WHAT WORKS IN EDUCATION The George Lucas Educational Foundation
Facebook
Edutopia on Facebook
Twitter
Edutopia on Twitter
Google+
Edutopia on Google+
Pinterest
Edutopia on Pinterest Follow Me on Pinterest
4

Infographic: The Value of a STEM Education

Knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can be the key to a successful future. Here's why a STEM education matters and how you can inspire students to pursue STEM careers.

By Edutopia Staff
Knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can be the key to a successful future. Here's why a STEM education matters and how you can inspire students to pursue STEM careers.
Want to print this infographic? Click here to download the PDF. PDF
STEM for the Ages. The value of educating students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 80 percent of the fastest growing occupations in the United States depend upon mastery of mathematics and scientific knowledge and skills, but students are not currently equipped to satisfy this growing need. On the 2009 program for international student assessment (PISA), the U.S. ranked 24th in math, and 17th in science. 75 percent of all college students are women and students of color, but they represent only 45 percent of STEM degrees earned each year. Over the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs was 3 times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. Workers who hold STEM degrees enjoy higher earnings regardless of occupation and workers in STEM occupations are less likely to experience joblessness and command 26 percent higher wages than non-STEM workers. 99 percent of STEM school graduates enroll in college within one year of high school while 79 percent complete college in four years. Triggering students
Credit: Edutopia


This article originally published on 11/2/2012

see more see less

Comments (4)

Comment RSS
Mariko Nobori
Managing Editor and Producer
Posted on 11/5/2012 1:11pm

Hi Christi - We're delighted

Was this helpful?
0

Hi Christi - We're delighted you find this infographic helpful. You are more than welcome to share it using any of the share buttons at the top of the page, or feel free to print it and share it the "old fashioned" way!

ChipN
Board certified STEM HS teacher
Posted on 11/3/2012 2:38pm

I teach remedial high school

Was this helpful?
0

I teach remedial high school and night trades school math, primarily. What Christi said.

85% of G1-6 teacher are women with low proficiency in math and numbers theory. That's just a simple fact. The are wonderful teachers, but can only 'teach to the text' in math, which is colossally boring to students, who need imaginative framing and immediate correctional feedback to acquire.

By the time they get to HS, there is an elite cadre of math performers who will settle quickly and pop out calculus problems all period, however they acquired that skill, ...and the rest are 24 miles behind, just like in a marathon, just like in life. It's too late by HS for STEM.

The conclusion is undeniable and irredeemable. We don't need more STEM HS teachers! We need greater math fluency in our teachers at elementary and especially MS levels, but because students are elementary - MS in their mental development, we need imaginative STEM skills at the appropriate grade equivalent, NOT mass rote learning, not South Korea.

Christi
Posted on 11/3/2012 7:46am

elementary educator, teaching mentor

Was this helpful?
0

This poster...I need a copy! This graphic helps show what so many are trying to say. I am twenty-five years into my public school education gig and our system of trying to do/teach TOO many things...well it isn't working. If children don't have "peak" experiences with numbers in the primary years--they are essentially lost. We've got to focus people!

see more see less