In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, the schooling system has stayed grounded to a halt with many children not involved in any activities that relate to formal learning. Young people indeed have a lot of energy which they must expend one way or another. The media has so far elicited many scenarios where young people have been exposed to negative vices due to the inability to engage in ways that are positively rewarding. If the trend goes on then it will be a disaster in the coming months. Luckily some parents and educators have begun positive means of engagement through popularizing STEM programs.
The acronym STEM stands for the collective grouping of four academic disciplines; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The STEM program aims to educate learners in these specific academic areas in an interfaced and practical approach. The resulting STEM skills expected are sufficiency among learners at the tertiary level making them proficient and adequate in handling numeracy, ultimately being able to produce and effectively process and present empirical data extending as far as critical analysis through scientific and mathematical principles. STEM graduates should, therefore, be able to convert theoretical aspects of learning into practical solutions towards problems faced in everyday life.
The present situation presents the best opportunity to exercise STEM activities at home for learners who have a lot of time in their hands even though resources may be dispersed and limited. It remains the duty of parents to have more interest to support their children at home in these respects so that they remain positively engaged throughout. Learning connectivity maybe through online video links but if the learners can be guided at home by their minders; the environment can be excellent and exceedingly rewarding for individual learners attempting many guided STEM activities at home.
Considering that there are online and offline STEM activities for home learners it is worthy to note that a large number may not have any or consistent access to internet connectivity, while the remaining lot with access may easily wander away to other influences like social media and other online entertainment. Parents have a special role now more than ever than educators to find ways of persistently guiding the young learners until completion of activities and learners are able to replay knowledge and skills that have been learned without much effort and with focused interest.
With the pandemic still around and a lot of material and activities to cover it is of importance for parents and educators to expand their liaison and come up with pertinent stem programs that can take advantage of the current situation in the best possible way. This liaison should generate a standardized curriculum that understands the radical learning setups so that different groups of STEM learners can move together and share resources and ideas for activities that are running. Beyond the key aspects of development and continuous guidance of STEP program implementation mainly by educators, the success of STEM activities at home will depend on the keen participation of parents and minders of learners in the home environment.
