What is STEM education?
STEM education is a comprehensive education approach that focuses on cultivating students' knowledge and skills in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The goal of STEM education is to cultivate students' innovative thinking, problem-solving skills and teamwork skills through interdisciplinary learning and practice.
What is the difference between STEM and STEAM?
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) are two educational approaches. STEM education focuses on the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to develop students' scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills. STEAM education adds artistic elements to STEM, emphasizing creative thinking, aesthetic observation and expression. STEAM education believes that art complements the learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and cultivates students' creativity and imagination. Both educational methods aim to develop students' problem-solving skills and innovative thinking in response to the needs of modern society.
Four major advantages of STEM education: cultivating all-round talents for the future
STEM education, covering the four major fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, has benefits that go far beyond simply learning subject knowledge, and instead focuses on cultivating students’ core abilities and qualities that are highly needed in the future workplace and society. Multiple reports have supported the importance of STEM education and pointed out that it can bring four key advantages to students:
Enhance creativity and innovative spirit: STEM education emphasizes hands-on practice and project-based learning, encouraging students to apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems. This learning method can effectively cultivate students' innovative thinking, problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills, which are highly demanded abilities in the future workplace and innovative economy. In fact, companies increasingly value the creativity and innovation abilities of their employees, and STEM education can effectively cultivate these abilities. In addition, high-paying positions in STEM fields, such as data analysts, AI experts, etc., also favor talents with creativity and innovative thinking.
Strengthen logical thinking and analytical skills: STEM education emphasizes data analysis, logical reasoning and pattern recognition. Students need to learn how to extract information from data, analyze problems, and draw reasonable conclusions through processes such as experiments, data analysis, and modeling. This kind of training can effectively improve students' logical thinking, analytical and decision-making abilities, which are skills that are highly in demand in the future workplace. The WEF report more clearly points out that critical thinking and analytical skills are one of the most popular skills in the future workplace, and these skills are what STEM education focuses on cultivating.
Develop resilience and lifelong learning habits: In an era of rapid technological development, the workplace environment is constantly changing. STEM education focuses on cultivating students' adaptability, resilience, flexibility and lifelong learning abilities. The WEF report points out that companies expect that up to 44% of employee skills will be obsolete in the next five years, so lifelong learning capabilities are crucial. This also means that students need to constantly learn new knowledge and skills in order to adapt to the needs of the future workplace and remain competitive in the fiercely competitive job market. In addition, employees with adaptability and lifelong learning abilities are more favored by companies.
Improve personal competitiveness and employment prospects: STEM fields cover many high-tech, high-growth industries, such as artificial intelligence, data science, biotechnology, etc. Students who master STEM skills will be more competitive in the future job market, with broader employment prospects and higher salary potential. The WEF report predicts that a large number of emerging STEM-related positions will emerge in the next five years, such as data analysts, AI experts, etc., and these positions are usually accompanied by higher salaries. However, the goal of STEM education should not be limited to pursuing high salaries, but more importantly, cultivating students' comprehensive abilities so that they can become all-round talents who contribute to society.
The fit between future job market trends and STEM education: World Economic Forum report (WEF)
Published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2023"Future of Jobs Report"It describes the development blueprint of the global job market from 2023 to 2027, and provides an important reference for the development direction of STEM education. This report not only focuses on the impact of technological development on employment, but also more broadly covers the comprehensive impact of multiple factors such as macroeconomic trends, geopolitical situations, green transformation, and social and environmental pressures.
The ever-changing workplace: challenges and opportunities students will face
The report points out that the global labor market will experience 23% structural labor-market churn in the next five years, which means that a large number of jobs will be eliminated and a large number of new jobs will emerge. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for students. They need to have stronger adaptability and lifelong learning capabilities to remain invincible in the ever-changing workplace environment.
