Myth Of The Science And Engineering Shortage Analysis

Science education has been a controversial topic among employers and schools for years. Employers are requesting more STEM graduates yet the schools are unable to keep up with the rising demand. Unemployment rates continue to go up while positions in the science, technology, and engineering fields have remained open and unfulfilled. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is vital to the position of the United States in the world standings in STEM research and design. Currently 3 of the 5 top positions in STEM research are held by Asian countries and sadly the United States doesn’t even fall in the top 10 for the list. There was once a time when the United States led the world in STEM research, but times have

In 2009 President Barack Obama announced his Race to the Top (RTT) initiative by stating, “America will not succeed in the 21st century unless we do a far better job of education our sons and daughters” (Boser, 2012, p. 1). Through the RTT Program, Obama provides federal grant funds to states to create programs that follow key reform strategies including; rigorous standards and assessment, high quality teacher and administrators, successful data systems, and reinvigorating math and science program (Boser, 2012, p. 1). Bybee (2013) compares this current time in educational reform to the Sputnik era and believes that STEM reform will catapult our nation out of its current educational crisis.

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematic) includes some of the most versatile and important careers in the modern world. Most new developments that are making the world a better place to live are from the influences of STEM fields. As the world becomes more technologically developed there is an increase demand for students well-trained in the STEM related fields. To keep pace with this rapidly expanding area of the economy requires an adequate number of P-12 teachers with the necessary content knowledge and skills to train the next generation. Currently, Texas is facing a critical shortage of teachers with strong backgrounds in STEM. This STEM teacher shortage is impacting student learning and if too many teachers pursue degrees

By the year 2020, the Hispanic population in Texas will outnumber the non-Hispanic White population (Petter and Hoque, 2013). However, Hispanics do not play a significant role in the STEM workforce (Robinson, 2007). The drastically low number of Hispanic students with a STEM degree only represent 5% of the total STEM workforce (Clewell, 2006; Malcolm, 2010; Arcidiacono, Aucejo, & Hotz, 2013). To further amplify the situation, 25% of jobs created over the next six years will require a bachelor’s degree (Strong American Schools, 2008).

According to Joey Rider-Bertrand education is seeing a strange side due to technology and engineering. Teachers are struggling to keep up to date on all the new activities involving technology and engineering. Rider-Bertrand states that class sizes have increase while funding has decreased. All students have expectations to achieve proficiency on state tests and meet graduation requirements. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. According to Rider-Bertrand, education is more focused on technology and engineering in the STEM program.

51 percent of the United States is female but only 34.4 percent of doctors are women. While 90.4 percent of nurses are female (“Women in Medicine”; “Male Nurses Becoming”), the women who do become doctors earn an astounding 25 percent less than their male counterparts (Groves). These staggering figures are only a single piece in the larger overall lack of women in STEM, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which has remained prevalent since the beginning of these fields. Although women are underrepresented in these STEM fields, this is not due to ineptitude, but instead it is a result of the force of societal stereotypes coupled with their wider range of abilities. The recent increase in women’s association with STEM seems

In recent years, much has changed in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Three sources entitled, Rising above the Gathering Storm, Innovative America, and Tapping America's Potential argue that if Americans do not improve in the STEM field our economy will suffer, so will our exports, and will heavily impact America. If we do not improve then the standard of living may fall and so will our economy. The three reports talk about using more innovation and technology, if we do this then our economy will be stable. The proponents argue that we need to close achievement gaps, improve the quality of teachers, increase labor supply, improve our international ranking, and issue more H-1B visas. Workers in the STEM field think that their employers are replacing them because the H-1B foreign workers are cheaper. Although, critics argue that the STEM movement is sabotaging other countries so, America can be ahead. But, for the US to be ahead in innovation and STEM education, we need to issue more H-1B visas. The H-1b program is for guest workers from different countries.

