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These objectives lie at the core of the national The purpose of the strategy istobuild on a range
science, technology, engineering and mathematics ofreforms and activities already underway. It
(STEM) school education strategy. aims to better coordinate andtarget this effort
and sharpenthe focus on the key areas where
All governments are investing in improving STEM collaborative actionwill deliver improvements
education. There is significant activity underway toSTEM education.
across the country in schools and education
systems, by industry and universities, to lift student
engagement and attainment in STEM and to
support teachers to improve student outcomes.
A RENEWED NATIONAL FOCUS ON
The Chief Scientists report Science, Technology,
STEM IN SCHOOL EDUCATION IS
Engineering and Mathematics: Australias Future,
however, has provided fresh momentum for a CRITICAL TO ENSURING THAT ALL
national focus on STEM education. YOUNG AUSTRALIANS ARE EQUIPPED
WITH THE NECESSARY STEM SKILLS
The Chief Scientists report highlighted the trends
that all education systems are grappling with AND KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY
the performance of Australian students against WILL NEED TO SUCCEED.
international benchmarks has stalled or declined as
has participation in senior secondary science and
advanced maths.
Over the next five years, Yet Australian data shows that inequities
employmentis predicted to currently exist in STEM. Girls, students from
low socio-economic status backgrounds,
increasein professional, scientific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students,
andtechnical services by 14 per and students from non-metropolitan areas can
cent and in health care by almost be less likely to engage with STEM education
20 per cent. The Australian Bureau and therefore have a higher risk of not
of Statistics has estimated that developing high capabilities in STEM-related
skills. These groups are more likely to miss out
some STEM-related jobs, such as ICT on the opportunities STEM-related occupations
professionals and engineers, have can offer.
grown at about 1.5 times the rate
This combines with an overall trend away
ofother jobs in recent years. 1 from higher level STEM subject choices and
the failure to keep pace with the highest
International research shows that building performing countries on international tests
STEM capacity across the population is ofmaths and science.
critical in helping to support innovation
and productivity regardless of occupation A renewed national focus on STEM in school
or industry. Consistent with this research, education is critical to ensuring that all young
industry surveys show that STEM literacy Australians are equipped with the necessary
is increasingly becoming part of the core STEM skills and knowledge that they will need
capabilities that Australian employers need. to succeed.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has estimated
that changing 1 per cent of Australias
workforce into STEM-related roles would
add$57.4billionto GDP. 2
1. Australian Government, Industry Employment Projections 2015 Report; ABS Perspectives on Education and Training:Australian
qualifications in STEM, 2010-11, Cat. 4250.0.55.005.
2. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), A Smart Move: future-proofing Australias workforce by growing skills in STEM (2015).
Goals
Goal 1: Ensure all students Goal 2: Ensure that students
finish school with strong are inspired to take on more
foundational knowledge in challenging STEM subjects
STEM and related skills While the primary aim of the national strategy
is to support all young people to become more
Todays students need to acquire core subject
STEM capable, a supplementary goal is to increase
knowledge as well as the skills of collaboration,
participation in challenging STEM subjects in the
critical thinking, creativity and problem solving
senior secondary years.
and STEM education has a crucial role in
achievingthis. School systems have an important role to play,
inpartnership with the tertiary education sector
School systems have a responsibility to ensure
andindustry, to encourage students to develop
that all young people have a fundamental level of
higher level STEM capabilities, to build aspiration
STEM literacy that enables them to engage with,
forSTEM participation at tertiary levels and for
and succeed in, the world beyond the school gate.
STEM-related careers.
Building foundational STEM knowledge needs to
start from early childhood and continue throughout
primary and secondary schooling.
1. Increasing student STEM ability, engagement, The actions identified in this strategy focus on areas
participation and aspiration where national collaboration is most beneficial,
drawing together some of the national curriculum
2. Increasing teacher capacity and STEM
and teaching reforms to drive improvements in
teachingquality
STEM education.
3. Supporting STEM education opportunities
The strategy supports a long-term change agenda.
withinschool systems
Some national actions are well advanced or can be
4. Facilitating effective partnerships with tertiary implemented in the short term, but in setting the
education providers, business and industry bar high, others are more aspirational and will take
time to be realised.
5. Building a strong evidence base
In identifying areas for national collaborative effort
and jurisdictional priority actions, it is recognised
that jurisdictions have different starting points and
that there will continue to be differences in strategic
priorities across states and territories.
Goal 1: Goal 2:
Ensure all students finish Ensure that students
school withstrong are inspired to take
foundational knowledge on more challenging
inSTEM and related skills STEMsubjects
ER ST U
H DE
AC
NT
TE
GOAL GOAL
ONE TWO
NCE
SC H O
IDE
OL
EV
PA R S
TNERSHIP
1. Increasing
student 5. Building a
STEM ability, strong
engagement, evidence base
participation 2. Increasing
andaspiration 3. Supporting 4. Facilitating
teacher
STEM effective
capacity
education partnerships
and STEM
opportunities with tertiary
teaching
withinschool education
quality
systems providers,
business and
industry
Recognising the primary and middle years as Using engineering and technological
critical periods when students begin to cement challenges to provide real world context
their aspirations for, and confidence in, STEM. forprojects.
Supporting the introduction of STEM concepts
Supporting a focus on the development of
in the preschool years.
higher order computational, problem solving and
creative thinking skills through the rollout of the Establish a STEM professional learning
Australian curriculum on technologies, including exchange, in partnership with universities and
a deep engagement with coding. industry, to support schools and school systems
Encouraging the uptake of online learning by sharing best practice and identifying areas to
materials, linked to classroom practice, to help boost teacher confidence and capacity in
support the development of students problem the primary and secondary years, for example
solving and reasoning skills which are at the core in STEM subject content, data analysis
of mathematical thinking, scientific literacy and and programming.
adeep engagement with coding.
2. Expose students (and their teachers) to a wide range of career options and
informationearly to help increase STEM aspirations and engagement, ideally
inprimary school and continuing throughout high school, and involving parents
andschool communities where possible.
3. Build on students curiosity and connect STEM learning to solving real world
problems,including through collaborative and individual learning experiences that
arehands-on and inquiry-based and support the achievement of deep knowledge.
4. Recognise that STEM education approaches work best when supported by a whole-
of-school collaborative effort.
6. Use school demographic data and the local context to guide choices about
partnership and outreach programs, and consider how best to target student
cohortsless likely to do STEM subjects or see the relevance of STEM-related skills.