STEM Education: How to transform the young mind into Innovators?

We are in the 21st century and today’s all fast-growing fields do include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics somewhere in it, be it Health, E-commerce, Baking, Finance, or anything.

STEM Education has been in Western countries for over a decade. Now, it’s growing in Pakistan too. There are many schools promoting STEM Education all over the country and multiples programs, workshops, Summer boot camps, competitions, and training are being organized in different cities of Pakistan to promote STEM-based education to all ages of children and young people.

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What is STEM

STEM is an acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It teaches all four domains as interrelated rather than separate ones.

STEM education is a theory with fun base experimental learning, it helps to connect with science and math through everyday life. STEM is just not limited to science tech, engineering, and math but also it develops critical and analytical thinking in one’s mind while encouraging creativity, curiosity, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

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STEM education at an early age can transform the young mind into an innovative thinker. It pushes the person to think analytically and independently. Early childhood years are brain development years. In an early age child’s brain is full of curiosity, he observes and questions things and eager to find out the sensible answer. Many educationists believe that STEM-based learning should be started at an early age to set a young mind to pick a scientific approach to inquire about its curiosity and observation.

How to make children interested in STEM?

Developing children’s interest in STEM is not as difficult as you think. It is rather very simple. You can start with it a little by little.

First, make your children understand STEM. Show them how science has made the world easier, how technology is growing and expanding these days, and how engineering has done marvels than never before and last but not least describe them the importance of mathematics in everyday life and work.

You can promote STEM learning in many ways either by talking to children about great innovation of science and technology or by telling them how those innovations changed the world and how the small concept back then is now a big thing.

Apart from it Involve children in simple activities and encourage them to observe, let them question no matter how stupid or illogical it seems, make your children understand the world around them. Ask them to calculate the risk before starting anything.

Let them take part in in-home activities, even in the kitchen while cooking. Even if you’re just boiling an egg, add salt in it and show them how salt will make the egg boiling process faster by acting as a catalyst. Appoint them as your assistant while changing the wall switches or changing the oil in the generator or bike. Give them a push to think why is it necessary to change the oil?

Start healthy debate over the scientific topics. Reach to their mind and help them to explore the world behind their question and let them find the answers on their own. Asking questions will enable children to think critically, ask them to bring their answers before you answer them. Give them multiple reasons and ways for single activity and let them do the research on their own. This will build their STEM capability

In a Nutshell

These little things will open a door of curiosity to them and they’ll start wondering Why and How in everything. Obviously, what is learning without experimenting?

STEM learning is not just bound to any specific class. Children, Young, and even old age people can start learning it. It’s an approach to make people believe in them, providing them a platform to do the unimaginable things, it can bring their potential in so many things and can help them realize that they can convert the problem into a solution by applying STEM-based knowledge and if we provide them a platform in their early age they can surely do things exceptionally in the future

Author Bio:  Farza Ashraf is a passionate writer and holds a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering. She is a writer by choice and loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on social issues as well.  You can track her on twitter “@iamfarzaashraf”.