What is STEM Learning in 2019?
WHAT IS STEM?! What is STEM in 2019 and why does it matter?
Well I'll tell you what, it's not the Silent Team of Eating Monsters that’s for sure!
Yes, I have jokes.
What does STEM stand for really?
Sometimes referred to as STEAM, it is the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art), & Mathematics. The STEM fields are often responsible for the innovation and technology that are vital to a countries economic prosperity. In Canada alone, the CANCode program spent $50 million in two years in order to encourage youth K-12 in coding programs. Computer science is just one of the many programs that STEM encompasses and although the definitions of these subjects have changed over time, they remain significant to us as a society.
Most of us have basic understandings of these subjects but what do they really do? And how do these fields affect us as a people?
Science:
The sciences are a systematic way of understanding the physical world through observation. Scientists will watch phenomenon and then test their ideas until they have some conclusion or another. It is the idea of watching something happen and looking for patterns. An environmental scientist might watch the weather and look for patterns that may be unusual. Finding such trends may gives us the opportunity to better predict climate.
For example, I was fortunate enough to work as a research assistant at Dalhousie University in Truro, NS. My job was collecting data on algae blooms that were growing in water reservoirs. Due to the increase in temperature year round, algae blooms are now surviving into the winter months which poses a threat to our fresh water. The scientific aspect of this job was testing the water for chemicals, clarity, oxygen levels and many other causes of the mossy plant. The collection of this information will allow the research team to make predictions for the future and perhaps prevent the loss of our fresh water.
At the reservoir looking for algae blooms!
Technology:
Technologists focus on design thinking while creating a more comfortable human experience by addressing needs and meeting them through innovation. Technologists work closely with or are often scientists themselves because their work involves identification of an issue through observation.
Creativity is an integral part of the design process as it often involves coming up with out of the box solutions to problems that have never been tackled before. The use of computers make it much easier for technologists to test and validate new ideas and concepts. When I worked as a research assistant, we used a GPS technology to navigate through the reservoir. The GPS had the saved locations of different spots on the reservoir. and using the device allowed us to test the same area every time we went to the water. This safeguarded the data we collected and made sure our numbers did not change because of things like water depth.
Engineering:
Engineering is the application of science and technology used to solve real world problems. Engineers come together to design and build machines and structures that can be later used by specialists or society in general.
Engineers use problem solving concepts to tackle complex issues that require them to design, test and validate solutions. A great example of engineering is the centrifuge! While working on the algae research, it was necessary to separate the algae from the water and we had to use a machine called a centrifuge.
A centrifuge works a bit like your clothes dryer at home. When the clothes are spinning, they experience centripetal force which tends to pull things inward. While the clothes are spinning the water in them does not experience the force and follows a straight path towards the drum holes. And that's how clothes dry! I'm sure this cat would calm down if it knew about centripetal forces!
Using a similar concept, a centrifuge is engineered so that it can separate mixtures of different densities like algae in water!
Fun FACT: The first centrifuge was used to separate cream from milk!
Mathematics:
Math is the glue that holds Science, Tech, and Engineering together. Maths is used as a way to accurately identify patterns in large amounts of data. Problems are also made easier with mathematics as it allows you to make predictions using past information.
Using mathematics, an engineer can design a bridge strong enough to withstand high winds by calculating how much force the bridge will take. By anticipating these factors with maths, engineers and scientists are able to create safe and useful designs. During my work, all the information I collected was in the form of a numerical value.
So when we take a closer look at the STEM fields, we can see it's really just creative design using mathematics! When I first began my engineering degree, I had an image in my mind of what I would be doing but boy was I wrong! STEM gives individuals the ability to learn how to learn! I do not think every one needs to be a scientist or an engineer, however it is a great skill to be able to always think outside the box and test your ideas!