The fit between high-demand skills and STEM education
In the report, the core skills that companies value most are stillcritical thinking and creative thinking,followed byself-efficacy skills(resilience, flexibility, agility, motivation, self-awareness and curiosity and lifelong learning) andAbility to work with others(Empathy, Active Listening and Leadership and Social Impact). These skills are highly consistent with the goals of STEM education. STEM education emphasizes cultivating students' critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork spirit, which are indispensable core competencies in the future workplace.
The connection between high-demand occupations and STEM education in the future
The report predicts that the fastest growing jobs in the next five years will be mainly concentrated in the following areas:
Technology fields: The demand for technology-related positions such as AI and machine learning experts, data analysts, business intelligence analysts, and information security analysts will continue to grow. These positions require solid math, computer science and data analysis skills, which are areas where STEM education focuses.
Sustainable development areas: With the global emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development, the demand for relevant positions such as sustainable development experts and renewable energy engineers will increase significantly. These positions require students to have knowledge and skills in environmental science, engineering technology, etc., and are also closely related to STEM education.
Digital field: The demand for digital-related positions such as e-commerce experts, digital transformation experts, digital marketing and strategy experts will also continue to grow. These positions require students to have abilities in data analysis, digital marketing and technology applications, which are also consistent with the training goals of STEM education.
US NSF report: Vision and challenges of future STEM education, inspiration for Hong Kong
Published by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2020"Future STEM Education Outlook Report"Although it is aimed at the U.S. education system, many of the challenges and suggestions it puts forward are also of reference to Hong Kong’s STEM education. In the report, the expert panel emphasized that in an era of rapid technological development, STEM education should not just stop at imparting knowledge, but also cultivate students' key abilities to cope with the challenges of the future workplace.
The report points out that future STEM talents need to possess the following three abilities, and these abilities are exactly what Hong Kong’s STEM education should focus on cultivating:
Master core 21st century skills: This includes adaptability and flexibility, the ability to collaborate, independent learning and lifelong learning. These abilities are not only applicable to STEM fields, but also to other walks of life. They are the cornerstone for students to gain a foothold in the future society.
Be ethically aware: With the development of science and technology, moral and ethical issues in the STEM field have become increasingly prominent. Future STEM talents need to have a strong sense of ethics in order to apply technology responsibly. This point has important reference value for parents and teachers in cultivating students' values.
Effective use of technology: The report emphasizes the importance of technology in STEM education and recommends that teachers make good use of technology to enhance the learning experience and create a more personalized learning environment. This part has direct guiding significance for teachers in choosing teaching methods. Parents can also learn how to help their children learn at home, such as making good use of online learning resources.
STEM Degrees: The Job Market Trend for Higher Salaries
one servingnew researchpointed out that the 25 highest-paying and most in-demand college degrees in the job market are all in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. This shows that professionals in STEM fields have significant salary advantages in the job market. According to a study of 159 college degrees by U.S. personal finance company Bankrate, the average annual income of STEM majors is as high as $93,000, which is nearly double the average income of all Americans with at least a bachelor's degree in 2019 ($54,000).
High-paying STEM degrees
In the study, the degree with the highest salary and highest employment rate wasconstruction engineering, the average annual salary of graduates is US$90,000, and the unemployment rate is only 1.3%. Other high-paying STEM degrees include: construction services, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, transportation science and technology, electrical engineering, materials engineering and materials science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering and chemical engineering. Among them, electrical engineers have the highest average annual income of $107,000.
Employment prospects in STEM fields
The World Economic Forum pointed out that as the degree of digitalization in the workplace increases, 97 million new jobs will appear in the future. These emerging positions are in huge demand for STEM professionals such as data analysts, data scientists, artificial intelligence and machine learning experts, and robotics engineers. This also means that students who choose STEM fields will have broader employment prospects and higher salary potential.
Vinci AI Artificial Intelligence Course
STEM Primary School Curriculum & Course Fees
Vinci AI Elementary School AI STEM Curriculum is a series of courses designed for elementary school students to introduce them to the world of artificial intelligence and STEM fields. These courses combine creativity and technology to develop students' problem-solving skills, creativity and teamwork through interactive and practical methods.
