How Does STEM Help Foster Innovation?

In a world of high-stakes testing, it is difficult to stay true to best practices in how students learn math and science. Yet, successful STEM teachers do. They create student-centered environments that require learners to think, act, and be scientists and engineers. Effective STEM instruction uses students’ prior experiences to connect the standards with the real world issues. STEM teachers allow learning to be guided by class choice or students’ interests. The learning environment reflects the experiences and prior knowledge each student brings to the lesson, the connections made, and content learned.

This might be seen when elementary teachers encourage students to research habitats on the Internet, create a robotic animal that adapts to its environment, complete a field guide on the animal, write a song about the animal, or present findings in a video for public sharing.

High school teachers may encourage astronomy students to create interactive multimedia presentations teaching about solar systems, to create models of unique solar systems, or publish an interactive website.

STEM teachers use standards that cross many disciplines, and guide students to demonstrate mastery in numerous areas.

Discuss here: What are some other ways you can be innovative in your classroom?

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