interiors
Contemporary designs with high spec materials boost STEM appeal
Demand for STEM skills is strong across all economies and is set to grow in the coming years. Despite this, uptake falls short of demand and the Government and education providers continue to search for new ways to stimulate interest in higher level science and technology based education courses. Mike Serridge reports.
that end pedagogy is changing with emphasis being placed on collaborative group work, research, project and context based integration between the related subjects. This in turn creates a need for flexible learning spaces which not only facilitates the range of activities this entails but which also attracts students to subjects which might not otherwise seem appealing. Studying science and mathematics
E
unlocks a range of employment opportunities for young people. Success in promoting STEM education depends on high quality, well trained, motivated
CONOMIES need well trained scientists, technologist, engineers, mathematicians and teachers. To
subject specialist teachers who are provided with the tools and environments with which to attract the students and to deliver effectively. Students are more likely to engage in
STEM subjects if they can see a tangible and relevant objective and any new learning space needs to ensure that research, study, design, experimentation, testing and realisation can be readily accommodated as well as having the widest possible student appeal. STEM in schools suffers from image
and perception issues which presents challenges for educationalists who are trying to broaden the appeal of science and technology based subjects to a wider cross section of the school population.
Students of the “on-line” age are not motivated or stimulated by dark, old fashioned, uninspiring school laboratory and workshop designs which have remained unchanged for decades. Educationalists, subject advisors, school interior designers and specialist furniture suppliers are having to work much harder and become much more innovative to change these perceptions, help schools compete with what are regarded by some as the more contemporary subjects and remove the gender bias associated with STEM based learning. Effective interior design combined with
high quality contemporary furniture systems which facilitate and promote pupil centred learning can help change attitudes towards science so that students are more receptive to the truly exciting possibilities which the subject offers. Traditional regimented wooden bench
rows with dark worktops are not only uninspiring, they are restrictive of interactive group work, they create areas within the classroom which are not easily accessed by teachers due to narrow gangways, they result in “back row” syndrome and are considered by many to be the least safe way to organise students carrying out practical work. Replacing these very old designs with new, brighter coloured, lower specification versions of the same thing might improve the image of STEM temporarily but do little to address the need for greater flexibility
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educationdab.co.uk
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