NASA, STEM, and PBL

How do NASA, STEM, and PBL meet the needs of 21st century education?

NASA, STEM, and PBL can all be effective tools for helping to meet the needs of learners as educators work to prepare them for the 21st century workplace.  STEM encompasses all the necessary areas that students will need to be successful in the 21st century, NASA provides many resources for educators and students to help prepare them, and PBL allows students to develop the necessary problem solving skills to be successful.

STEM involves the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and math, all of which are areas which will be advancing rapidly in the 21st century.  STEM allows students to learn these content areas which will allow them to be successful when they enter the 21st century workplace.

NASA offers multiple resources and opportunities to both teachers and students to allow them to explore the STEM content areas.  NASA has worked to ensure that all learners have access to opportunities in the STEM areas.

PBL, or problem-based learning allows students to develop the necessary problem solving skills that they will need to be successful in the 21st century.  PBL provides students with a problem or question (which could be related to any of the STEM areas, or other content areas as well) and requires that they come up with a solution to that problem or question.  This is a skill which is important today, but which will be even more important as our students graduate and move into their future careers.