STEM Shift Action Plan

That there is an ever-growing need for students to enter STEM fields is no longer news. The need for people to fill STEM related jobs continues to expand (Bybee, 2013). Today’s students are global citizens who will need to collaborate and communicate with people around the world when they enter the workforce. Therefore, it is imperative that they are prepared with problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills before they enter secondary school (Myers & Berkowicz, 2015). Knowing that this must be done is the easy part, figuring out how to do it is the challenge. STEM must be incorporated into schools in a way that makes sense, gives teachers a chance to prepare to make the change, and build skills systematically. Change of this magnitude will not happen without turbulence, but there are ways to minimize the chaos (Myers & Berkowicz, 2015). Staying focused and implementing change in an organized and effective manner will help making the shift to STEM more palatable and more successful