STEM EDUCATION: Preparing Students for
a Growing Field
STEM SOLUTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
Page
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM INSTRUCTION ........................................................................................ 2
ACHIEVING A HIGH-LEVEL STEM EDUCATION .................................................................................... 3
Enhance: Blended Learning and Outside Partnerships .............................................................. 3
Expand: Developing Your Own Enrichment Courses .................................................................. 4
Transform: A STEM-Centered Culture ......................................................................................... 4
ENGINEERING: “THE LOST E” IN STEM ................................................................................................ 5
Inspiring Future Engineers: Bring The Field to Your Students ................................................... 5
YOUR BEST PARTNER FOR STEM ADVANCEMENT.............................................................................. 6
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STEM SOLUTIONS
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM INSTRUCTION
It’s a hallmark of contemporary discussions on American
education: Why aren’t our students doing better in math
and science? Everyone from President Obama to Steve Jobs
has weighed in on the topic in recent years—the former to
pledge money to new education initiatives, and the latter to
praise China for their relative preponderance of
engineering talent. There’s widespread agreement that
young Americans need better Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, but schools can only address the challenge through
targeted collaborations, Internet courses, and teacher development.
What is STEM?
STEM education includes every field under the umbrella of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math—everything from chemistry to physics, software design to trigonometry. There is some debate in
the STEM community about potentially including arts in that lineup as a means of stressing creativity
and innovation in these typically data-based fields. But this approach has not yet been recognized by the
main professional bodies dedicated to STEM, such as the STEM Coalition and the National Science
Foundation.
Why STEM? A Wealth of Reasons
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said, “Everyone has a stake in improving STEM education.
Inspiring all our students to be capable in math and science will help them contribute in an increasingly
technology-based economy, and will also help America prepare the next generation of STEM
professionals—scientists, engineers, architects and technology professionals—to ensure our
competiveness.”
From a purely economic standpoint, students would benefit from better STEM education because the
fields are expanding more quickly than any other besides the health care industry. By 2018, 1 in 20
global jobs will be STEM-related—an estimated 2.8 million jobs in total. Over 90% of those opportunities
will require secondary degrees, and over two-thirds will require a bachelor’s degree.
U.S. students lag behind their foreign counterparts in STEM education, particularly those in India and
East Asia. But perhaps more troublingly, even those American students with STEM interest and talent
report declining achievement due to lack of resources. According to the New York Times, 75% of highachieving math and science students decide not to pursue STEM subjects in college. A 2011 Georgetown
University report on the most popular American college majors found that only two of the top ten
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STEM SOLUTIONS
(Engineering and Computer Science) were in STEM fields.1 And even the three most popular STEM
majors—Biology, Computer Science, and Engineering—have fallen in popularity among American
undergraduates over the last three decades.2
The trouble with American STEM education isn’t just that students are choosing not to pursue it; the
bigger problem, and the one that individual schools and teachers can help fix, is that these students
aren’t fully aware of the value of STEM in the first place.
ACHIEVING A HIGH-LEVEL STEM EDUCATION
It’s true that STEM courses are typically more academically rigorous than the social sciences and
humanities, but as any educator knows, students can achieve tremendous boosts of confidence when
they meet such challenges. Greater opportunities to study the STEM fields mean more opportunities for
students to learn skills they may not even know they have.
There are obstacles, of course—budget restrictions, lack of resources, inadequate teacher qualifications,
and a lack of professional development are all common hurdles for schools looking to include more
high-level STEM courses in their curriculum. That’s the bad news. The good news, however, is that it’s
never been easier to overcome these hurdles and supplement your students’ STEM education.
Plenty of options exist to Enhance, Expand, and Transform your STEM curriculum.
Enhance: Blended Learning and Outside Partnerships
Open-Education Resources (OERs) include lab simulations, games, tutorials, podcasts—anything that can
supplement students’ learning or offer them new opportunities. These also include professional
development products, for teachers and administrators looking to increase their technological
knowledge and their mastery of advance STEM subjects.
