More state educational systems are realizing the importance of STEM learning.
Some of them also realize they have shortcoming that must be overcome.
Illinois appears to be one of those states that understands this and is taking the initiative in these matters.
Aurora Illinois, home of the University of Aurora, is the leader of this STEM initiative.
According to the online edition of the Beacon News from Aurora, Illinois, the rest of the state education system must play catch-up if it wants its students to enter the University of Aurora’s new science,technology, engineering and mathematics program in the fall of 2014. Entrance to this enriched program for third through eighth graders is intensely competitive.
State educators admit that many the other schools in the state have their STEM learning “holes in the pipeline” in “the first and second grade.” Of course these are exactly the grades that feed the Aurora three through eight program, and students from those schools will be at a competitive disadvantage when applying for the Aurora University program.
The paper goes on to mention that State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) hopes to get a statewide project underway by “fostering collaboration” in creating a STEM pipeline without holes in it.
It also refers to several Montessori Schools in the area that intend to cooperate.
Rep. Chapa LaVia also wants to include more Stem-related activities from museums and other organizations in local schools.
Of course what makes this Illinois initiative so important is that the state appears to recognize the importance of STEM Learning for our future leaders, recognizes it has some shortcomings in the state and is making the attempt to overcome them.
We here at RobotsLab applaud them.