Today’s world economies are so tied together and react to one another that only the brightest and smartest will survive. The better educated a student is in the specific career that they have chosen to earn a degree in will give them the educated edge so that they can out compete with foreign markets. President Barack Obama said "In this kind of economy, countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow. Already, China is graduating eight times as many engineers as we are. By 12th grade, our children score lower on math and science tests than most other kids in the world,” (“Full”). American colleges need to do a better job at improving math and science scores so that the graduating student can better compete in the world market Asian countries are continuously outperforming American students. Gary W. Phillips, chief scientist at the American Institutes of Research said “In this case, the bad news trumps the good because our Asian economic competitors are winning the race to prepare students in math and science,” (Dillon). The better colleges prepare students to edge out competitors in the world market needs to be their priority.

This report navigates the current state of STEM demographic in the country. It examines the reasons why there are less females undertaking STEM majors and gives recommendations on the problems. A brief history on STEM is outlined and the discussion follows with in depth analysis on the subject. STEM is a very critical education discipline with an importance in the economy of the country. Much as it is important, few students choose a career path in STEM. Although, there are more than 50% female students in Colleges and Universities, 12% take STEM related course. Why is this? This report is a compilation of empirical data collected in journals on the same subject explaining

In 2005, the three reports entitled Innovative America, Tapping America’s Potential, and Rising Above the Gathering Storm, argue that if the U.S. does not improve its science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education the standard of living in the U.S. may decrease and threaten the economy and national security. The reasoning that the proponents use is that with more innovation and technological advancements, exports will increase and benefit the economy, but if there is no innovation this will harm the economy. The three reports, according to the Congressional Research Service, argue that in order to prevent these issues, we must close the academic achievement gaps in STEM, improve the quality of teachers, increase STEM labor supply, improve on international ranking assessments, produce more STEM degrees, and increase the number of H-1B visas issued. One of the most controversial subjects of the STEM movement is that companies are using H1-B visas to employ foreigners at cheaper rates rather than U.S. citizens. However, critics of the STEM movement argue that this is a strategic idea called “Brain Drain” where the U.S. is “draining” the most talented and skilled workers from other countries in order to gain an advantage on a global stage. In order for the U.S. to remain a leader in innovation and STEM education, the issue of H1-B visas needs to be addressed.

Today’s college students have the opportunity and freedom to choose their major and their career path. Many factors influence the decision of a college student’s career paths including background, general interests, personal strengths, time commitment, and job outlook. Although many important decisions are made in college, one of the most important is the choice of major and career track. Out of hundreds of majors the science and engineering fields are under-represented by women. Although the numbers of women in science technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM, majors has been increasing in the past years, women still are in the minority in the STEM fields. In her study, Lona Whitmarsh

The first secret is “The Numbers Gap”. This secret refers to the fact that the number of US students obtaining degrees in the STEM fields now is much lower than the amount of those retiring from the same fields of labor. This is also worrisome in the fact that other countries are obtaining the same types of degrees at an increasingly faster rate. A report done by the

The United States Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all students have access to a quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education (“Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math”, n.d.). Despite this commitment, reports indicate a decline in STEM proficiency as well as a lack of qualified teachers to respond to the deficiency (Holdren, Lander, & Varmus, 2009). The lack of qualified STEM teachers has resulted in critical shortage areas in many districts across the United States, prompting policy reform allowing alternative certification pathways to alleviate shortages (“Alternative Routes”, n.d.). Even with a reduction in critical shortage areas, preliminary reports continue to show little or no

In our ever evolving society we seem to be having a greater affinity to technical jobs and careers more integrated with our technology. It appears that we are heading into a world of Science, Technology , Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM. The STEM fields that are rapidly increasing relate to jobs that deal quite a bit with our newer technology and the creation and development of new and more efficient technologies. To compliment this increase in STEM careers, we need to focus our time, energy, and most of all capital on the lackluster STEM program in our school systems.

It is clear that STEM is a rapidly growing and advancing field that is needed for our human progression. There are so many different professions that fall under STEM education and many of them impact the world every day. According to former President Barack Obama "[Science] is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world" (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Here, former President Obama is talking about how important science is as more than just a school subject; science can be taken out of school and used to impact many people and change the world. Some may say that there have been other fields in history that became very popular but