In these courses, students will learn to use different tools and technologies, such as LEGO Spike programming, Scratch AI programming, chatbot mobile application design, etc. They will learn basic programming concepts and logical thinking and apply them in the creative and problem-solving process.
In addition, students will be exposed to artificial intelligence applications in other areas, such as music composition, art creation, and virtual reality/augmented reality technology. They will experience the combination of technology and creativity by using AI technology to create music, artwork and virtual reality experiences, and show their imagination and creativity.
Holy Family School – STEM Activity Day
- Maqueen Plus x Huskylens Artificial Intelligence
- Introduction to AI Art Creation
- Introduction to AI Music Composition
- Getting Started with Chatbot Design
- LEGO SPIKE Programming Course
- Scratch AI discovery
- CoSpaces VR/AR Creation and Experience Course
- Sports and STEM innovative courses (jointly developed with the Education University of Hong Kong)
- Computational Thinking and Game Design (jointly developed with Hong Kong Education City)
- National Youth Software Programming Level Examination Course
- Super AI Challenge Competition Course
- AI video production and design course
- AI Campus TV Anchor Course
- AIoT Intelligent Internet of Things Course
- Drone Programming Course
STEM Secondary School Courses & Course Fees
Vinci AI Middle School AI STEM Curriculum It aims to provide students with a comprehensive artificial intelligence education and develop their skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These courses cover a variety of topics, including but not limited to chatbots, intelligent IoT systems, AI art and music generation, financial technology and blockchain applications, etc. Students will learn how to develop chatbots, use IoT technology to build intelligent systems, apply artificial intelligence to generate art and music, explore applications of financial technology and blockchain technology, and more.
By participating in Vinci AIMiddle School AI STEM Curriculum, students will receive a comprehensive artificial intelligence education and lay a solid foundation for their future academic and career development. At the same time, they will also become promoters of innovative thinking and technology application, contributing to the future science and technology field.
Po Leung Kuk Ho Yin Tong Secondary School – Artificial Intelligence Obstacle Warning System Training Course
- OpenAI ChatGPT chatbot course
- Huskylens Artificial Intelligence Visual Recognition Course
- AIoT Intelligent Internet of Things Course
- Introduction to AI Music Composition
- Jetson AI Specialist Certificate Course Series
- ChatGPT and generative AI
- ICT Python Course
- Jetbot/JetRacer Robotics Course
- Drone Programming Course
- CoSpaces VR/AR Creation and Experience Course
- Sports and STEM innovative courses (jointly developed with the Education University of Hong Kong)
- Computational Thinking and Game Design (jointly developed with Hong Kong Education City)
- National Youth Software Programming Level Examination Course
- Super AI Challenge Competition Course
- AI Campus TV Anchor Course
- AI video production and design course
STEM teacher training courses
In order to promote the popularization of local STEM, Vinci AI provides the latest artificial intelligence and STEM education in-school teacher training courses for primary and secondary school teachers. Our STEM workshops cover a variety of topics, including ChatGPT, generative AI programming, and the application of AI teaching tools such as ChatPDF and ChatExcel. We have provided training services to dozens of primary and secondary schools and institutions to help teachers master AI technology and improve teaching effectiveness. The course also covers the application of AI in data analysis, prediction, and STEM education, such as micro:bit and Arduino programming. Vinci AI’s on-campus teacher training workshops allow teachers to take the first step in learning AI and explore innovative applications of AI in teaching.
Kingston International School – AI Teacher Training Course
AI artificial intelligence courses for primary and secondary schools
- OpenAI ChatGPT chatbot course
- Huskylens Artificial Intelligence Course
- AIoT Internet of Things Course
- ICT Python Course
- Tello Edu Drone Course
- CoSpaces VR/AR Creation and Experience Course
- Introduction to AI Art Creation
- Introduction to AI Music Composition
- LEGO SPIKE Programming Course
- Super AI Challenge Competition Course
- National Youth Software Programming Level Examination Course
- Sports and STEM innovative courses (jointly developed with the Education University of Hong Kong)
