Research has increasingly found early science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to be beneficial to child development. However, policy and systems barriers can and often do interfere with successfully promoting STEM literacy.
Children are capable of engaging in mathematical thinking and scientific investigation from a young age. A 2017 study in the International Journal of Science and Math Education, for example, found that preschool-aged students not only actively participated in STEM activities but also showed enthusiasm for the activities both in and out of the classroom1. Another study by Frazier et al. found that children actively seek explanatory answers to questions. 2 Moreover, there is increasing evidence recognizing the benefits of a strong early foundation in the STEM fields. One 2007 study, for example, found that early mathematics skills predicted academic achievement in later life.3
However, despite recognition of early STEM education’s benefits, research has found that many educators expressed low confidence in teaching specific content areas in science and math.4
So how can we support STEM learning during this critical developmental window? In their 2021 Science and Engineering in Preschool Through Elementary Grades report, the National Academies of Sciences outlines several key areas that educators and policy makers should consider.
First, curricula material should show evidence-backed effectiveness and be informed by assessments of student learning throughout the year. At the same time, however, lessons in the classroom must also be flexible, build on students' interests, and be relevant to to students' lives in order to leverage youths' natural curiosity and problem-solving skills. Partnering with families and the community also provides an opportunity to strengthen the student's STEM skills outside the classroom. Classroom practices must be also equitable. The National Academies of Science suggests ongoing training for ensuring equity in the classroom. Lastly, school and district leaders must promote a school environment that supports science and engineering instruction with consideration for schedules, staffing policies, resources, and ongoing professional development for teachers so that they may teach developmentally-appropriate STEM content.5
1 Christine D. Tippett and Todd M. Milford, “Findings from a Pre-Kindergarten Classroom: Making the Case for STEM in Early Childhood Education,” International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 15, no. S1 (2017): pp. 67-86, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-017-9812-8.
2Brandy N. Frazier, Susan A. Gelman, and Henry M. Wellman, “Preschoolers’ Search for Explanatory Information within Adult-Child Conversation,” Child Development 80, no. 6 (2009): pp. 1592-1611, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01356.x.
3Greg J. Duncan et al., “School Readiness and Later Achievement.,” Developmental Psychology 43, no. 6 (2007): pp. 1428-1446, https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428.
4Elisabeth R McClure et al., “STEM Starts Early: Grounding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in Early Childhood” (New York, NY: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, 2017), pp. 1-68, 21.
5 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Science and Engineering in Preschool Through Elementary Grades: The Brilliance of Children and the Strengths of Educators, 150