According to a recent national study, across the fields of Science, Technology, and Engineering, and Math, job postings outnumbered unemployed people by almost two to one, while, overall, unemployed people outnumbered job postings by well more than three to one.
Many educators who recognize a need for STEM education in the classroom also know the challenge can lie in connecting coursework to careers. Even more so for students, the need to make what they learn in class relevant to their future is paramount. In today’s tech-centric world, online learning games can help quell the distractions of texts and Tweets to capture student’s attention.
To help prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow, Change the Equation, a coalition of 100 companies working to improve STEM learning nationwide, has launched iON Future, a new suite of free online learning games for middle-school to early high-school youth.
By playing the games students discover dozens of STEM-related careers, select those that interest them most, and launch an interactive platform that walks them through how to prepare and achieve successful STEM-based professions. Players race the clock to build their interest and skills by clicking on opportunities that pop up.
Winning the game provides students with important insights about steps they’ll need to take to gain the experiences, skills, education, and interests to become, for example, an aerospace engineer, ecologist, or psychologist, and also when to take them.
What’s more, each profession lists related interviews, videos, extracurricular opportunities, and even book and movie recommendations for students to explore on their own. And, importantly, a facilitator’s guide provides details for educators, after-school providers, and family members to reinforce what students learn from the games.
Watch this short video by Change the Equation for more details.