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16 Posts
Why is STEM Education Important in ASQ? In the future we will need more quality engineers and innovaters to improve quality and make the world a better place. Obviously quality engineering involves knowledge in all areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The STEM movement has improved teaching and learning of science and engineering in the past 10 years. There is more collaboration with industry because they need more scientists and engineers. Have you noticed that engineering concepts are even being taught in elementary schools? To summarize, a lot has changed in the teaching of science and engineering!
It is a good time to learn more about this effort and if your section or division has an education outreach effort, to get involved. The Education Division's 2020 STEM Education Resources Directory recently published on this discussion board provides resources to help you.
As a co-author of this STEM Directory, I would like to start a discussion on current ASQ Education Outreach efforts, and hear your success stories. They could involve speaking at a middle school or high school, co-sponsoring a student section at a college, or participating in a school's career day and explaining what quality engineers do.
Look for more discussion on STEM Education topics in the future.
Cindy Veenstra
It is a good time to learn more about this effort and if your section or division has an education outreach effort, to get involved. The Education Division's 2020 STEM Education Resources Directory recently published on this discussion board provides resources to help you.
As a co-author of this STEM Directory, I would like to start a discussion on current ASQ Education Outreach efforts, and hear your success stories. They could involve speaking at a middle school or high school, co-sponsoring a student section at a college, or participating in a school's career day and explaining what quality engineers do.
Look for more discussion on STEM Education topics in the future.
Cindy Veenstra
10 Replies
618 Posts
Congratulations on the publication of a very useful and thorough reference.
5 Posts
Thanks so much for starting this conversation, Cindy! I too am very passionate about the need for STEM education and this is why I support STEM outreach. Although my traditional outreach activities have been curtailed due to COVID-19, I'm very excited about the prospect of being virtually interviewed by some teenagers who are doing a special summer project for the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. They are interviewing various professionals about STEM careers, and although I don't know the questions that they will be asking, my understanding is that they are doing the interviews to learn more about various STEM careers and what is required to prepare for such a career. I applaud the museum for initiating this activity when they are not able to do their regular programing due to the pandemic.
16 Posts
An additional comment: With respect to education outreach, consider these three engaging websites for students that describe Engineering careers. These websites are included in the Education Division’s
2020 STEM Education Resource Directory. Note that most degrees with a Quality engineering focus are part of Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering.
ASEE’s efgi (Engineering Go For It) and Dream up the Future,
http://www.egfi-k12.org/index_noflash.php
NAE’s Engineer Girl,
https://www.engineergirl.org/
DiscoverE, Let’s Make a Difference(in Engineering) ,
http://www.discovere.org/
and especially this page on starting a conversation about engineering careers with students,
http://www.discovere.org/discover-engineering/conversation-starters
Also, DiscoverE includes a video on Industrial Engineering with Quality Engineering examples, under Engineering Careers.
1 Posts
Terri Showers
Cindy, thank you for raising the question about the importance of STEM education to ASQ. As a former science educator, I taught and encouraged students to enter the STEM profession. Whether it was teaching or mentoring students in the classroom, organizing and hosting local or regional science fairs, or even taking students to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), I understood and helped to shape the minds of students for entering the STEM profession. It is at these events, more specifically at ISEF, where students meet, interact, and defend their research to scientists and engineers from around the world. As a result, these opportunities provide a platform for developing scientists and engineers.
Today, with COVID-19 and as you noted, we need more students to become scientists and engineers. These individuals and others in the STEM profession are essential to helping resolve this pandemic and future health problems.
Our 2020 STEM Resource Directory was developed to support ASQ STEM educators. It includes quality tools for educators, teaching resources, and a section for continuous school improvement in our 2020 STEM Resource Directory. Furthermore, it can be used as a springboard to stimulate discussion on current ASQ Education Outreach efforts and sharing success stories.
Cindy, thank you for raising the question about the importance of STEM education to ASQ. As a former science educator, I taught and encouraged students to enter the STEM profession. Whether it was teaching or mentoring students in the classroom, organizing and hosting local or regional science fairs, or even taking students to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), I understood and helped to shape the minds of students for entering the STEM profession. It is at these events, more specifically at ISEF, where students meet, interact, and defend their research to scientists and engineers from around the world. As a result, these opportunities provide a platform for developing scientists and engineers.
Today, with COVID-19 and as you noted, we need more students to become scientists and engineers. These individuals and others in the STEM profession are essential to helping resolve this pandemic and future health problems.
Our 2020 STEM Resource Directory was developed to support ASQ STEM educators. It includes quality tools for educators, teaching resources, and a section for continuous school improvement in our 2020 STEM Resource Directory. Furthermore, it can be used as a springboard to stimulate discussion on current ASQ Education Outreach efforts and sharing success stories.
5 Posts
Update: I was interviewed by the students on Friday, and the group was all female! They asked very thoughtful questions about my experiences, challenges and advice for them. They are taking the interview info and creating a video that captures what they learned. Next week I'm going to see the team's video and they'll have a short Q&A segment. There are actually 10 different teams who will be presenting, and I'm looking forward to seeing what my team gleaned and what the other teams learned as well. At the end, I was able to ask them about their career plans and many, but not all, were interested in pursuing STEM. But even those who weren't thinking about pursuing STEM understood how STEM would still impact their life and career. Really exciting!
5 Posts
Update 2: Spent part of this evening listening to / viewing all of the presentations and they were great! Here is a link to view my team's presentation. It was really interesting to see what each team learned from a variety of STEM career professionals. Most presentations included information about the career itself, preparation for the career, and other, non-technical, tips for success. A really enjoyable way to spend some time!
16 Posts
Hi Jill, Thanks for sharing! I loved watching the video and could tell the students were excited about their video! Very nice! An excellent example of outreach.
52 Posts
Thanks for sharing this great resource, Cindy. I have shared it through LinkedIn, and I plan to share it with our school superintendent.
