History and Evolution of STEM in the United states
By: Neha Nedumaran
In the 1990s, the U.S. national science foundation first used the acronym SMET when referring to career fields centered on the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In 2001, American biologist Judith Ramaley, rearranged the letters to form STEM. Since then STEM has been extended to many countries outside the U.S.
Throughout history, prevailing political movements tend to influence major reforms, especially in education. The event that set the U.S. on the path of technology and innovation was the launch of the Russian satellite, Sputnik, into space. That year, in 1957, Americans put their competitive spirit into motion. Education shifted from rote memorization to the application of concepts and individualized learning. A year later NASA was founded. The 1980s marked a decade of many scientific and technological innovations that continued to increase STEM education and interest. Educational councils provided standards and guidelines for U.S. educators to provide K-12 students with better STEM education. Later, the 21st century brought another tech boom so considerable that it caused educators to shift their focus once again, and this time, to STEM.
International comparisons was one of the main reasons for the increased integration of STEM education in America. The incentive for the rise in STEM started with the publications of several key reports, including “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a brighter future (2005), a report by the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. The report included 2006 data from the Programme for International Student Assessment which indicated that the United States had a comparatively large proportion of underperforming students and that the country ranked 21st in a panel of 30 countries on assessments of scientific competency and knowledge. This essentially reinforced concerns that United States students were not achieving in STEM fields at the same rate as STEM students in other countries. The report also described the consequences of a poorly developed workforce and how the U.S would not be able to compete in the global economy. America needed more scientists, engineers, mathematicians, etc, in order to get and keep the United States at the forefront of research, innovation, and technology in the global economy.
President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address was a rallying call for STEM integration. He stated that “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment” and asked educators to prioritize the learning of 21st-century skills. He called for the United States to expand technological innovation and spur economic growth, in order to stay in competition with other nations. For the most part, the realization and awareness of a need for more STEM education has worked. With millions in funding for teacher training, grants, research, and measurability, STEM is now a household name in education practice. The importance of STEM employment in the U.S. economy has been steadily increasing during this century, and this trend is expected to continue. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that by 2026, jobs in STEM fields are expected to grow by 10.8%. And STEM jobs pay well. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, college-educated STEM job holders earn between 29% and 39% more per hour than non-STEM employees with equivalent educational attainment. Approximately half of all STEM jobs are in the computer or mathematics fields, including information systems management, software development, programming, and other IT support roles. The other half is focused on engineering, and life, physical, and social sciences.
However, in order to realize the vision of a large, diverse group of STEM-literate citizenry, we need to engage underrepresented minorities and demographics and provide them with equal opportunity. Diversity has provided a strength and competitive edge in the American economy. addressing the gender and race gaps in STEM is essential. The percentage of women in STEM fields have increased across the variant fields; except for computer science, where women with computer science careers have decreased 7% from 1990, even though the number of jobs available has increased. According to the 2016 STEM Index by U.S. World News & World Report, the number of white students who earned STEM degrees grew 15 percent in the last five years. The number of black students fell by roughly the same margin. All kids who are interested in STEM careers should have access to quality education that will ensure that they can contribute to the workforce the best that they can. However, it is important to avoid saturating students with STEM classes without accounting for engagement or interest. It’s not enough to fill student schedules with STEM or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) classes or increase testing and rigor. Driving interest in STEM means making the subject material interesting and appealing to our nation’s kids. And dispelling math and science stereotypes will go a long way to addressing STEM’s perception problem.
In many ways, STEM is still in its infancy in the U.S. The success or failure of the STEM movement will depend on the acceptance that schools and teachers give to the integration of the four major disciplines in an already crowded curriculum. The wealth and success of a nation is based on many factors. Our education system has to recognize that the basics aren’t enough to prepare the workforce for the technological world of today and tomorrow. Requiring study of STEM for all students, especially those interested, will provide more relevant and meaningful preparation. In order to be the premier place of innovation, the United States needs to increase STEM interest, education, and availability, which would establish a globally leading workforce of STEM careers.