My dear @Miranda, “STEM” is the acronym which covers my field of expertise, Control Engineering and Automation! Of course, nothing without MATH as suggested by @Andras. Let me add some comments on STEM!

I give my best to ensure that STEM education contributes to the competitiveness of my country, toward a better economy, but nothing  without politics is feasible in Serbia, almost nothing in this sense.

Proposed Model for a Streamlined, Cohesive, and Optimized STEM Curriculum with a Focus on Engineering is attached. Hope it will contribute to the discussion.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/v35/v35n2/locke.html

A large 76 % think that STEM education is important to competitiveness of US, and its economy.

Dear Miranda, thanks for sharing. But since I´m really no expert in your field, I just try to follow and to learn.

Regards

Dear Miranda,

According to this comment most of educators have no sufficient ideas on the real meaning of STEM.

http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=59305

What do you think is its most characteristic feature?

Thanks for the link.  So I'm not the only one!  I quote: '“Everybody who thinks they know what it means, knows what it means within their field, and everybody else is defining it to fit their own needs.” I think it is truly impossible to define STEM because it means so much for so many different groups of people. Whether it is researchers, science and mathematics teachers, the aerospace industry, or the construction industry, they all have one thing in common: It is about moving forward, solving problems, learning, and pushing innovation to the next level.'

http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=59305

My thoughts have been running in the same direction: 'Biochemistry, engineering, computer programming, and emerging technologies are just a small sliver of what the STEM workforce needs. These positions require the most skills, and we need to continue developing students for these specialized fields, but we cannot forget the larger segment of industry that relies on STEM. Construction, transportation, and even the hospitality industry rely on a STEM-developed workforce. Whether it’s understanding how an engine works, or plotting trucking routes, the advanced level of technical knowledge and problem-solving capability needed for these positions have become obstacles that did not exist 10 years ago. This explains why industries view career and technical education as a key piece of STEM education. Students must be prepared for any path they choose in life, whether it is directly into a STEM career or studying a specialized STEM field in college.'

According to the following document

http://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/documents/stem-survey-report-cmu-iu1.pdf

STEM Education is responsible for providing the country with three kinds of

intellectual capital:

[Scientists and engineers who will continue the research and development that is

central to the economic growth of our country; technologically proficient workers who are capable of dealing with the demands of a science-based, high technology workforce; and scientifically literate voters and citizens who make intelligent decisions about public policy and understand the world around them.]

This does not sound straightforward. However, as a scientist, one can contribute to the above-mentioned first intellectual capital!

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths - STEM.

These are very vital for the Country's growth. India is today thriving with Medical tourism, only due to good foundation of Medical sciences which paved way for world class Medical Treatments at affordable price.

Availability of high quality healthcare professionals and nurses, round the clock

services by medical staff, choice of luxury rooms in hospitals, good medical options, high success rates, reputation for treatment in advanced healthcare segment such as cardio vascular surgery, organ transplants, and eye surgery, popularity of Indian traditional wellness systems, diversity of tourist destinations, strength in information technology are the attractive aspects of Indian medical tourism. Today more and more foreigners choose India as their destination for the treatment because of its rich cultural heritage and innumerable tourist attractions....Medical Tourism in India: Progress, Opportunities and Challenges, K.R.Shanmugam

Dear All,

I think STEM must be a logical tautology because without mathematics science, technology and engineering cannot be interpreted and developed. I stress science contains mathematics, technology and engineering even engineering without technology cannot be practiced. Now, what are we spoken about?

Thanks Mohammed, Umachandran and Andras for your views. As teachers, researchers we contribute to developing human capital, for jobs and responsibilities that may not yet exist.  Andras, I quite agree that science is a multi-discipline.  Dear Hanno, friends, I'm learning from you all on RG, thanks.

My dear @Miranda, “STEM” is the acronym which covers my field of expertise, Control Engineering and Automation! Of course, nothing without MATH as suggested by @Andras. Let me add some comments on STEM!

