User:Lisandra24/sandbox

Education
By cultivating an interest in the natural and social sciences in preschool or immediately following school entry, the chances of STEM success in high school can be greatly improved.

STEM supports broadening the study of engineering within each of the other subjects, and beginning engineering at younger grades, even elementary school. It also brings STEM education to all students rather than only the gifted programs. In his 2012 budget, President Barack Obama renamed and broadened the "Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP)" to award block grants to states for improving teacher education in those subjects.

In the 2015 run of the international assessment test the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), American students came out 35th in mathematics, 24th in reading and 25th in science, out of 109 countries. The United States also ranked 29th in the percentage of 24-year-olds with science or mathematics degrees.

STEM education often uses new technologies such as RepRap 3D printers to encourage interest in STEM fields.

In 2006 the United States National Academies expressed their concern about the declining state of STEM education in the United States. Its Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy developed a list of 10 actions. Their top three recommendations were to:


 * Increase America's talent pool by improving K–12 science and mathematics education
 * Strengthen the skills of teachers through additional training in science, mathematics and technology
 * Enlarge the pipeline of students prepared to enter college and graduate with STEM degrees

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also has implemented programs and curricula to advance STEM education in order to replenish the pool of scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will lead space exploration in the 21st century.

Individual states, such as California, have run pilot after-school STEM programs to learn what the most promising practices are and how to implement them to increase the chance of student success. Another state to invest in STEM education is Florida, where Florida Polytechnic University, Florida’s first public university for engineering and technology dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), was established. During school, STEM programs have been established for many districts throughout the U.S. Some states include New Jersey, Arizona, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.

Continuing STEM education has expanded to the post-secondary level through masters programs such as the University of Maryland's STEM Program as well as the University of Cincinnati.

The STEM field has always been viewed as a male dominant field. However, as women become more active in the workforce, there has a variety of programs attempting to  shine light on women in this field. The hardships and challenges still remain with stigmas and the need for superiority with men. According to director of Gender and Cultural Studies and Professor of Sociology at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Yu Tao outlooks the many reasons why women don’t make long lasting careers in the male dominated field. Her research shows that women can not excel as quickly as men because they are usually not recognized when it come to team based decisions. Moreover, her studies have shown that the accomplishments of women in the STEM field are never seen as such; in fat, they are always sexualized. In other words, women have to work twice as hard to prove how much of a value they are to the field.

As mentioned, programs to have women or young females in the STEM program have been gaining more popularity over the years. The hardships do not amount to the benefits women receive after joining. In the United States, programs like “GirlStart”; “Girl Scouts of USA”, and “Engineer Girl” have become a very significant piece in the confidence and abilities girls will have in the future of engineering. GirlStart is a mentoring program that helps educate and help young girls into the science, technology engineering and mathematics field; ages ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Girl Scouts of USA is a national program that ranges from all age groups. In this specific program it gives perspective of engineering as a whole where people a part of this group get the chance to attend science fairs, geological sites, take technology a part and put it back together. Finally, Engineer Girl is a national program that shows how to rise in the engineering field without putting so much emphasis on women and girls; in otherwards avoiding having to look like an outcast.

Aside from the programs provided to the girls in the United States for support in the STEM field, there are other influences that give women the opportunity to open up their minds-- for example like tv shows they watch. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)  Women in STEM opens up a connection for women in STEM through environment, entrepreneurship, education, and employment. It makes high recommendations for women in this field. Another interesting aspect that contributes to the influence of women in the STEM field is a PBS television series that show seven research based strategies that help engage women in the engineering field. These are just a few of what the National Girls Collaborative Project has in store to balance out the the women in the future alongside men. History has given women the opportunity and power they didn’t once have. Programs that have been mentioned show that progress and support of one another is the only thing that women interested in this field can hope for, even if it takes 20 or 30 years.