STEM SEED NEEDS EARLY PLANTING {
I love technology. It was the first thing I found out I was good at, and the first hobby that stuck. It all started when my mum signed me up for a coding class for kids 5 and up. I walked through those doors, no idea what was being thrown at me, but slowly I began to get it. At the end of the day when my mum picked me up, I proudly announced that I loved it. From there, my love of technology blossomed. I began to take my dad’s laptop from his desk, log on to scratch and make new coding projects. I went to MOTAT almost every weekend because I was fascinated by how the phones worked. But as I progressed through primary school, the tech vanished. At my first primary school, it wasn’t even a subject, and at my next primary school, the class was taught once every few weeks. Clearly not enough for a tech-savvy girl. So, what’s so good about STEM? Coding and other computational thinking classes in schools have many benefits for young kids. One of these is the gift of creativity. When we try new things and learn, we make our brains stronger. Of course, the road to a finished product isn’t a smooth line, there are many obstacles in between. By using creativity, we can solve those problems effectively, not just in code, but in the real world too. There is no denying coding is also proven to help in mathematics. Instead of sitting in a classroom solving equations (which many of us dread), coding and other stem activities incorporate maths in a fun way that builds creativity. But if STEM is proven to boost your brainpower, why isn’t it being taught enough in schools? This was the question I asked
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myself in primary school when the tech had vanished. I decided to ask two teachers from my school, one from senior management and one being my dean, some questions to hopefully find out why the tech had vanished. These are their answers. Do you think there is enough STEM education in the New Zealand school system?
‘It seems that there is some inequity across our education system. But the new digital technologies curriculum will be making a difference to ensure all students receive these opportunities. In some primary schools it is not possible to have specialist teachers like we do – makes it more challenging for schools to develop these skills. A multidisciplinary approach has many benefits, but it is not always easy to create those opportunities in schools when there are so many valuable things to cover.’ Do you think STEM should be taught from an early age as a subject in the system?
‘Yes. But it is also important that education is broad. Starting early helps prevent early stereotypes from developing. It normalizes it.’ How important is it that girls get involved in tech in the future?
‘Extremely important. The job market both now and in the future will require that skill set. It is important in girls’ education that we take the opportunity to break down stereotypes. We are lucky that in our environment there is no pressure for students to feel like they are having to compete with boys in this space or feel they have to justify what they may feel passionate about.’
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