MIT encourages America’s teens
MIT is actively encouraging America’s youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams are challenging youth ages 12 through 17 across the United States. Providing problems and projects, InvenTeams are a positive way to encourage teens to pursue a career in engineering, science, and invention.
InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that invent technological solutions to real-world problems. This year, projects like a physical therapy chair designed to reduce muscular atrophy, and a temperature-sensitive color-changing roof to combat global warming, among other projects, challenged STEM students in researching and creatively applying what they’ve learned in class to develop projects and solutions to world-wide issues.
Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, says, “Despite the need for more hands-on educational programs, it’s encouraging to know that today’s teens do have aspirations to invent and innovate. Schools and companies need to continue to facilitate access to STEM tools and mentors, and encourage teens to pursue their inventive passions.” Schuler adds, “Introducing students to STEM at a young age helps them connect the dots between everyday invention and careers that can improve society and the US economy.”
According to this year’s Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, an annual survey that gauges Americans’ perceptions about invention and innovation, teens are enthusiastic about these subjects, with 77% interested in pursuing a STEM career. This survey also provides information about teens responses that introduce effective ways to engage youth, such as wanting to learn hands-on applications to concepts and ideas that are studied in class.
Teens responded that high motivators to express more interest in STEM careers would be having more field trips and places outside the classroom where they can construct and test their ideas. Teens also enjoy hands-on individual projects and hands-on group projects as the types of classroom-based educational methods.
“Increasing teen’s exposure to STEM through hands-on activities will result in a more positive perception of these important subjects,” said Leigh Estabrooks, invention education officer with the Lemelson-MIT Program that recognizes inventors and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through innovation. “It’s encouraging that the White House and large corporations are taking a vested interest in STEM education. Supporting teens and giving them the resources to pursue these fields is vital.”
Educators play a powerful role in exciting teens about STEM. Survey results showed that teens would be more interested in STEM by having teachers who enjoy the subjects they teach and are willing to mentor students in these subjects. Having teachers and mentors positively influencing teens would increase their interest and motivation in learning.
stimpy commented:
I give our bright young minds more credit than to fall for a foolish PR campaign. If they are dumb enough to go to the trouble of acquiring an engineering education they will soon regret becoming the pawns of a malicious and selfish cadre of American managers whose imperative is to outsource all of this work to 'low cost' 'centers of excellence' ... in India, China, PR, or anywhere they can find cheap talent.
JackB commented:
Once the teens learn of the pay scale, periodic layoffs and the amount of high-tech jobs moving to China, they'll pick something else.
Inspiration is just pie-in-the-sky. Better back it up with, say, MONEY. It's great we get them all fired up about STEM; however, we can bet they will be more practical once they enter college.
Unless we can 'stem' the losses of jobs to our Totalitarian 'partners', this will be for naught.
DRL commented:
This is great news!!
Now we need to inspire them with realistic dreams of a better tomorrow.
We had our dreams in the 60's & 70's it was the Apollo program.
For example let's get teens behind a long term national energy project. Not some low density energy project like wind but something really significant!
Like research in economical ways to handle highly energetic plasma in preparation for the next generation in fusion energy.
Or in technology to increase battery storage capacity from 150W/kg to 4kW/kg
That would change everything!
They have the desire now let's help them create dreams of their own!
