Technology is transforming the world. That’s not just a cliché phrase; it’s an absolute truth. It has changed how we live our lives and what we do with our time – but most importantly, it has changed how students learn in STEM fields.
With more than 85% of students now owning smartphones, there are endless opportunities available with educational apps that help students learn about different topics such as math and science.
What is the meaning of STEM?
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It has become increasingly popular as a way of describing national education initiatives that strive to engage students in these fields of study.
The acronym itself was first coined by the U.S. National Science Foundation in the 1990s and is often used to describe education initiatives that involve all of these four fields of study.
The goal of STEM education has been to improve student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (so-called STEM skills) across the curriculum by aligning formal and informal learning experiences.
Here are five ways that technology helps students in their STEM education.
- Makes content more accessible for all learners for individualized learning
It is no secret that technology has revolutionized everything from how people learn new skills (think of apps like Duolingo) to how kids access entertainment (Netflix).
More specifically, within the context of education, this includes educational platforms used by many schools around the world today, such as ClassDojo, which offer student-friendly interfaces that allow teachers and parents to access student progress in an easy-to-digest way.
Technology allows for more individualized learning because it can quickly adapt and change according to the needs of each student without much disruption or downtime.
According to the CEO of GameQuarium, through technology children can engage in other fun activities than develop their motor skills like online games.
It’s also great for those who learn differently, as some students may excel more on an auditory platform while others prefer to read. It’s easier to assess students’ progress with technology as it can be tracked through email, chats,, or other means.
This helps teachers identify areas that need attention and where they may have gone wrong in lesson planning.
Technology allows for more creativity when creating lesson plans due to the vast array of resources available online.
- Technology helps students gain access to digital learning opportunities
More than ever, schools are connected to the internet and offer digital learning opportunities that can be used anywhere with an Internet connection. This means that no student is restricted by their physical location or lack of adequate resources at home.
Along these same lines, more people have access to technology – including smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices – than ever before.
These tools help students study or work on their own time and connect to STEM communities online. This means that those who might not have the ability to engage with a physical school fully are able to participate in STEM learning opportunities from anywhere they can get an Internet connection.
Digital textbooks can make studying more accessible since it allows students to highlight important text & add annotations while they read through chapters at home without carrying around multiple physical books – all you need is your laptop/tablet.
Technology provides access to advanced resources like those offered by Khan Academy, and Google Images #Students benefit from online education programs such as EdX, Coursera, and Udacity, which provide more comprehensive lessons than students would receive at a traditional school.
It’s easier for teachers to track student progress through the creation of individualized lesson plans that account for different learning styles and levels of understanding via technology platforms like Moodle and Engrade.#Students can work on the same assignment together through Google Docs or Twitter.
- Virtual labs
Another excellent way technology has helped schools & students alike is by making virtual labs accessible via computer software such as Labview. Taking it one step further, this could also allow teachers who don’t necessarily teach science themselves but do use similar types of equipment with other classes (eg, chemistry vs biology) to easily understand how these tools work before they get into their new class. Hence, they aren’t entirely lost come the first lesson.
Students can also benefit from using these programs when at home, so they are familiar with how to use the equipment in case of an emergency during school hours where it is needed or if they have extra learning outside of class time.
- Technology helps teachers create lesson plans more creatively
Teachers have access to resources previously only available at larger institutions. Students benefit from advanced levels of collaboration skills built through online tools like Google Docs and social media platforms such as Twitter. This helps students later in life when they must learn how to operate successfully as a team.
Online education programs offer more comprehensive lessons than what students would receive at traditional schools. It is easier for teachers to track student progress with personalized learning paths via technology platforms like Moodle and Engrade.
- The Internet offers information about how stem fields are evolving
Collaboration becomes much more accessible resulting in an enhanced experience. Teams can share ideas quickly across multiple locations, making working together even if each team member isn’t located locally very feasible.
Individualized learning is possible with technology because it can be adapted to fit the needs of each student without causing any disruption or downtime. This is great for those who learn differently, some excel more on an auditory platform while others prefer reading.
It becomes easier to assess students’ progress through email chats and other means, which helps teachers identify areas that need attention and where they may have gone wrong in lesson planning.
Lessons plans become more creative when using online resources due to the vast array of available information. Anyone anywhere can take classes, meaning it doesn’t matter if you are male or female, rich or poor, young or old – access is open to all.
Wrapping it up
It’s never been easier to help your kids get ahead of the curve in STEM education. As we mentioned, there are a number of ways that technology can be used to make learning and research more stimulating and easy for students on their stem education journey.
Technology is, therefore, a great tool for students in STEM education because its benefits are endless. We hope this information was helpful. What other ways do you see technology benefiting STEM education? Share them with us in the comments below so we can share them with our readers!
Also Read: 5 Reasons for a Student to Be Crazy About Technology