Why Is STEM Important in Early Education?

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Without a doubt, the people in this world most curious about their surroundings and the discoveries latent within them are young children. Pre-schoolers, in particular, have a burning desire to learn more about the world around them and are constantly wondering why things are the way they are. This habit among children of questioning everything has been taken as a sign of the importance of STEM education in early education.

STEM is a blend of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and in the 21st century, the STEM field in early education has become synonymous with hands-on, experiential learning. What’s more, the proliferation of top-class online STEM programs in recent years means that children have the chance to learn STEM concepts through activities and games.

So, why is STEM important? More specifically, why is STEM important in early education? This article will outline some of the benefits of providing young children with a STEM education during their early years. So, let’s get into it!

1. Encourages Problem Solving Skills

Whether taught in pre-school or in college, STEM education brings the real world into the classroom. Regarding young children, studies show that the importance of STEM education lies in its ability to introduce new concepts about the real world to children through activities and games.

Rather than simply reading about concepts, STEM involves applying the concepts to real-life problems that need to be solved. In turn, the process of working through real-life problems in the classroom helps to develop creativity and problem-solving skills from an early age.

2. Enhances Memory Retention

The application of STEM educational activities and learning at an early age enhances memory retention in young children. Research has shown that learning through experience and practice makes it much more likely for children to retain the information than just reading about the concepts.

Importantly, while this applies to everyone, not just children, incorporating hands-on, experiential learning in early education is a great way to boost overall memory retention. Studies have shown that while memory retention from traditional learning styles is around 5%, in STEM learning, it skyrockets up to 90%.

3. Teaches Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to be skeptical about the facts presented to you and analyze them in an unbiased way to come up with a solution. As a skill set, critical thinking shows up as a necessity in almost all subjects and fields and is hence an essential skill for young children to learn.

Due to the nature of technology in the 21st century and the complex and multifaceted modern problems that society is afflicted with, the next generation likely faces a future full of challenges that necessitate unbiased, critical thinking. STEM education is, by far, the best way to teach critical thinking skills as the subject involves being presented with the facts of a complex problem for which an appropriate solution must be derived through a hands-on approach.

4. Children are Naturally Quick Learners

The first five years of a child’s life are considered the most critical stage of a person’s development. Not only are children’s little brains bursting with questions, but the learning experiences that they are exposed to during this period also shape the way they perceive the world around them to a great degree.

STEM education involves bringing real-world problems into the classroom and using experiential knowledge to come up with solutions. If taught at an early age, STEM education will teach young children that real-world problems are not to be feared but are meant to be lived and worked through. Since children are such quick learners, exposure to STEM education at an early age will instill this attitude deep within them.

5. Fosters a Lifelong Love of Learning

Our primary objective as educators should be to foster in young children a lifelong love of learning. Studies have shown that many young children, who are made to learn through traditional teaching methods, are becoming disenchanted with education and learning these days.

STEM education promises to be different from traditional teaching methods because it does not expect children to sit idly in one place and passively absorb information thrown at them from books. Instead, STEM education involves an active engagement of the body and the brain in order to tackle a problem. Since that is essentially what learning should be all about, STEM has the potential to make children excited about their lessons and eager to learn more.

Level-Up Your Child’s Education

The importance of STEM education in early education has been seen time and time again by educators. Today, you can enroll your child in an online STEM program to help them make the most of the most crucial stages in their development.

Level Up Village is an online collaboration platform that brings together partner classrooms from around the world. Their mission is to globalize the classroom by facilitating collaboration in STEM courses between students worldwide.

So, enroll your child in the 21st-century learning program that is Level Up Village. So that they can be prepared for the challenges of the future.