From STEM to space travel
There are still a number of challenges in integrating the basic ideas behind STEM in the education system. One challenge is that subject professionals and pupils may have difficulty seeing the benefits of this. Here, Denmark’s strong research environments in space research can provide inspiration.
This article has been reproduced with permission from Aktuel Naturvidenskab.
Most of an astronaut’s working life takes place on the ground, so we will wait for a moment with take-off. It is necessary to focus on an important education agenda before take-off: Too few students choose an education programme in what we today call STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). This means that Denmark will lack resources and qualified labour in these programmes in the future.
Further reading
- The National Center of Science Education (ASTRA) and the Danish Ministry of Education (2018): National naturvidenskabsstrategi (National Science Strategy) (PDF).
- Teknologipagten (2021): Inspirerende STEM-undervisning for alle (The Danish Technology Pact (2021): Inspirational STEM Education for All).
- Rodger W. Bybee (2018): STEM Education Now More Than Ever. National Science Teachers Association Press.
- Lars Seidelin and Dorte Moeskær Larsen (2021): STEM-integration – mere end en målsætning for grundskolen? (STEM integration – more than a primary and lower secondary school objective?)
About the author
Lars Seidelin is a postdoc and project manager for LabSTEM. He is a graduate biologist and has a PhD in Marine Biology and Biology Didactics from SDU.
About the author
Andreas Mogensen is an astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA). He is a graduate engineer from Imperial College London and has a PhD in Spacecraft Regulation from the University of Texas at Austin.
About the author
Emil Fannikke Kiær is Political Director of the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI). He has a background from ATP, DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation), Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark and other organisations.