Running Head: THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

The Importance of STEM Education

Shannon Broderick, Shannon Daniel, Joshua Hiley, Brittanie Campos

Arizona State University

THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

Abstract

This paper introduces the importance of and lack of STEM subjects and thinking in

Secondary Education and the potential problems of students who lack this preparation will face.

This paper provides examples of how a lack of STEM education has been identified in the field

and discusses the repercussions and absence of STEM education will have on student academic

and career achievement as well as research regarding the negative externalities for the broader

economy and the benefits it can bring to schools and individuals who participate. Additionally,

this paper develops and presents suggestions that are both cost effective and can fit within the

current curriculum, to aid students in their preparation for college as well as personal and

professional development for both students and teachers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

Intro to the Problem

The United States is experiencing two major problems that threaten its economic future.

The first problem is that U.S. companies are too frequently relying on foreign born talent to fill

highly skilled roles due to a lack of qualified graduates, every year the number of companies who

file H-1B petitions to hire foreign skilled workers constantly exceeds the current supply. These

individuals gain experience and knowledge while working at our countries’ top companies,

displacing the domestic labor force, and then bringing that knowledge back to their home

countries. This is causing the rise of foreign “Silicon Valleys,” which comprise mostly of

individuals who were taught and trained in the U.S. The second major problem that faces our

country is the threat of automation. Estimates may vary on the magnitude of future job loss due to

automation but the overall trend is clear, millions of workers will be displaced by robots and

automated systems as the world progresses technologically. A study by the McKinsey Global

Institute, a business and economics research arm of McKinsey, estimates that between 400 million

and 800 million of today’s jobs will be automated by 2030, these include office administrators,

construction personnel, and service jobs, among many others (Manyika et al. 2017). Fortunately,

new jobs will be created but they will require high levels of skill and knowledge, in the next decade,

almost all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations will require intermediate or advanced knowledge

of science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (Weiss 2018). As educators, we need to

prepare students for this new dynamic and knowledge intensive landscape by integrating STEM

into the current curriculum and increasing access to classes that form the foundation of a future

STEM career.

I believe this problem exists in the U.S because of a lack of access to qualified STEM

educators and to classes that form the foundational knowledge of most STEM careers is a major
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

problem in the U.S. As a result, many high school graduates who further their education are

either not interested in these areas of study or not adequately prepared for them. This presents a

problem for both our nation’s economy and for their educational and career attainment that will

have long lasting effects that we must address immediately.

Although both education professionals and lawmakers are aware of this issue, schools

are still experiencing shortages in high-quality professionals, with more than half of U.S. public

school districts, including more than 90 percent of districts serving large populations of African-

American and Latino students, reporting difficulties recruiting and retaining certified STEM

teachers (Weiss 2018). The shortage of relevant classes is also very troubling, according the

National Center for Education Statistics the percentage of high school graduates who completed

relevant STEM classes is extremely low (e.g. in 2009: Chemistry 70%, Physics 36%, Calculus

16%, Statistics 11%) (NCEA 2016). The shortage is also inequitable, a quarter of high schools

with the highest percentage of African-American and Latino students do not offer Algebra II and

a third do not offer chemistry. This may explain why people of color are underrepresented in the

STEM fields.

While many long-term solutions to these problems require action at the federal level, e.g.

giving monetary incentives to skilled and knowledgeable professionals or adding more relevant

courses, there are actions teachers can take that could have an immediate impact. One of the easiest

actions that could make an immediate impact is integrating STEM inquiry into our high schools’

existing curriculums. By consistently integrating this into the curriculum teachers can at least peak

students’ interest and give them the tools to be better off, irrespective of teacher and class

shortages.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

Discussion of the Problem

Technology advancement is a wonderful thing, however with as many benefits and great

inventions it has brought, it has also created some problems. In 1984, only 8 percent of

households had a personal computer when having one now is a definite necessity in today’s life,

and five years after that the World Wide Web just existed and cell phones were bulky and large,

so Americans that were born in that year were only 33 years old (Fischer-Baum, 2017).

Technology is evolving rapidly as each generation of technology builds on the advances of

previous generations, creating this rapid rate of growth. Technology has become so sophisticated

that machines have been created that have the ability to do what once humans did. Before, most

jobs involving repetitive tasks, or jobs such as construction installation and repair, card dealing,

security guarding, dishwashing and food preparation were done by individuals. Yet now

machines can perform tasks that people have long handled. Thus, due to the rising tide of

automation, over the next 13 years, as many as 70 million workers in the United States will have

to find new ways to make money (Paquette 2017). As stated before, new jobs will be created,

but they will require high levels of skill and knowledge, in the next decade, almost all of the 30

fastest-growing occupations will require intermediate or advanced knowledge of science,

technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (Weiss 2018).

