What is the STEM Problem and What is the Solution?

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Did you know that three-quarters of the fastest growing occupations require significant mathematics or science preparation? And that by 2018, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs in the U.S? And did you know that twenty-eight percent of US companies say that at least half of their new entry-level hires lack basic STEM literacy?*

The bottom line is this: there are more and more STEM jobs out there, but fewer and fewer candidates who are qualified to fill them. This is what people mean when they talk about the “STEM Problem” or “STEM Crisis.”

We’ve created a new infographic that talks about the “STEM Problem” and some of the ways to address it. One of the best ways is to get more kids access to STEM education. That’s one of the main reasons Mayor Bill De Blassio announced a 10-year deadline to offer computer science to all students in New York City schools.

The Solution

But simply providing STEM education isn’t enough on its own. In order to make sure that our students are prepared for the emerging economy, kids need STEM education that:

• Effectively motivates and engages students
• Employs real world problem solving
• Is easily adopted
• Teaches critical 21^st century career skills
• And is cost effective 

Robots to the Rescue! 

This is why we love robots so much, and especially why we love virtual robotics. Not only are robots cool, they also:

• Use real-world engineering projects to engage students and motivate them to learn
• Provide a natural platform for engaging STEM learning
• Promote 21^st Century skills like teamwork, communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem solving
• Are a fun way for students to learn foundational mathematics, engineering, programming, problem-solving, creative thinking, and computational thinking

And, with Robot Virtual Worlds, starting a STEM robotics program can be a cost-effective solution to the STEM Problem. Read our blog post from earlier this summer about how Robot Virtual Worlds can help you uncomplicate your classroom by:

• Helping you teach more efficiently with fewer resources
• Lowering the cost of staring a robotics classroom
• Managing students working at different levels
• Keeping students engaged
• Capturing authentic assessment and tracking individual student progress

Need More Info?

If you’re interested in starting a STEM robotics program, but need more information, Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Academy has a great resource for getting your robotics program started.

Already have a STEM robotics program but want to do more? Check out our blog post from a few weeks back that talks about how you can use virtual robotics to extend your STEM classroom.

We also recommend you check out our:

• Robot Virtual Worlds
• ROBOTC Programming Language
• Research-Based Curriculum
• Teacher Training
• Online Forums and Communities

*Survey on CEOs Say Skills Gap Threatens U.S Economic Future, Dec 3, 2014 – http://changetheequation.org/press/ceos-say-skills-gap-threatens-us-economic-future