The benefits of OERs include:
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Relatively low cost
Tiered implementation—schools buy and use only what they need
Quick learning curve for teachers and administrators
Partnerships with content providers can also help schools expand their STEM offerings. Potential
collaborators include virtual schools, curriculum vendors, and STEM-specific organizations. These are
1
2
“What’s It Worth?” [link]
The New York Times, “Why Science Majors Change Their Mind: It’s Just So Darn Hard,” November 6, 2011 [link]
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STEM SOLUTIONS
typically more comprehensive than single OERs, and can help schools add dozens of courses for students
with proven STEM interest and skills.
Online or “blended” learning solutions like those provided by Connections Learning allow students and
teachers to supplement their classroom experience with tutorials and expert instruction from all over
the country and the globe. Students can attend lectures or receive personal instruction online, usually at
their own chosen speed and schedule. Teachers can also use these online courses to improve their own
subject knowledge. And the benefits can be seen at all levels:
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In a recent survey of online students, 90% said, “My course made connections to realworld situations”; 80% accessed courses not available at their brick-and-mortar schools;
and 75% said they developed independent learning skills.”
In the same survey of 155 teachers and 100 principals, 75% reported gaining new
technology skills; 52% gained new instructional skills; and 86% said the experience was
time well spent.
Expand: Developing Your Own Enrichment Courses
When teachers feel confident and knowledgeable enough in higher-level subjects, they can create their
own STEM materials for interested students. Teacher-Created Supplements include technologically
advanced lessons, online and/or blended courses to supplement in-class activities, modules, and
collaborations. These projects require significant Professional Development support from school
administration, whether in the form of teacher education in higher-level content or technology skills.
Generally, original content has to be coupled with an administrative reevaluation of what “education”
means—schools have to understand how online and technologically advanced learning looks and works,
and commit to supplying their students and teachers with advanced content and technology.
Transform: A STEM-Centered Culture
For those schools looking to supply more than just individual classes or student support, the next step is
an institutional commitment to STEM at the county or board level. This commitment should emphasize
the practical value of STEM education, and focus on college and career preparedness. In short, this is the
way to address the issue that 75% of students who choose not to study STEM subjects even though
they’ve enjoyed and thrived in the classes thus far.
A large-scale STEM commitment might include:
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Reassessment of curriculum to include more STEM subjects and greater supplementary
material in higher-level subjects
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STEM SOLUTIONS
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Partnerships with local and national organizations that can assist STEM education, such
as universities or corporations
Participation in global classrooms, virtual mentorships, and content-specific programs
All of these options are meant to bring students into direct contact with STEM professionals and realworld work, so that they better understand the value and reality of STEM careers.
Each school has its own individual needs for STEM education. When deciding to Enhance, Expand, or
Transform your curriculum, the important thing is to set an ambitious (but attainable) goal for what you
want to provide for your students. The tools are out there; base your decision on what’s possible and
what you’d like to achieve.
ENGINEERING: “THE LOST E” IN STEM
Because the courses require sophisticated technology and advanced teacher qualifications, many
schools find engineering to be hardest part of the STEM puzzle. It’s a shame, and not only because the
Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted an 11% increase in engineering jobs by 2018. Engineering
courses are also some of the most stimulating and creatively inspiring courses that young people can
take.
To discover their interest and talent for engineering, students need both early exposure to engineering
courses and encouragement to follow this strenuous, work-intensive path. For those ambitious students
who want to potentially study engineering beyond high school, they need to be convinced that the
challenging track is worth the slight drop in G.P.A. that most experience relative to their non-STEM
peers. With the necessary exposure to engineers and the engineering field, they’ll understand that more
modest grades are perfectly acceptable given the higher demand and lower enrollment in these courses.
