1887

Abstract

The need for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) literacy extends beyond the boundaries of the major developed economies. The lack of wide reaching STEM literacy in the Countries with Less Economic Resources (CLER) is caused, and indeed compounded, by the lack of STEM economy in those countries. Here CLER is used as an umbrella acronym for the ‘Least Developed Countries’ and the lower tier ‘Developing Countries’ according to the United Nations (UN) economic classifications. Any STEM workforce development in a country without a foundation in the STEM economy would simply feed those countries (through immigration) where STEM jobs are located and in abundance. This flight of talent is known as ‘brain drain’. Tragically, this has manifested itself into a ‘feast’ or ‘famine’ situation for countries seeking economic prosperity. Whereas the major developed economies are feasting on STEM-based economic prosperity and growth, CLER is seemingly in perpetual famine state. On an intellectual level, the ethical approach to STEM education and literacy, in the countries with abundant economic resources must be designed to cross national boundaries and devote special attention and resources to those in the global village that are in the famine state, i.e., the CLER. In the absence of external stimulus, however the famine states, for the most part, would not be in the position to self-correct and thus the economic divide and injustice would continue to deepen.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/papers/10.5339/qproc.2015.elc2014.22
2015-08-29
2024-03-29
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/qproc/2015/4/qproc.2015.elc2014.22.html?itemId=/content/papers/10.5339/qproc.2015.elc2014.22&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1.   Grand Challenges for Engineering, http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. UNICEF Annual Report 2013, Division of Communication, UN Plaza, NY, June 2014.
  3. Altbach PG, Reisberg L, Rumbley LE. “Trends in Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution.” 2009;  http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001831/183168e.pdf .
    [Google Scholar]
  4. TED website is: http://www.ted.com/.
  5. One Laptop per Child website: http://one.laptop.org/.
  6. Khan Academy website: http://www.khanacademy.org/.
  7. Gad-el-Hak M. Educating Rita, in the Time of MOOC. Mechanical Engineering. February 2014;  http://www.memagazinedigital.org/memagazine/february_2014#pg10 .
    [Google Scholar]
  8. In: Honey MPearson GSchweingruber H, eds. STEM Integration in K-12 Education: Status, Prospect and an Agenda for Research; Committee on Integrated STEM Education; National Academy of Engineering. Washington, D.C. National Research Council, National Academies Press 2001.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. International Aid Transparency Initiative, http://www.aidtransparency.net/.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. List of countries by military expenditures - Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures .
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/papers/10.5339/qproc.2015.elc2014.22
Loading
/content/papers/10.5339/qproc.2015.elc2014.22
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error