This research is based on the premise that the [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] STEM education pipeline begins in schools and provides a response to widespread and deep concern about the unsatisfactory status of STEM education in [Western Australian] WA primary and secondary schools. The authors argue that the imperative for WA is to support the development of school students' STEM capabilities and interest in further education and careers in STEM. The purpose of the 'Optimising STEM education in WA schools' project was to: identify the status of STEM education in WA schools;
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This research is based on the premise that the [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] STEM education pipeline begins in schools and provides a response to widespread and deep concern about the unsatisfactory status of STEM education in [Western Australian] WA primary and secondary schools. The authors argue that the imperative for WA is to support the development of school students' STEM capabilities and interest in further education and careers in STEM. The purpose of the 'Optimising STEM education in WA schools' project was to: identify the status of STEM education in WA schools; identify STEM education challenges, and the needs of students and teachers; identify the range of organisations supporting STEM education, the initiatives supported and barriers to providing support; and make recommendations for optimising STEM education.
Findings included: (1) declining achievement and negative attitudes towards STEM subjects amongst primary and secondary school students; (2) declining participation in academically demanding STEM subjects at the senior secondary level; (3) strong negative impacts of social disadvantage on achievement, attitudes and participation in STEM subjects; (4) concern about the availability of teachers with requisite STEM expertise; (5) the absence of integrated strategies to build and strengthen the capacity of the STEM teaching workforce; (6) the importance of STEM skills and qualifications to industry, and the consequences of specific shortages; (7) the diverse nature of initiatives providing support to STEM education, their uneven delivery to schools, and the willingness of industry to increase current support for STEM education; and (8) the barriers to optimising industry support for STEM education, and the strategies developed by education service providers to counter them. A set of recommendations and suggested actions has been developed to address the concerns about the status of STEM education in WA schools. The report is presented in two parts - part one is a summary report and part two is the full research report.
Edited excerpts from publication.
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