Future Ready Through STEM & Art Education
At the beginning of the millennium for those of us old enough to remember the year 2000. It does not seem so long ago that the world was freaking out about the Y2K bug. The dawn of the new millennium felt at the time like entering the future. We marvelled at how far technology had advanced in the 20th century, but the following 18 years proved that innovation was not peaking at the start of the new millennium. In fact, it was just getting started. for every innovative product every developmental stride be it in medicine, engineering, technology anything else relate to background work and that have to do with a quality of learning.
Taking into consideration the quality of education around the world measure up with what is obtainable in Nigeria one could easily tell we have been left behind as regards to education. Educational structure in Nigeria basically prepared student on how to read and write leaving the critical aspect of novelty and critical thinking out. Holistically we need such revolutionary disruptive approach to education system in Nigeria STEM &Art.
STEM education known for its focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths is relatively a new term in Nigeria education quarter. STEM is a challenge based, hand-on, practical education system which aims to foster inquisitive minds, logical reasoning and collaboration skill it’s an interdisciplinary approach to learning where academic concept are couple with real world lesson instead of teaching these discipline separately STEM integrate these discipline into an interconnected learning pattern along with real world lesson in context that make sense (connection) between the class room and the world around them this educational stream create critical-thinkers, problem-solvers.
Adding Art to the Mix is necessary for student to reach full potential since art and design give student the freedom to be creative and enjoy the proficiencies of STEM. STEM lesson plan may be complex and complicated to develop, but once you start applying STEM principle to lesson it become second nature to bring in those pillars of Art, they by raising expectation and enhancing the quality of student learning.
The potential of stem are huge across all spectrum we are at a stage where the number of stem jobs are growing at a fast pale and currently outstripping the number of stem graduates by the end of 2019 the need for stem related jobs would be an estimated 8.65 million across the globe nearly 80% of the jobs that will be created in the next decade would require a skill in science and maths. (STEM connector). that is just the jobs market look at the hitch we face today, our society face enormous challenges currently on how to deal with climate change, developing new source of energy, restoring and improving urban infrastructure, engineering, better medicines and health care. our salvation will come from promoting interdisciplinary process skill that are paramount to solving 21 century problem.
One of the biggest challenges involved in the implementation of STEM values is toward design, infrastructure, curriculum and equipping schools with the best guidance and support. Likewise, funding could be a setback, schools require money for construction of maker spaces, DIY (do it yourself) and kits, which are some of the basic aspect of STEM education. Of course, the will from the stakeholder and administrator is also a part of the bigger picture.
Investment in informing the ecosystem about the need for such programmes is one of the ways of overcoming the limitations. This will enhance the culture of application- based learning and innovation among the school, students, colleges and teachers. Administrator and educational stakeholder need to avail the opportunity and benefit of STEM education.
While there are many challenges ahead the scope of STEM in tutoring can set the pace for our cultural revolution in education. we must be future ready for the tasks ahead not only the job seekers but also the young minds who are going to be the next-generation innovator.