Digital STEM Courses, Objectives and Strategies to Prepare them

STEM education is comparatively a new learning and teaching approach. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Though the subjects are being taught for a long time now, the methods and techniques used for teaching under STEM courses differ completely from those followed in traditional education. It follows an applied approach of teaching where students are encouraged to learn by doing i.e., implementing the knowledge gained and ideas developed in real-world scenarios.

STEM courses are a career-oriented education system that prepares students to establish themselves as successful individuals in life and productive members of the nation and society. However, to help a student gain interest in STEM education and develop a sense of understanding of the STEM curriculum, it is important that students are introduced to STEM courses in their early teenage years.

The objective of STEM Education

The objective of STEM education is to teach tips and techniques that will supplement and expand a learner’s existing understanding of science and math problem-solving skills. Topics covered in STEM courses complement and facilitate the understanding of other subjects too, maximizing performance in those courses. Most importantly these courses help a student become a confident learner and a future SME (subject matter expert).

All of this is embedded within a focus on metacognition, enabling STEM students to be aware of their thought processes and actively monitor the progress of their learning. It involves steps like planning the approach of study, monitoring the effectiveness of learning during the process, evaluating the success of the strategies that are being implemented, and adopting a “growth mindset” to provide a positive outlook towards learning. To conclude, it takes both failure and success into consideration.

Strategies to master STEM courses

We all know that STEM courses are new and innovative in their aims, structure, and outcomes. A STEM curriculum is designed to keep the students in mind such that they can make themselves the best fit, not only for the needs of the present moment but also for future requirements. However, it is equally true that to master anything, a sure-fire strategy is what everyone needs. Here, we are going to investigate strategies that can help a learner reach new heights.

Learn the concept, not the specific problem: During STEM classes, one must understand the core concepts. It is important to identify the formula before trying to solve the problem; one must study the concepts related to that problem and understand them thoroughly. Simply memorizing the problems will restrict STEM students to that particular question, and they will not be able to solve a problem based on the formula. For instance, if we compare STEM courses to learning a language, using memorized formulas without understanding them is like imitating noises without learning the actual letters and words.

Discuss problems with instructors: STEM education requires students to be proactive during classes. Problems and doubts must be discussed with the tutor of the concerned subject. Another way to deal with this problem is to solve the problem in front of the teacher. By doing this, the teachers understand the problems of the students, making it easier for them to clear their doubts and bridge the knowledge gaps.

Practice, practice & practice: In order to gain the maximum benefits of STEM classes, students must practice religiously. One should train themselves with repeated practice questions daily to test the concepts that they have learned during the class. Try to relate one problem with another, understand their similarities and differences, and find more questions on the given topic and solve them repeatedly. After grasping the easier concepts, the students can move ahead to the difficult ones in a step-by-step approach.

Use mock exams as a study tool: Give mock tests after finishing every chapter of the STEM curriculum to self-evaluate and test the gained knowledge. While giving the test, sit in an exam-like environment, and use only those resources that will be allowed to use during the real test. Set a timer and try to finish the test within the prescribed time limit. Analyze test scores and identify the problematic areas. Keep improving with repeated practice tests to score well in the exams.

Collective Study: The best way to learn something is by teaching the same. This is true for all STEM students. Be a guiding light for one another. When a difficult problem presents itself, take the help of peers who are good at it. This is an effective technique because classmates can understand each other much better than the instructors as they are going through or have gone through the same problems during STEM courses.

Cumulative study: Mastering the subjects should be the primary focus of STEM students. To achieve this goal, the basics of the STEM curriculum must be understood thoroughly. It is never advisable to skip the early chapters to save time because they seem too simple. These early chapters are useful in building a solid foundation for the rest of the STEM course. If the basics are not clear, it becomes challenging to understand other advanced topics in the subject.

Conclusion

STEM training courses are highly beneficial, not only for developing a career but also for leading a successful life. Schools and colleges across the world are opening to adopt STEM education as it trains the next generation of innovators who have the capacity to change the world for the better.

Along with a lot of hard work and dedication, STEM education also requires a significant amount of planning. STEM courses may seem easy at first, but advanced learning techniques are needed to master these subjects.

If you wish to implement effective STEM learning strategies into your lesson plans, Möbius is the way to go!

DigitalEd is an Edtech company that offers the interactive Möbius platform, an e-learning platform facilitating STEM education in a blended learning model. It is a comprehensive e-content delivery system that helps instructors stay connected with the students for feedback and guidance, and simultaneously enables the students to self-evaluate through practice tests and randomized questions.

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