs had the
guidance of their teachers as the teachers had the professional development for their STEM field
(NRC, 2011). When the teachers could see the students enthusiasm for a certain field of study, it
is that teacher that can assist the students to expand and learn more of what they want to learn.
STEM programs is the beginning, but if students have teachers that can continue that growth it is
where the seeds are rooted.
One factor that changed the way schools taught some of the STEM programs was the No
Child Left Behind Act that had the emphasis switched more to mathematics and English
language arts to be the focus and the study of sciences wasnt as important (NRC, 2011). Linson
and Lamon not that thought there is growth in the STEM field classrooms, the emphasis is still
lost to teach language arts and how it can help foster the STEM curriculum (Linson and Lamon,
2015). It is in the elementary school years that science careers can be developed (NRC, 2011).
This may be a great reason that science is seeing a comeback and the focus of expanding the
introduction of sciences to elementary students is important for STEM in the K-5 education
programs in schools (NRC, 2011). When science is introduced in K-5 educational programs, this
is the beginning of how school districts can help their students learn more and advance their
thoughts of the future. Some other ways that school districts can help to expand the study of
STEM fields can be by enhancing the capability of K-12 teachers, have professional
development that helps them to create the school conditions that appear to support student
achievements, and to make sure that their STEM curricula is focused on the most important
topics in each discipline, are rigorous, and are articulated as a sequence of topics and
performances (NRC, 2011).

In conclusion, STEM programs in K-12 is now an important factor that helps to harness
the drive to want to expand the STEM fields into higher education, either in college or vocational
programs. When students are given the opportunity to know how STEM can enhance their
knowledge, that knowledge is then passed down then that student becomes a professional in their
chosen STEM field. Scientists learn from other scientists as nurses learn from other nurses. It is
in their studies, that students then can use STEM to find out more of what they can accomplish.
One of those students that fell in love with science, to become a biomedical student and then
graduates to one day possibly find a cure for a disease or an ailment that can have an effect
thousands. It is all with STEM programs, the future for all students can be inspiring.

Bibliography
Linson, A. W., & Lamon, R. (2015). Enhancing K-12 Curriculum with STEM Integration.
Retrieved from
http://www.advanc-ed.org/source/enhancing-k-12-curriculum-stem-integration
National Research Council of the National Academies. (2011). Successful K-12 STEM
Education: Identifying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Retrieved from
http://www.stemreports.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/NRC_STEM_2.pdf
The NEA Foundation. (2012). Harnessing the Potential of Innovative STEM Education
Programs: Stories of Collaboration, Connectedness and Empowerment.
Retrieved from
https://www.neafoundation.org/content/assets/2012/08/nea_stemreport_final-5.pdf