STEM Education in the United States compare to other countries around the world
According to the Children’s Learning Research Collaborative at The Ohio State University, “as technology and innovations play a heightened role in the global economy, it is essential that Americans demonstrate the necessary mathematics and science skills to remain competitive with other countries. However, the statistics are particularly troubling: when compared with other developed countries, American students consistently score lower on international assessments. In 2009, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) ranked students in the United States 25th out of 33 countries in mathematics literacy and 17th out of 33 in science literacy. Similarly, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that 61% of fourth-grade students are not proficient in mathematics and 71% are not proficient in science.
To combat these faltering statistics, the US announced the “Educate to Innovate” initiative, which aims to increase the number and quality of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM; The White House, 2010). In order for the United States to compete with international markets in research and innovation, mathematics and science must become a priority in all grades. This mandate includes attending opportunities to learn mathematics and science in preschool. Yet, despite general consensus on the benefits of high-quality preschool experiences, much of the available literature has focused on promoting children’s opportunities to learn language and literacy.
Despite existing data on the importance of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms, on average, preschoolers spent about four minutes per day on mathematics and three minutes per day on science whereas approximately 15 minutes were devoted to language and literacy”. The goal of Science Akedémeia is to change that by creating an environment where children use science, math, and technology to solve problems collaboratively using the engineering design process. This process is the core of our curriculum. It is meant to foster early problem-solving skills and develop critical thinking skills as a fundamental part of STEM education. We understand that children need early STEM immersion to gain STEM fluency!