NIGERIA | HISTORIES BEHIND STEM EDUCATION
RUSSIA
(Old Soviet Union) during the reign of Joseph Stalin as it Leader; they have what is called a rapid Industrialization revolution when they discover that after the World War II, if they do not, they will be at the mercy of USA the then world power and still world power now. So the president have almost seventy percent of its population study engineering and science, they perform physical and intellectual test on their children to know their capabilities and assigned them to special institute where they can harness it. They have their engineers build heavy production machinery and plants so they also produce and manufacture for themselves first and export latter on. Japan happens to be a major patronage of the Russian technology and ideas. As a result these revolutions they (Russia) even became the first country to travel to space by building the sputnik 1.
(Old Soviet Union) during the reign of Joseph Stalin as it Leader; they have what is called a rapid Industrialization revolution when they discover that after the World War II, if they do not, they will be at the mercy of USA the then world power and still world power now. So the president have almost seventy percent of its population study engineering and science, they perform physical and intellectual test on their children to know their capabilities and assigned them to special institute where they can harness it. They have their engineers build heavy production machinery and plants so they also produce and manufacture for themselves first and export latter on. Japan happens to be a major patronage of the Russian technology and ideas. As a result these revolutions they (Russia) even became the first country to travel to space by building the sputnik 1.
The Soviet Union (Russian)
Industrial Revolution shortly after the World War 2, starting what’s called the
“Cold war”.
JAPAN,
Japan an Island
nation with a small land mass. Started out it growth with a blueprint, (A blueprint
is a reproduction of a technical drawing, documenting an architecture or an
engineering design, using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets.
Introduced in the 19th century, the process allowed rapid and accurate
reproduction of documents used in construction and industry.) By
locating the sector of the world where they can function and be ranked among
world strongest economy and world power. They planned what they have become today on
paper.
Today Japan is
called the world first blueprint nation. There is just a blueprint for
everywhere in Japan such that if there is an alteration, they can just sit and
review their blueprints.
That is why today
Japan is the hub for medical, technological and major researches in the world.
How they were able
to manage the economical and societal effects of the Fukushima nuclear plant
tragedy during the aftermath of the Tsunami is remarkable.
AMERICAN
The 1957 launch of
Russian satellite Sputnik inspired a generation of innovation in technology and
engineering in America. Fueled by their strong competitive spirit and the fear
of falling behind other nations, Americans quickly charged into action.
Americans
channeled fear into action and emerged as the leader in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
In 1990’s the
National Science Foundation married science, technology, engineering, and math
with the acronym “STEM”
President Obama.
In his 2009 State
of the Union Address President Obama renewed the charge forward stating that
with the largest commitment to scientific research and innovation in American
history,
“We will not just
meet, but we will exceed the level achieved at the height of the Space Race,
through policies that invest in basic and applied research, create new
incentives for private innovation, promote breakthroughs in energy and
medicine, and improve education in math and science.”
He further states
that,
“Through this
commitment, American students will move… from the middle to the top of the pack
in science and math over the next decade – for we know that the nation that
out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow.”
Over fifty years,
after Sputnik inspired Americans to innovate, life is very different.
NIGERIA
An average Nigerian parent’s dream is that
their wards would go to school, have quality education graduate with good
grades and work in either one of the government owned offices or in an oil and
gas company.
Far be it, just dreams… sometimes by sheer
luck, miracles, influence
Why?
The complains are
1. Few industries,
2. Employment difficulties (Nigerian Universities
graduates are unemployable)
3. Mismanagement of government funds/resources
4. Irrelevant government priorities
And many more. Lots of problems….
Well if
there is no problem in the world, the need for solutions, and most of the
scientific and economical breakthroughs recorded in the advanced world won’t be
necessary.
"TOUGH SITUATIONS WARRANTS, TOUGH MEASURES"
We are blessed with high deposits of natural
resource which has placed us in a good position to be able to produce and
export goods and commodities and develop skill which is marketable within and
outside the country. Our present position (i.e. depending on crude oil) has
really put us in a tight corner in which any drop in demands for our crude oil
affects our economy grossly, and that is because we laid our foundation as a
nation only on crude oil.
SOLUTIONS
Effective researches should be encouraged in
our universities and various institutions
We have to produce by harnessing theses
resources and generate revenue from them.
We also have to improve in science and
technology because it is the bedrock of development in a nation, I
strongly believe that if this knowledge were improved and invested on, we will
have strong chance to compete globally and be able uphold a strong and vibrant
economy.
Furthermore, we need to take advantage of the development
of science and technology in the developed world and utilizes them to develop
our country,
Teach them to our youth, empowering them with
relevant knowledge (of the 21st Century) which will in turn make them relevant in nation building and
also contribute to the global knowledge, rather than bringing in expatriate to
fill in for lapses.
Recently, they discovered that we are losing
over 2 billion dollars yearly in sponsoring our graduate for overseas training.
A
popular saying says “it is not wisdom to
learn from your own mistakes but wisdom to learn from others”.
WHAT IS STEM?
STEM develops a
set of thinking, reasoning, teamwork, investigative, and creative skills that
students can use in all areas of their lives. STEM isn’t a standalone
class—it’s a way to intentionally incorporate different subjects across an
existing curriculum.
STEM acronym: Science:
The study of the natural world.
Technology: One surprise—the STEM definition for
technology includes any product made by humans to meet a want or need. (So much
for all technology being digital.) A chair is technology; so is a pencil. Any
product kids create to solve a problem can be regarded as technology.
Engineering: The design process kids use to solve
problems.
Math: The language of numbers, shapes, and quantities
that seems so irrelevant to many students.
The integrated
STEM movement will be successful with the necessary support and professional
development for educators who put standards in practice with their students. In
an age of social media and fast paced communication, teachers need to
collaborate and access effective, action-driven professional support to help
students become engaged listeners, to reason, and to meaningfully externalize
their thinking. The success of this recent launch in education reform depends
on meaningful integration of STEM subject areas.
What STEM seeks to
achieve
·
To
prepare students for successful careers in a 21st century workforce
·
To be
better prepared in math and science.
·
To be
able to inquire, think, investigate, and innovate
· To develop
a Problem-solving, Innovative
thinking, Communications, Productive teamwork, Generating multiple ideas and
Decision-making.
CAN WE WAKE UP NOW NIGERIANS, OLD AND YOUNG ALIKE. WAKE UP!!!
"Programming
shouldn’t be something that is learned only in technical courses or
universities, its basic principles should be taught as early as possible. Not
in order to train new code-developers and fill young minds with more
information than they already have to deal with but simply to have them develop
logical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential concepts in
life.
Coding is
the next level of literacy and that programming should be seen as a language
and a way of thinking."
Apple’s
senior vice president of software Craig Federighi
