CREATE Science Seminar: BaoHui Zhang

Title: STEM Fever – Is STEM Education Good for All?

Abstract: STEM refers to the four specific disciplines–Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM education was meant to develop interests and competence for K-12 and college students to be able to work in STEM fields either as scientists or experienced workers after they graduate. However, people who proposed the STEM education idea may not be the people who stand on the ground to realize the goals of STEM education. Nevertheless, people have seen strong governmental “pushes” in many countries. Some institutions and individuals are also promoting STEM/Maker movement actively to make STEM a “hot” topic in the past a few years. There are several stages on the “chains of the commends” until STEM policies become STEM teaching and learning practices. Based on my experience in various countries that promoted STEM education and my recent trips to Michigan State University, Toronto (Canada), Buffalo, New York, and Washington DC, I hope to present the opportunities and challenges for researchers and practitioners in STEM education, especially in regard to the idea of “STEM Education for All” and seek answers by exchanging ideas with participants: 1) What is STEM education? 2) Who are the stake holders of STEM education? 3) How can STEM ideas be realized in curricula? 4) How can all students benefit from STEM education? 5) How can international collaboration help gauge the direction of STEM education in different countries?