July 8, 2019 — WASHINGTON, DC | STEMconnector today released new research in partnership with McGraw-Hill examining corporate perspectives on the most pressing needs of the workforce and the ways in which intelligent adaptive learning platforms can bridge opportunities gaps, building a wider STEM talent pool to meet the needs of a dynamic economy.
It is widely acknowledged that, too often, zip code can determine a student’s educational destiny. Students entering college and university from underrepresented backgrounds and low-income communities are often behind from day one, due to myriad circumstances, even in schools where they have been accepted. The gaps are especially stark for STEM degree majors, for whom lack of a mathematics and science foundation can be an immediate barrier to entry, particularly given that a significantly larger number of students from underrepresented backgrounds come from high schools that do not even offer advanced mathematics courses.
To repair the educational debt faced by underrepresented students and build a larger and more prepared workforce, intelligent adaptive learning platforms, when implemented appropriately, have proven to be effective in helping students catch up to their peers, allowing them access to STEM majors and careers for which they may have previously been weeded out.
“What we heard from the postsecondary leaders and teachers we spoke to is that this kind of technology is a game-changer,” shared report author Ashley Szofer, Senior Director of Communications & Partnerships at STEMconnector. “It really has the potential to support students in gaining the confidence and experience they need to pursue more advanced math, earn STEM degrees, and participate in the STEM economy.”
The report presents corporate perspectives on the skill combinations most needed today, along with several successful case studies where schools have implemented the platforms and have seen powerful results to build the STEM workforce and meet the demands of industry.
The report is available for download at: https://www.stemconnector.com/additional-research-developed-with-stemconnector-partners/
STEMconnector is a professional services firm committed to increasing the number of STEM-ready workers in the global talent pool. We provide a platform to engage leaders in both public and private sectors who collectively are re-envisioning the workforce. Working with pioneering leaders across over 200 organizations, our overall goal is to inform, stimulate and connect leaders with a passion for and vested interest in growing a STEM-ready workforce.