Technology Can Help STEM Education Flourish

By now, you’ve surely run across the acronym STEM, especially if you are pursuing or considering a career in education. STEM represents fields of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Among the STEM disciplines are: computer science; biochemistry; robotics; engineering; environmental research and instructional technology. Although STEM occupations represent a relatively small portion of overall employment – about 6% in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor – projections call for them to grow significantly as the global economy becomes more complex. Employers will seek workers who are adaptable problem-solvers and creative thinkers, in addition to possessing advanced technical skills. STEM professions also tend to be higher-paying careers. In 2009, the average yearly salary for all STEM jobs in the United States was almost $78,000, nearly $35,000 more than the average for all occupations, the federal Labor Department reported. For these reasons, educators worldwide are increasingly seeking to nurture interest in STEM subjects in the early grades. In the United States, there is concern that youngsters are falling behind their peers globally in STEM advances, which could make the nation less competitive. In a 2010 report, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology called for a dual-pronged strategy for improving the nation’s K-12 educational system: ensure youngsters have a solid footing in STEM subjects; and motive them to pursue STEM subjects and careers. “STEM education will determine whether the United States will remain a leader among nations and whether we will be able to solve immense challenges in such areas as energy, health, environmental protection, and national security,” the report noted. While younger students typically show interest in STEM subjects, their engagement level often wanes as they move through high school and into college. According to the President’s Council, just 40% of high school students who are interested in STEM subjects pursue a related major in college. An estimated 60% of those students eventually move into a non-STEM field of study. So, how can educators keep students interested in STEM subjects? One area of promise may be found in the flourishing role of technology in the classroom. Overhead projectors, chalkboards, and VCRs are rapidly being replaced by interactive whiteboards, e-readers, tablets and other mobile devices. Teachers are now able to tap into technology’s immense potential to work with students on different levels and according to their individual learning needs. Podcasts, web cams, and live chats are second nature for many of today’s youngsters, the so-called “digital natives” who are growing up in the Internet age. Not only can digital technology help students reach their full potential, it can also serve to inspire youngsters to study the same STEM disciplines that produced these technical innovations. Simply put, signs of STEM can be found in every aspect of modern life, particularly our education system. Smart teachers and administrators will spotlight youngsters’ interest in how these technologies work and encourage their students to look into related careers. For example, schools districts nationwide are partnering with tech firms to coordinate STEM contests, such as robotics competitions and other extra-curricular opportunities for students. “STEM education is most successful when students develop personal connections with the ideas and excitement of STEM fields,” the President’s Council report noted. “Information and computation technology can be a powerful driving force for innovation in education, by improving the quality of instructional materials available to teachers and students."

