American poet Alfred Mercier was right when he said “What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” This is at least true if we are talking about STEM-based learning. STEM or interdisciplinary learning involves Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Through immersive learning involving STEM subject, a student becomes more innovative and doesn’t face issues when it comes to their school curriculum.
But, with such approach, it is not just the academic skills that a student sharpens. There are other crucial skills that are honed if teaching is done with this approach. And such skills enhance both professional and personal life of the individuals.
Communication
In the present era, effective communication is not simply a tool of social world but something necessary for survival. One can’t ignore the role of communication if he/she wants to achieve success. And, this is not something acquired overnight. It takes a lot of practice and a proficient guide to become a successful communicator.
Well, the good news is that learning with the help of STEM trainers also enhances the communication skills of the students. One of the key features of these classes is to encourage the students to ask questions. From sales pitch to negotiation, one needs to ask questions at every stage of life to engage the other party and extract necessary information. Also, one can make another person feel important by asking the right set of questions.
The art of effective communication is also inculcated among children by letting them design scientific models with their peers or solve a particular problem. This ensures the students don’t hesitate when they have to work in teams as they grow up.
Decision making
The inability to make the decisions is worse than making wrong decisions. If a child is not encouraged to make the decisions at different stages of life, he/she will start to lose the confidence. The reason a lot of children fail to do so effectively is because they aren’t taught the same during their age of learning.
If we talk about STEM learning, the students start taking decisions based on the data present with them. This helps in turning it into a habit that’s etched in their mind forever. When they have to build a model, the decision making process comes into play at every step.
These small steps can become a giant leap in future when a student takes the role of an entrepreneur or senior management in an organization.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an essential virtue that eases up one’s life. We are not talking here about flexible body but a flexible mind that’s able to adapt as per the different situations. A flexible individual rarely gets angry and feels irritated. Instead, he/she focuses on how to handle a situation with the available resources, something taught by STEM trainers in the class.
When the students have limited resources related to a specific project, they apply their creativity to solve the challenge. This means a flexible individual becomes more creative.
By becoming flexible, one also understands it is Okay if something is not working according to the plan or if someone is not acting as per the expectations.
Argumentation
When a point is put in a systematic manner to support an idea, it is known as argumentation. One thing is to be noted that argumentation does not mean one has to shout or insult other party. It simply means use of logical, relevant statements that reinforces the thought or idea. In fact, argumentation, if done correctly, can minimize the possibilities of quarrels. In the realm of STEM, the learners use critical-thinking skills and analytical ability to support a claim. Even a simple experiment encourages a learner to collect data and use it to prove something.
Leadership
Leadership is what differentiate an average person from someone successful. This trait helps one excel in both personal and professional skill. This skill also ensures that an individual does not become a part of herd mentality. In STEM classes, the students understand that the opinion of each team member is important. They also understand how to deploy each member to get the optimum results. Such features turn them into leaders.
Numerous individuals especially opt for leadership courses when they grow to excel in their respective professions. If the seeds of leadership are planted at a tender age, your kids need not seek support of such leadership training or motivational speakers when they come of age.
How we are helping:
At Neorobos, we specifically focus on improving these skills of the students through various set of activities. In fact, the assessment is also on the basis of skills like problem solving. There is a personality development program (PDP) in which the students are turned into their better versions through the use of STEM kits and educational resources.
Learn more about our STEM programs in schools from Delhi and at our academy by visiting the respective page.