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What are your thoughts on STEM education in schools? Good, bad and ugly?
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Mr. Scram:
I hope we can make this into more than another complaining thread. How about some more of what's good?
steve30:
I agree that a variety of subjects is needed. I did a couple of mechanical engineering units, and while not directly related to electronics, it was interesting, and was generally useful.
EEVblog:

--- Quote from: steve30 on February 16, 2020, 02:17:23 pm ---I agree that a variety of subjects is needed. I did a couple of mechanical engineering units, and while not directly related to electronics, it was interesting, and was generally useful.
--- End quote ---

Sure, and I don't disagree, mechanical is actually a big part of electronics. But can you say the same about civil engineering? Should I have spent my time going on site looking at construction sites and learning about theodolites?
By all means, have a generic engineering degree option path if that's what people who have no clue what they want. But an Electrical Engineering degree should not be wasting already precious time teaching civil engineering.

To bring it back onto STEM, I'd say that the best results are going to be obtained by selecting the students based on interest and then focusing more on that topic.
nctnico:

--- Quote from: EEVblog on February 16, 2020, 10:59:36 pm ---
--- Quote from: steve30 on February 16, 2020, 02:17:23 pm ---I agree that a variety of subjects is needed. I did a couple of mechanical engineering units, and while not directly related to electronics, it was interesting, and was generally useful.
--- End quote ---

Sure, and I don't disagree, mechanical is actually a big part of electronics. But can you say the same about civil engineering? Should I have spent my time going on site looking at construction sites and learning about theodolites?
By all means, have a generic engineering degree option path if that's what people who have no clue what they want. But an Electrical Engineering degree should not be wasting already precious time teaching civil engineering.

To bring it back onto STEM, I'd say that the best results are going to be obtained by selecting the students based on interest and then focusing more on that topic.

--- End quote ---
I agree. My youngest son definitely has an interest in mechanical engineering but having to go through one or two (I forgot) years of combined electrical / mechanical engineering put him off. Now he is studying software engineering which is not shared with other unrelated courses. When I went to electrical engineering school at the same level I got what I came for: electrical engineering. We got some mechanical engineering too but that was always related to electronics since everything needs to be built into a casing. Up to this day I have no interest and aptitude at all in mechanical CAD.

But budget cuts in at least the 'western' part of the world seem to have hollowed out education.
Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: EEVblog on February 16, 2020, 10:59:36 pm ---Sure, and I don't disagree, mechanical is actually a big part of electronics. But can you say the same about civil engineering? Should I have spent my time going on site looking at construction sites and learning about theodolites?
By all means, have a generic engineering degree option path if that's what people who have no clue what they want. But an Electrical Engineering degree should not be wasting already precious time teaching civil engineering.

To bring it back onto STEM, I'd say that the best results are going to be obtained by selecting the students based on interest and then focusing more on that topic.

--- End quote ---
Most children or young adults that age don't have a clue what they want to do. When they do it's often for the wrong reasons or due to a lack of information. It's not a bad idea to expose people to a broader engineering landscape and whatever the outcome you'll be a more diverse engineer. Look at you. All that looking at civil works for the public at large turned you into a YouTubing engineer producing videos for that very same public!
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