The disadvantage dilemma: A whole other pandemic
Worrying figures published in the UK 2020 indicate that the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers has stopped closing for the first time in a decade. It looks as though this is replicated worldwide, with the education gap potentially set to widen in the future, making educator engagement and institutional action more vital than ever.
Even without the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, disadvantaged students can be upwards of a year of learning behind their peers by the time they’re 16. When you factor in the change in learning environments caused by Covid-19, the final figure may be altogether worse. This issue isn’t reserved for students in one particular country, with gaps in learning levels impacting students everywhere from the US and Europe to Asia.
If one thing is clear, it’s that the traditional model of education is no longer working.
Access to education
The ways in which different students have access to education is often largely based on their socio-economic background, with the more advantaged students consistently achieving better results. Some particular groups of young people are excluded from opportunities for success due to their socio-economic status (SES), a fact that calls for educational institutions to assess their practices, embrace innovative change, and make it possible for these students to enjoy the same access as others.
With regards to STEM education, a 2020 Australian study found that “low socio-economic status is the biggest barrier to STEM participation” - an issue which they link to school social segregation and lack of educational resources. The study also went on to reveal that Australia has one of the highest levels of school social segregation of all OECD countries, meaning that schools enrol students of either low or high SES.
One country that has climbed the educational ranks of the OECD over the last few decades is Finland. Believing in absolute equality in education, Finland teaches all students alongside each other in order to reduce the SES gap and encourage collaboration.
Access for all - how digital technology could bring about educational equality
By giving students access to STEM education and digital technology, institutions will in turn be nurturing a generation of coding experts, designers, innovators, animators, and scientists who are taking real-world problems and offering up sustainable solutions that bring about tangible change. The solutions sought out by these students not only offer educational benefits, but also positive social change that improves the way the world operates.
The educational benefits here are tenfold. Students will be equipped to tackle real-world problems and be able to approach age-old issues from a fresh perspective, as well as allowing the generation of learners below them to enjoy better equality.
The future is digital
With artificial intelligence (AI) constantly improving the world we live and work in, by giving the students of today access to STEM education and the basics of coding, we will effectively be future proofing the great minds of tomorrow. In 2018, it was reported that there were 23 million coders in the world, with that number set to increase to 28 million by 2023. It was also estimated that because of the expected advancements in AI, as many as 400-800 million manual jobs would be lost to robots. The flip side of this, of course, is that there will be a huge demand for AI experts and coding professionals.
By embracing STEM education and ensuring that all students can access the relevant resources during their school day, institutions will be investing in the future of their country, and of the entire world. Just some of the examples of bright young minds putting AI and IoT into action include students using Arduino kits to create water filtration systems, solar-powered circuits and even a 3D-printed ball launcher for pets!
Inspired? To get started with Arduino and build STEM learning, purchase the Arduino Student Kit from your country's distributor or from our store.