Inspiring Future Engineers: Bring the Field to Your Students
Blended and Online Learning
The best way to open your students’ eyes to the world of engineering is through online courses and
products. Online, students can gain crucial access to advanced STEM courses and peer tutors, and they
can interact with experts in the field to better understand what engineering really entails. Some useful
online engineering tools include:
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Research activities
Online mentorships and collaborations with engineering professionals
Guest speakers in virtual classrooms
Participation in online STEM clubs and science fairs
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STEM SOLUTIONS
Teacher Development
Students need qualified, enthusiastic teachers to teach them the essential building blocks of engineering
like calculus and statistics. AP course offerings are a good step, but teachers have to bring these subjects
to students with passion and excitement if they want to convey the true spirit and usefulness of
engineering.
Internships and classes, even ones that only last a few weeks, can provide teachers with essential skills
and knowledge in the field that they might not have initially. OERs and online courses exist for
instructors, as well, and can offer teachers a way to learn the most current technology and approaches.
YOUR BEST PARTNER FOR STEM ADVANCEMENT
How great would it be to have expert STEM teachers plus cutting-edge tools and content available to
your students at the click of a mouse? That’s what you get with Connections Learning’s STEM Special
packages custom-tailored for your school.
A Smorgasbord of STEM Resources
To meet the STEM needs of our 40,000 full-time students and multiple thousands of supplementary
course enrollments, Connections Learning has created a full complement of online STEM courses, tools
and activities – and trained a national cadre of expert teachers to put these resources to work for
student STEM success. The Connections Learning STEM approach has been proven to work: Our
students’ scores on standardized science tests have beaten the state average in most states Connections
Learning serves, and Connections Learning Advanced Placement® students outscore the national
average on the AP® test.
Custom Programming for Your Students
Now Connections Learning’s proven-effective STEM “tool box” is available to your school, too. Whether
you need us to carry the full STEM weight or supplement your own program, Connections Learning can
provide rigorous, standards-based science, math, and technology courses across all grade levels; gifted
and Advanced Placement programs in math and science; certified online STEM teachers; 21st century
learning tools including virtual labs and simulations; and engaging online student clubs from Robotics to
First in Math®.
How Can Schools Use Connections Learning STEM?
Consider these examples:
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An arts-focused charter school needs a cost-effective and educationally sound way to
provide STEM instruction without having to double its staff.
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STEM SOLUTIONS
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An urban elementary school wants to add STEM sizzle to its after-school programming.
A STEM-focused middle school needs just the right technology-based “learning objects”
to supplement its face-to- face program.
A budget-strapped high school needs Advanced Placement® courses for its promising
science and math students.
Connections Learning’s STEM Special packages can meet all of these needs and more with our
exceptional online courses, expert virtual teachers, cool tools, and engaging clubs. You pick the
combinations you need for a custom-tailored, budget-friendly package.
Connections learning is an invaluable partner for any teacher or administrator looking to increase their
STEM offerings through blended learning and Connections Learning offers a cost-effective and flexible
solution with almost 100 standards-based online STEM courses for all grade levels featuring:
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Certified teachers who are STEM subject-matter experts.
A challenging online curriculum integrating teacher-led LiveLessons® sessions and iTexts
from leading education publishers.
State-of-the-art virtual labs and simulations that bring coursework to life.
Online clubs that encourage students to explore interests ranging from chess to robotics.
Engaging technology skills lessons that make 21st century skills fun!
Teacher-Led, Student-Focused, and Results-Proven
Certified teachers are at the heart of every Connections Learning course. Specially trained in online
instruction, our STEM teachers are subject-matter experts who use our rich multi-media curriculum to
convey complex mathematic and scientific concepts effectively.
With regular student-interaction and sophisticated performance tracking tools, Connections Learning’s
experienced teachers get results:
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Connections Academy Advanced Placement (AP)® students outscore the national average
on AP tests.
Our students’ standardized science test scores beat the state average in most states we
serve.
Cost-effective and Customized to Your Needs
Whether you need a specific math course to challenge talented 10th graders, AP classes to reach an
under-served school, or a full STEM program to meet state standards, Connections Learning can
customize a turnkey solution that meets your students’ needs cost-effectively and seamlessly.
To find out more about a partnership with Connections Learning, contact us at (888) 440-2890 or visit us
at www.connectionslearning.com.
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