However, with only 44% of the 2013 U.S high school graduates being ready for college

level mathematics, the demands for these new jobs may not be met. (Molina, pg. 1) Pew

Research Center revealed some anxiety among bosses, as stated by Paquette, “About a third of

business leaders and technology watches in a group of roughly 1,400 expressed “no confidence”

that the country’s education system and job training programs will evolve quickly enough to

meet the next decade’s labour demands” (Paquette 2017). Research has shown that there is an
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

increasing disinterest of young people in science and technology, and due to this “decreasing

readiness and motivation of students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics (STEM) majors or a technical profession compounds the problem of growing

demands for a trained workforce” (Nugent et al. 1068). It is even shown that while the number of

students receiving degrees from four-year institutions has increased in the U.S as higher

education has become more accessible, the number of students graduating with STEM degrees

has actually declined, with the number of bachelor’s degrees being awarded in STEM fields

peaking at 24 percent in 1985, yet dropping to 18 percent in 2009 (Casey, pg. 2). Even more

concerning, STEM participation and achievement gaps persist across different demographic

groups. Women are less likely than men to pursue degrees in STEM, and black and Hispanic

students are less likely than their white counterparts(Casey, pg. 5). So despite the creation of

these new jobs, not enough individuals are meeting the demands of the new jobs, and there aren’t

enough of the ones that do meet the requirements.

There are several reasons for the cause of this problem, and the root of it starts in our

education system. First, as Casey states, these problems have arose due to the lack of a strong

foundation in math and science for elementary and secondary schools, thus students finding

themselves unprepared to train for and pursue careers in STEM fields (Casey, pg. 8).

Additionally, it is difficult to attract and keep STEM-trained individuals to teach STEM subjects

at the K-12 level when there are higher wages and better benefits outside of the Education field,

not to mention that most K-12 math and science teachers do not have enough hands-on

experience working in STEM (Casey, Pg.8). Furthermore, there is not enough communication of

STEM education to students. College students do not have the information necessary regarding

college prospects to make an educated decision in selecting a course of study, and younger
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

students do not have appropriate mentors to teach them about STEM or there is a lack of hands-

on activities in the classroom to pique any interests (Casey, pg. 8) Therefore, as technology

advances, the way students are taught math and science must also change in order to help our

students meet the increasing demands of our changing society.

Graduating students who are unable to meet the demands of the new jobs arising during

this new era of automation may face unemployment, which could in turn harm our country.

STEM occupations have higher educational requirements, and over 99 percent of STEM

employment in occupations typically require some type of postsecondary education for entry,

compared with 36 percent of overall employment (Fayer et al. 2017). Thus making high school

degrees almost useless. However, STEM careers offer major benefits, as 93 out of 100 STEM

occupations had wages above the national average, with the national average wage of all STEM

occupations being $87,570 (Fayer et al. 2017). Therefore, students who decide to pursue STEM

as a career option are most likely to receive an above average wage and have a higher standard of

living. Industries can also benefit from more STEM employment, industries that had higher

shares of STEM occupations had higher wages. For example, information ($70,440), utilities

($73,100), and management of companies and enterprises ($79,600) also had both high overall

wages and high shares of STEM employment while in comparison, industries with the lowest

shares of STEM employment had among the lowest average wages: retail trade ($31,280) and

accommodation of food services ($24,340 ) (Fayer et al. 2017). Furthermore, if more students

pursue STEM fields then there will also be more research for scientists and engineers, which will

also lead to more breakthrough advances in science and technology. Technology innovation is a

primary driver of U.S economic growth, with studies showing that half or more of economic

growth in the United States over the past fifty years is attributed to improved productivity
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

resulting from innovation (Casey, pg. 1) This has created vast improvements in computer and

information technologies, as well as biomedical technologies and changing the quality of life for

today’s American citizen (Casey, pg. 1). Thus, if more students enter the STEM fields, not only

will they themselves benefit, but the country itself will benefit.

