Source: NCPA
In order to fill the growing number of STEM openings over the next several years, schools across Texas must reevaluate how STEM subjects are taught, according to a new report by National Center for Policy Analysis Senior Research Fellow Lloyd Bentsen IV.
“Online curriculum programs like Reasoning Mind exemplify many of the fundamental steps to engage students in STEM fields: challenging, interactive curricula; new and improved teaching methods; and partnering with outside organizations and businesses to offer the best opportunities to all students,” says Bentsen.
Reasoning Mind and similar programs offer several advantages over lecture-based instruction:
- Reasoning Mind students are engaged and on task 89 percent of the time, on average. Compared to a typical classroom, that works out to an additional 40 hours of math instruction each year when Reasoning Mind is used as a core curriculum.
- Some 67 percent of students using Reasoning Mind say that their enjoyment of mathematics increased due to the program.
“Without a doubt, Reasoning Mind is having a significant impact on student achievement and satisfaction in the public schools where it is used,” says Bentsen. “Public school students need all the help that they can get, and Reasoning Mind clearly improves the quality of education for those students.”