I give my best to ensure that STEM education contributes to the competitiveness of my country, toward a better economy, but nothing  without politics is feasible in Serbia, almost nothing in this sense.

Proposed Model for a Streamlined, Cohesive, and Optimized STEM Curriculum with a Focus on Engineering is attached. Hope it will contribute to the discussion.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/v35/v35n2/locke.html

Prof Ljubomir, a quick glance shows that the model will contribute to building up science majors from secondary/ middle school and high school through university.  It will also increase scientific literacy so that citizens can function effectively in society where scientific literacy allows us to make sound judgment, correct decisions for the good of our earth, our home.  

But the link will need more than 1 quick glance.  I will put more thought on it soon.  Thanks.

Dear Miranda

I am not directly involved in STEM education at schools. My main teaching is in of course the T and E part of STEM but at a latter stage. In USA there is a large push for STEM education. We periodically meet high school students and provide them glimpses of what is involved in technology and how it is beneficial to them. We also conduct small workshops during summer when the students including women to come to our University and participate in actual hands on activities in technology. It encourages them to take up technology fields as they grow up.

http://www.ed.gov/stem

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/stem/

http://www.nea.org/home/stem.html

STEM education involves a thorough teaching-learning process by which academic concepts are tied with real-world application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In other words, there is focus on "Knowledge in Action".

This approach is essential for the development of the human resources in a country & this will have positive impact on its economy in short or long terms.

It is evident that in many places, graduates with B.Sc. are not as competent as we wish. You will see a chemist who cannot prepare a small piece of soap or a physicist who cannot set up a simple electric circuit or a biologist who cannot grow a bacterial culture…etc.

I once asked the help of agriculture students, in their final university year, for grafting sweet almond branch on bitter almond tree in my father's house & their answer was that they were incapable of doing that because they just learnt grafting theoretically.

Technology is defined as application of knowledge. In third world countries, there is bad need for professional technicians. These are the persons who put knowledge into real action & transfer theory into actual reality. The largest Arabic country, Egypt, has more graduates in science, engineering, and mathematics than those in the United Kingdom but the U.K has more professional technicians than those in Egypt. One of the reasons is that in the U.K there is B.Tech "bachelor of technology" degree rich with STEM besides the B.Sc. degree.

It is obvious which of these two countries is more advanced.

Thanks Prof Nageswara, for the links.  I know that in US, girls are encouraged to be active in physical sciences, Engineering and Technology.  Most ladies are just keen on life sciences.

Thanks Dr Nizar, for a great honest answer.  (An honest person appreciates another very much.  You can see from my Question and my posts that I know my weaknesses and try to improve myself.)

My dear @Miranda, I would say that you are keen both on life and physical sciences. Right?

Dear @Nizar, I like your comparing of Egypt and UK ! Very good one! I was not aware of such situation!

Dear Prof Ljubomir and friends, I like interdisciplinary learning, that's why I like Maths, life sciences and physical sciences, languages and music.

'Interdisciplinary learning emphasizes connections between traditionally discrete disciplines such as math, science, history, and language arts, rather than limiting learning to one content area at a time. Research has demonstrated that interdisciplinary teaching can increase students' motivation for learning as well as their level of active engagement. In contrast to learning skills in isolation, when students participate in interdisciplinary learning they recognize the value of what they are learning and become more involved in it.  Furthermore, studies show that students learn more when they apply a variety of skills to what they are studying and when they interact with their classmates, teachers, and members of the community.'

