STEM Rationale
Mesa View believes that every student needs a well-rounded STEM education to be successful in the 21st Century. Science, technology, engineering, and math - STEM - are the foundations of our modern world. We are committed to providing this education via various experiences throughout the school year as well as through regular STEM-infused course work. Students may experience a little STEM at Mesa View or a lot, based on their course choices, but every student will leave knowing what it means to solve problems by: dreaming, examining, designing, building, testing, demonstrating, destroying, and improving. Problem-based learning is an essential component of STEM at Mesa View. It makes learning real. It makes learning memorable. Most importantly, it helps students learn.
Why is Mesa View making such a big commitment to STEM? We've been offering STEM activities since we opened in 2009. The staff has seen first-hand the power of designing things, building things, and breaking things. Students learn how their world works when they have the opportunity to see and build it themselves. The need to reinvigorate education in the US, especially in math and the sciences, has been widely reported for decades. Study after study has shown that our students are not achieving in these subjects at a level comparable to students in other countries. Without innovative programs and a world class education, American students face a difficult future and a potentially lower standard of living. At the same time, STEM fields are growing into a building block of the US economy and future employment. Fox News highlighted a report stressing the importance of STEM in US education, which you can read by clicking here. The US Department of Commerce and others agree:
STEM: Good Jobs Now and For the Future
US Department of Commerce
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workers drive our nation's innovation and competitiveness by generating new ideas, new companies, and new industries. However, US businesses frequently voice concerns over the supply and availability of STEM workers. Over the past ten years, growth in STEM jobs was three times as fast as growth in non-STEM jobs. STEM workers are also less likely to experience joblessness than their non-STEM counterparts. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workers play a key role in the growth and stability of the US economy:
- In 2010, there were 7.6 million STEM workers in the United States, about 1 in 18 workers.
- STEM jobs are projected to grow by 17% through 2018, compared to 9% growth for other jobs.
- STEM workers command higher wages, earning 26% more than workers in non-STEM fields.
- STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, whether they work in STEM or non-STEM fields.
James Brown
Executive Director, STEM Education Coalition
Our country's current and future economic prosperity and ability to innovate absolutely depends on a robust, high-quality STEM workforce. If we are to keep up with our global competitors, we must step up our nation's efforts to improve and encourage STEM education.
Patrick Gonzales
Author, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energzing and Employing America
Without high-quality, knowledge-intensive jobs and the innovatice enterprises that lead to discovery and new technology, our economy will suffer and our people will face a lower standard of living.
Michael Brown
Nobel Prize Winner, Professor of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas
If America is to maintain our high standard of living, we must continue to innovate. We are competing with nations many times our size. We don't have a single brain to waste. Math and science are the engines of innovation. With these engines, we can lead the world. We must demystify math and science so that all students feel the jof that follows understanding.
Dean Kamen
President, DEKA Research & Development
The world is full of kids who, like me, are born tinkerers, who want nothing more than to gather their birthday presents and begin disassembling them to figure out how they work. Anyone with a desire to build and grow has the capacity to become a scientist or engineer. The 21st Century will present no shortage of great challenges for scientists and engineers. Which nation will take the lead in the search for new sources of energy? Who will lead the team that cures cancer? The future of America depends on the next generation of STEM leaders. Each student who explores the wonder and excitement of STEM can expect not only a successful career, but also a prosperous America and a better world.
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