Mindset: Pathway to Student Success

Mindset is an idea by Carol Dweck, Stanford University psychologist and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (3). She has spent over four decades researching the types of beliefs that bring about success in school, career and life. People with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence and talent are fixed traits that cannot be improved. Therefore they are less likely to try to develop these traits. They believe that their talent and intelligence should not require effort and they lack perseverance when faced with difficult challenges.They think that the need for a lot of effort means that one is not smart and therefore it is better to not try and risk failure or to look dumb. Those with a growth mindset believe their talent and intelligence can be increased through effort and by working hard at a task. Therefore they love learning, enjoy challenges and they persevere toward long-term goals. They do not see mistakes or errors as failure, but as feedback for how to improve and succeed. They believe effort to learn difficult tasks increases their intelligence. These are characteristics of successful people. Can a Growth Mindset be Taught? The good news is that Dr. Dweck’s years of research have demonstrated that a growth mindset can be taught and learned. The result on the part of learners is increased motivation, productivity and success. Grit One characteristic of successful people and students is grit. Research by Angela Duckworth (2), psychologist at University of Pennsylvania, demonstrated that grit is important for the accomplishment of long-term goals. However, it may not be so easy to directly teach people how to develop grit. From my review of research studies and my own observations of students I believe that grit is a byproduct of a growth mindset. In other words grit is likely to increase when students are taught and acquire a growth mindset. One aspect of grit is academic perseverance which is the ability to work hard and smart for a long period of time. For example, the completion of a college education usually requires academic tenacity. Helping students to to develop a growth mindset is one way to increase academic perseverance and performance. Mindset Plus Study Skills Research In one study (1) with seventh graders who were struggling in math, the students were divided in to two groups. Both groups of students were taught excellent study skills. One group was also taught about a growth mindset and ideas for developing it. The math performance and grades of the students who were taught only study skills continued to decline over a two year period. The math performance and grades of students who learned both study skills and a growth mindset continued to improve over the two year period. In another study (6), fixed mindset students with higher SAT scores did more poorly in four years of college than those with a growth mindset and lower SAT scores, had less self-esteem and were less persistent. Without a growth mindset students are less likely to have the motivation to apply good study skills and strategies. Teaching students how to study and learn is important, but they also need the mindset to make use of this ability. Growth Mindset and Non-cognitive Skills Students need to be taught how to develop a growth mindset combined with higher-level thinking cognitive skills and non-cognitive skills. Higher-level thinking includes critical and creative thinking skills. Non-cognitive skills include goal setting, time management and other self-regulatory skills. When students have a growth mindset they can make better use of cognitive and non-cognitive skills which is usually a recipe for academic, career and life success. University of Chicago researchers reviewed years of research studies (5) on factors which enhance student success. They concluded that academic perseverance and performance improves when students are taught to develop positive mindsets and are also taught effective learning strategies. They found that student perseverance is a byproduct of academic mindsets and metacognition and self-regulatory skills. In Carol Dweck’s book, Self-Theories: The Role in Motivation, Personality and Development (4), she says “The hallmark of successful individuals is that they love learning, they seek challenges, they value effort and they persist in the face of obstacles.” This is the result of a growth mindset which enhances a strong work ethic. Teaching a Growth Mindset What are some strategies that educators can use to help students to develop a growth mindset? Here are a few suggestions: Praise effort and not intelligence. Praise a good job that included hard work. Praise strategies, perseverance and improvement. Teach students about the plasticity of the brain and that they will increase their intelligence when they work hard at learning difficult material. Have students set a challenging goal and work hard to accomplish it. Then ask them to reflect on how the hard work paid off. Ask them to write about a past success and to reflect on the work that went in to this achievement. Ask students to write a paper for younger students who will come after them and explain what they learned about a growth mindset and intelligence. Have students research one of their heroes to find out if he or she was born great or whether their hero had to work hard, practice and overcome obstacles. Ask former students who used to struggle, but who are now doing well, to share their success stories with your class. Consider having the former students make short videos of themselves and their stories that you can show in class or students can watch later at home. Making a Positive Difference I believe that about 80% of success (or failure) has to do with our mindset. A growth mindset contributes to success and a fixed mindset makes failure more likely. As educators we must teach students not only academic content, but also non-cognitive skills and the beliefs needed for success. Carol Dweck (4) puts it this way, “As adults our mission is to equip the next generations with the tools they need to live a life of growth and contribution.” References: Blackwell, L.S., Trzesniewski, K.H.,and Dweck, C.S. (2007). Implicit Theories of Intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78. 246-263, Study 1.) Duckworth, Angela, Peterson, Christopher. Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-term Goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007. Vol.92. No. 6. 1087-1101. Dweck, Carol. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books. 2007. Dweck, Carol. Self-Theories: The Role of Motivation, Personality and Development. Psychology Press. 2000. Farrington, Camile A., Roderick, Melissa, Allensworth, Elaine, Nagaoka, Jenny, Keyes, Tasha Seneca, Johnson, David W. and Beechum, Nicole. Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Non-Cognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance: A Critical Literature Review: 2012. Robins, R.W. and Pals.J.L. (2002). Implicit self-theories in the academic domain: Implications for goal orientation, attributions, affect, and self-esteem change. Self-and Identity, 1, 313-336.