Researching the Problem

One of the major roles of education is to prepare students for the future, and that future

will include technology. An increasing number of jobs relies on technology in more and more

ways. Whether a student wants to be a mechanic, contractor, military, engineer, or nurse,

technology will be an integral part of their career. As secondary education teachers, technology

can be introduced and STEM should be focused early and often in the educational system. This

should not take away from non-STEM subjects, but can be used to enhance a complete education

for students in a changing and fast paced world.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May of 2015 there were 8.6 million

STEM jobs, that made up 6.2% of US employment. According to some estimates, today there are

almost 20 million jobs. That is not to mention that according to Pew Research Center, jobs in

STEM that do not require a college degree make 26% more than non-STEM jobs. It is natural to

think that STEM jobs will necessarily be jobs that require college degrees. That is not the case.

Computer support, electrical technicians, air traffic controllers, and dental hygienists are just

some examples of jobs that do not require a four year degree. These types of jobs are not always

discussed when STEM careers are discussed. This can create a stigma that all STEM jobs are for

people that want to stay in school, have to go to college, and get the best grades. As educators,

these careers can be not just talked about, but encouraged to students. College is not a reality for

all high school students, and there should be no negativity in that statement. The reason for that
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

is also not important, need for employment, unaffordability, or lack of interest in college life is

not a reason that a STEM career is not possible. These careers simply need to be made more

visible, and information should be made just as available as college information from high

schools.

There are also many jobs regarding STEM that do require four year college degrees. For

students with these aspirations, the ability to properly prepare students for the rigor of college, as

well as the necessary class load, is paramount to allow students to finish in four years. The cost

of college is going to continue to rise which limits the students who can go to college, as well as

makes it much harder for students who need to add an extra semester or year to the process. The

World Top 20 Project ranks the United States at number 20 in the world in education in 2017.

Pair that with data in STEM education from the National Science Foundation that shows that 15

year old students from the US scored lower than 26 other countries in math and science. With the

STEM job sector growing, the US cannot continue to rank this low as a country and still provide

the best prospects for these jobs.

If this trend continues, there is a possibility that companies and research groups will

begin to start innovating in Europe and Asia, in order to make it easier for prospects to work in

these industries. The visa that is used to bring work in skilled workers with 4 year college

degrees, the H1B visa, is limited in scope, and the federal government has discussed limiting it

further. If this continues to be the case, companies will have no choice but to move research and

production to places that have more workers that are prepared for these fields.

There has also been research done as to how STEM education is currently being taught.

There are traditionally disenfranchised students, lack of funding for new programs, and a tie to

America’s economic strength that is linked to advances in technology. One of the roadblocks that
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

Yu Xie, Michael Fang, and Kimberlee Shauman found in their paper STEM Education (Aug.

2015) was that jobs in STEM are generally higher paying and prestigious, but STEM education

is embedded in the general education system. This idea can be summed up with one line,

“Science always requires education, but education does not have to be scientific.” (Xie et. al.) It

is important that educators decouple STEM education and general education for many reasons.

The authors go on to show how not all workers with STEM training work in STEM fields, and

although less likely, it is possible for someone with little STEM training working in a STEM

field.

There are many factors that need to be overcome in order to advance STEM education.

Some are as simple as the social situations some students are in. Not all students have the same

access to technology at home, or are modeled science education at home. Xie, Fang, and

Shauman, discuss a link between neighborhood disadvantage and the lack of STEM education.

This seems intuitive that poor students would be lacking representation, but it is also shown in

the literature. Students spend their most amount of hours in a day at school, so schools that are

properly funded and staffed can facilitate that change with proper motivation and training.

The article goes on to discuss how schools are not consistent with resources for STEM

education. Whether it is a disparity in labs, programs such as robotics, or simply the training of

the teachers can vary wildly and this can affect a students view of science. Research has shown

that school environment can affect a students willingness to pursue STEM. If educators are not

providing the necessary drive to make STEM important, than a major opportunity is being

missed in these students lives. Family factors have been shown to also affect a students outlook,

but that should not deter educators from pushing students to be their best.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

The research also shows a large gender gap in representation in gender. There have been

studies that show males are more drawn to these professions, but Xie, Fang, and Shauman cite

more recent research that discounts those findings. The new research suggest that any difference

could be sensitivity to training. As educators and the system as a whole gets better at teaching

and training future scientists, these gender gaps could start to shrink. The social environment can

have an effect on perceptions, but as with most cases, education is the best deterrent to false

perceptions.

