The Mathematical Problems Faced by Advanced STEM Students

Age 16 to 18
Article by Steve Hewson
Published 2011 Revised 2019

Mathematics is critical to the study of any STEM subject; indeed, historically the development of
science, technology, engineering and mathematics has often gone hand in hand.

Beneath any issues which might arise in knowledge of content, many students with good grades
in mathematics seem to find it difficult to apply the mathematical knowledge that they might
have. Why would this be the case?

It seems that there are several main reasons, common to all disciplines:

Overly Procedural thinking

- Mathematics exams can often be passed by learning the content procedurally. This means
that students can answer certain types of question by following a recipe. The problems in
scientific mathematics arise because even minor deviations from the precise recipe cause the
student to fail to know what to do.

Lack of ability to translate mathematical meaning to real-world meaning

- Students who are very skilled at mathematics might have trouble seeing how to relate the
mathematical process to a real-world context; this hampers the use of common sense, so
valuable in quantitative science.

Lack of multi-step problem solving skills

- Scientific mathematics problems are not usually clearly 'signposted' from a mathematical point
of view. The student must assess the physical situation, decide how to represent it
mathematically, decide what needs to be solved and then solve the problem. Students who are
not well versed in solving 'multi-step' problems in mathematics are very likely to struggle with
the application of their mathematical knowledge.

Lack of mathematical interest

- Students are hopefully strongly driven by their interest in science. If mathematics is studied in
an environment independent of this then mathematics often never finds meaning and remains
abstract, dull and difficult.
 Challenges in STEM Learning: A Case of Filipino High School Students
(Received 8 May 2021; Revised 30 November 2021; Accepted 30 November 2021)
Danilo V. Rogayan Jr.1*, Renzo Jay L. Rafanan2, Clarisse Yimyr de Guzman3

1,2,3College of Teacher Education, President Ramon Magsaysay State University-San Marcelino,

Zambales, Philippines

Corresponding Author: *danrogayan@prmsu.edu.ph

The demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce in the
contemporary society is very high. Globally, educational institutions encourage students to take
up STEM to enhance their STEM skills and literacy which are needed in the modern industries.
With the emerging fourth industrial revolution (FIRe) and the Education 4.0, there is a need to
re-focus STEM education to respond to the global challenges.

WHY IS STEM IMPORTANT? THE IMPACT OF STEM EDUCATION ON SOCIETY

Oct 19, 2022
WRITTEN BY
Maria Norris

STEM education gives people skills that make them more employable and ready to meet the
current labor demand. It encompasses the whole range of experiences and skills. Each STEM
component brings a valuable contribution to a well-rounded education. Science gives learners
an in-depth understanding of the world around us. It helps them to become better at research
and critical thinking. Technology prepares young people to work in an environment full of high-
tech innovations. Engineering allows students to enhance problem-solving skills and apply
knowledge in new projects. Mathematics enables people to analyze information, eliminate
errors, and make conscious decisions when designing solutions. STEM education links these
disciplines into a cohesive system. Thus, it prepares professionals who can transform society
with innovation and sustainable solutions.

Summary:
The world we live in is changing, and we must keep pace with it. STEM education changes
society by offering learners a new mindset and skills valued in any profession. They allow young
people to be flexible, look for patterns, find connections, and evaluate information. Besides,
STEM education raises social awareness. It communicates global issues to the general public.
Therefore, STEM opportunities move us to a knowledge-based economy and enhanced
sustainability literacy.
Why students say STEM is hard and what educators can do about it?
Nimah Gobir
Nov 20, 2022

Today, if we ask young people, STEM is not about giving voice or language to observations and
questions. The only thing it unleashes or reveals is that it is hard and not for everybody.
Hundreds of interviews I have held with young people from urban classrooms about science
reveal that many students simply believe that “science is hard.” Many of these students,
particularly those who were not doing well in science or mathematics classrooms, also believe
that the reason they are not doing well is that they are not “smart enough.” This idea of the
“hardness” of science and, by proxy, STEM is important to deconstruct.

For many, the hardness of STEM is associated with it being academically challenging and with
folks not being able to engage with it. In reality, the hardness is about the inflexibility of STEM
and the fact that it does not bend to the needs of the person engaging with it. If I attempt to
engage with a topic and find it hard, I blame myself without considering that there is something
about the subject that is unapproachable. The perception is that the fault cannot possibly be
with the academic subject or the methods used to teach it. This flawed approach to thinking
about STEM does not consider the more expansive view of the concept of hardness and the
notion that if the subject bends to me or my interests, I can forge a relationship to it that
increases my desire to spend more time with it. Time spent equals familiarity. And familiarity
eventually equals fluency in the language of the “hard” subject. What is hard becomes malleable
enough to wrap around you once you are familiar with the language it speaks.

STEM Careers: 2023 Guide to Career Paths, Options & Salary

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
Chief Data Scientist & Head of Content
JUL 25, 2023

STEM supports 67% of U.S. jobs, 69% of the country’s GDP, and generates $2.3 trillion in
annual federal tax revenue (AAAS, 2020). STEM majors’ solid foundation in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics gives them the unique opportunity of pursuing
multiple career paths. The objective behind the integration of STEM disciplines is to train
students to be capable of transferring learning from one discrete field to another and in doing
so, solve the problem at hand.

STEM professionals apply their knowledge in solving real-world problems as they are trained to
use the principles of math and science in formulating solutions. As technological innovations
become increasingly important in the 21st century, STEM professionals are positioned to take
on leadership roles in major technological transitions in the coming decades.

A 2017 study by the BLS reported that 93 out of 100 STEM occupations had wages above the
national average, with petroleum engineers, architectural engineers, computer engineers, and
physicists on top of the list as the highest wage earners. Also, the average entry-level STEM
salary outpaces other fields.

Specializations in STEM are continually evolving with new discoveries in the life and physical
sciences, and also with the latest technological developments. This makes the field of STEM a
consistently growing field that will create more jobs in the coming decades.