To engage students in STEM, engage them in the world

Over the coming years, the next generation of bright young minds will have to confront climate change, humanitarian crises, income inequality, and the other great challenges of our age. But for now, those challenges can provide them with great opportunities to learn. By bringing such topics into the classroom, teachers can tap into students\u27 intrinsic motivation to grapple with authentic, real-world problems that truly matter, both at the local and global levels. Further, because these topics are so complex, they invite students to wrestle with ideas that reach across the academic content areas, requiring them to integrate their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, history, law, and other subjects