Suggestions & Recommendations

Now that we have discussed the problem and the facts to back up why STEM is a much

needed resource in today's schools, we need to offer solutions. When thinking about Science and

Mathematics we need to think beyond the required core subjects if our desire is to have a higher

percentage of students successful in the subjects and in school. Recommendations for serving

students better start with more qualified teachers in the STEM areas, more class options, and

other programs that encourage the use of STEM content.

Beyond the financial need to implement more STEM content in our schools, the lack of

teachers is a big issue. We need more qualified teachers available for schools to offer more

instruction. Setting up programs that would encourage educators to teach in areas of Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Some ideas to support this would be loan

forgiveness to for college if an educator chooses to teach in one of the areas of STEM. This

could be stipulated that they would have to commit to so many years of teaching in the subject,

to ensure responsible use of funds. Offering stipends or higher pay incentives to STEM teachers

would also be attractive to some educators to go into one these subject areas.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

Another necessity is to give STEM teachers more support in their field of expertise. By

offering support to teachers such as content geared Professional Development Seminars and

additional support from veteran teachers at their schools that can discuss and help implement

instruction using the schools chosen curriculum. Having teachers that know the curriculum they

will be teaching allows for better and more interactive opportunities to teach it. Giving the

teachers hands on experience with the curriculum with the aid of a mentor teacher in the same

field can also be a beneficial tool in the success of that teacher in a STEM subject. Along with

knowing the content and curriculum they will be using, a teacher also needs to have a strong core

knowledge of teaching. By strengthening a teacher’s core teaching practicing, it will strengthen

the content portion of the subject because the teacher’s strong teaching practices will help them

be more confident in their instruction (National Research Council. 2011, pg.44). The two will

mold together into a cohesive practice as the teacher gains experience.

Once we have the teachers that are needed we need to focus on providing more options in

the classroom that will support the content areas that are necessary for graduating high school.

This needs to begin before students reach the high school level. One way to develop a student’s

interest in STEM subjects would be to implement elective courses that coincide with them, but

allow students the opportunity to use them in practical hands on experiences. As students reach

middle school they begin to move from class to class and are offered additional classes as

electives to choose from. Schools could implement classes such as a Science lab class that is

focused on Project Based Learning, where students will be doing hands on science learning not

just learning it from a textbook. This type of class could compliment the student’s actual

“required” science class by giving students more confidence in the content as well as an interest
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

to learn. This idea of more STEM based electives in middle school can then extend into high

school.

Once students reach high school and have had an opportunity to STEM based electives,

they can then be given the opportunity to choose from electives that are career based and or

vocational. The idea of vocational high schools is a great concept and it is one that can go

beyond reaching out to students that have little interest in going to college after graduation. If

schools used this idea of vocation in course electives it could not only promote STEM subjects in

high school, but also STEM based careers after college. Students want to know the “whys” of

learning, and this can be achieved with classes that offer hands on experience. Offering classes

in engineering where students construct their own projects and speak with real engineer “guest

teachers”, would enhance the learning and answer the “why”? Having classes on auto mechanics

and having students learn and work on real cars, will enhance math skills, and technology skills,

since newer cars are built around technology. Not only will they learn how to fix a car’s engine,

they will learn about computers and hone in on math concepts that may be harder to grasp if just

given a problem on a paper to solve. Having culinary courses enhance mathematics and science,

students can learn what reactions certain ingredients have on one another in baking, which

applies to chemical reactions in chemistry. We are now teaching them chemistry in a more

relevant way as well as teaching them a skill in baking both of which will be useful beyond high

school.

Lastly, we need to get community and business support. The communities who fund the

schools need to understand the importance of stronger education for our students. Not only does

the community encompass individuals, but also businesses. By getting business support by

industries that encompass STEM content we can enrich the learning of our students. Having an
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

engineering firm for instance sponsor or support an elective engineering class by offering their

expertise to students would be a great benefit. As students become juniors and seniors schools

could pair with businesses that would allow students internships for student to learn real life

hands on applications of what they have been learning in school as well. This would also

promote more interest in the college level in STEM related degrees.

The most important thing we can do as educators and citizens in our community is to

support the idea that STEM curriculum is important to the future of our state and country. More

importantly provided a well-rounded education to our children today will produce more

productive members of society later. They are the future and what they are taught today is

important to what they will do with it tomorrow. Our world is being encompassed with

technology and we are in need of more individuals that are educated about that technology. We

need to get our communities more on board with the importance of education because without

that support we cannot obtain the funding needed to implement the programs to achieve success

in the areas of STEM.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

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