http://www.ecoliteracy.org/strategies/interdisciplinary-learning

Technological and economic development of any society or nation depends on a constant and consistent supply of highly educated, skilled trained and capable technical manpower. STEM education including every field under the umbrella of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math may contribute to the competitiveness toward enhanced technical capability and a better economy. Inspiring students to be capable in math and science will help them contribute in an increasingly technology-based economy. From a purely economic standpoint, students would benefit from better STEM education because the fields are expanding more quickly. Despite being typically more rigorous than social sciences and humanities, STEM courses provide greater opportunities to students to learn skills they may not even know they have. India has the fortune of being arguably the only large global economy that isn’t facing a demographic crisis due to fast-aging populations. But unfortunately, the country has far been way behind in STEM education owing lesser investments. As such private companies should come forward and partner with research and educational institutions relevant for their industries and create commercialisation paths for deserving projects. The best candidates ought to also be paid competitive salaries and stipends to allow them the freedom to concentrate on their work without worrying of financial crunch.

Dear @Miranda,  a report announced "calling for a national plan on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with Australia singled out as the only OECD nation not having a STEM strategy." It is  very fresh news, few ours ago! Strange for Australia!

http://www.pacetoday.com.au/news/stem-strategy-needed-says-nation-s-chief-scientist?mid=873fd4ba0e&utm_source=Cirrus+Media+Newsletters&utm_campaign=b8c5d8877d-PACE+Newsletter+-+20140903122137&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fe913f1856-b8c5d8877d-59145617

Many assume that research universities, especially public institutions, are the backbone of American efforts to prepare undergraduate students in STEM fields and that these institutions are fulfilling this responsibility. This report demonstrates that many small and mid-sized independent colleges are preparing post secondary  students for a career and/or graduate study in STEM fields, and they are doing so in a more efficient way than larger institutions, contrary to public assumptions about the importance of scale.

Thanks  Prof Ljubomir, Yogesh, Umachandran and friends.  The link is good: 'Chubb’s report, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: Australia's Future, covers the four areas of building competitiveness, supporting education and training, maximising research potential and strengthening international engagement. ..The approach recommended began in classrooms all the way to the business world (with Australia’s level of collaboration between researchers and business cited as particularly dismal).

"If we've got young people coming through the system who are interested in science, fascinated by science and understand how awesome science can be, then we'll be better off for it,"'.  (There is more good stuff in the link; let me explore, thanks.)

I found 1 good abstract.  Only the abstract is free:

'This study examines the effect of a program that aimed to encourage girls to choose a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career in Israel. The program involved school visits to a high-tech company and meeting with role model female scientists. Sixty ninth-grade female students from a Jewish modern-orthodox single-sex secondary school in the same city as the company participated in the study. The control group contained 30 girls from the same classes who did not participate in the program. Data were collected through pre-post questionnaires, observations, and focus group interviews. It was analyzed for three main themes: perceptions of scientists and engineers, capability of dealing with STEM, and future career choice. Findings indicated respect toward the women scientists as being smart and creative, but significant negative change on the perceptions of women scientists/engineers, the capability of dealing with STEM, and the STEM career choices. Possible causes for these results are discussed, as well as implications for education.'

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10956-014-9487-7?no-access=true

All these years, my country has been trying to get the students doing STEM to be 60: 40% non-STEM.  But we have not yet achieved the target.  In this paper, I quoted my Prime minister on what he said concerning STEM, and concerning students' career motivation, and intrinsic motivation.  Most of the questions that I asked were on possible research papers that I should be writing.  Here's a paper that is done, in collaboration with Prof Enzo.  (I thank RG and all dear RG friends.)

Article Motivation and Achievement of Malaysian Students in Studying...

“STEM is what will drive the future of our nation and ensure that we become increasingly more competitive — and remain competitive — on the world stage.”- Dave Curran

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/stem-to-drive-nations-future-says-westpacs-dave-curran/news-story/4f47239ef52d29257fb4a65ca6134392

The nation has to enlarge its pool of the best and brightest science and math students and encourage them to pursue careers that will keep the country competitive. To begin a drastic revision of courses and exams with focus on important core concepts of a subject and leave more room for students and teachers to become more creative and bridging talented students and qualified teachers with technology can make it possible.