Intersection Ideagen
It is believed that the STEM skills being taught in the classroom today will be obsolete in 10 to 15
years. Due to the pace of technological change, the emergence of new categories of STEM jobs, and
the changing demography of our nation, our nation’s current ways of teaching and learning need an
overhaul. Education as we know it today also fails to address issues facing school administrators,
teachers, students, and the employers who seek highly-skilled workers. These include the following
collective and individual learner challenges:
1. Socio-economic barriers that can prevent equal access to learning opportunities and advanced education
2. Resource limitations such as the inadequate use of technology in the classroom to enable innovative learning, creativity and exploration
3. A teacher workforce that may be insufficiently prepared to teach STEM subjects, and insufficient incentives to attract and retain STEM-qualified educators
4. Not enough affordable and informed resources for educator training and training materials
5. Insufficient knowledge of what students want to learn, their concerns, and their career perspectives
6. A disconnection between classroom learning and the STEM skills and core competencies needed by prospective employers
7. Students insufficient awareness of career paths, skills that are needed by employers, and what pathways to take for certain types of STEM careers
8. The need for effective mentoring for kids who lack opportunities on a large scale
A national agenda that connects like-missioned partners is needed to address these and other
challenges. This agenda should connect the dots between larger government, non-profit and private
sector entities investing in STEM learning as well as smaller organizations and partnerships that are
having local impacts. Billions of dollars are invested in pockets or in large-scale, low-impact
activities but could be harnessed in partnerships to more accurately define where to impact STEM
education and workforce development.
STEM 360
16 Magazine / October 2014