STEM Programs Get Some Help From the U.S. House, and Parents

In our technological and globally connected world, the STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are becoming more and more important. However, fewer and fewer of our children are entering related careers. Late last year, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan mentioned that only 23% of college freshmen enter STEM majors, and of those only 40% actually graduate with a STEM degree within six years. This is a disturbing fact considering about 26% of American workers with science and engineering degrees are 50 or older and nearing retirement.

So what can be done to encourage our children to enter these fields? Some help may just have arrived in the form of increased government funding. Last Friday (May 28, 2010) the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act, which works to support the STEM fields. Despite difficult economic times, STEM programs must be continued to improve and maintain our countries scientific and technological strength. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., remarked, "if we are to reverse the trend of the last 20 years, where our country's technology edge in the world has diminished, we must make the investments necessary today."

Obviously, a great deal of STEM planning and executing falls to educators, but research shows that parental encouragement to attend college can also play a major role in a child’s willingness to enter STEM fields. Jon Miller, a professor at Michigan State, reported from his study that only 4 percent of students with low parental encouragement planned to enter a STEM major, compared to 41 percent of students whose parents encouraged college attendance.

Parents should also support taking mathematics throughout high school; "Mathematics is a primary gateway to a STEMM* career," Miller is quoted as saying, "beginning with algebra-track placement in grades 7 and 8, and continuing through high school and college calculus courses."

*The additional M was added for Medicine.

Author: Justin Mullen

Justin Mullen is a NYSED certified teacher of physics, general science, and mathematics and Education Consultant for Falls View Academy.

Sources:

http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2009/10/10232009.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2010/05/us_house_finally_passes_stem_e.html?qs=stem

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2010/02/research_parents_critica.html?qs=stem