|
Making Science Make Sense
Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey
Bayer Facts Of Science Eduction XII
The Seed - Growing a Diverse American STEM Pipeline
Question 9
How good a job do you think the U.S. education system is doing providing U.S. companies with diverse and talented graduates who have the skills to be successful in today’s STEM careers? Would you grade it an A for Excellent, B for Good, C for Fair, D for Poor, or F for Failing?
Executives surveyed assign an average grade of C (3.29) to the U.S. education system for how well it is doing providing U.S. companies with diverse and talented graduates who have the skills to be successful in today’s STEM careers.
The following grade the U.S. education system lower in terms of how well it is doing providing U.S. companies with diverse and talented graduates:
- Feel colleges and universities do not provide adequate STEM courses (31% vs. 9% of those who feel they do provide adequate courses)
- Feel frustrated with their company’s ability to hire women and minorities (33% vs. 14% of those who are not frustrated)
Question 10
Going back now to the issue of underrepresentation by women and minorities in STEM fields. How good a job do you think the U.S. higher education system does in training women and minorities for STEM careers? Would you grade it an A for Excellent, B for Good, C for Fair, D for Poor, or F for Failing?
Executives surveyed give the U.S. higher education system an average grade of C+ (3.50) for how well it does in training women and minorities for STEM careers.
The U.S. higher education system is graded lower by:
- Those who believe colleges and universities do not have adequate STEM courses (25% vs. 5% who believe they do)
- Those who believe underrepresentation of women and minorities exists in their company (24% vs. 8% of those who believe it does not exist)
Question 11
How good a job do you think the U.S. pre-college or K through 12 education system does in engaging and nurturing girls and minorities to pursue STEM careers? Would you grade it an A for Excellent, B for Good, C for Fair, D for Poor, or F for Failing?
Executives do not think the U.S. pre-college education system is doing a good job nurturing girls and minorities to pursue STEM careers, assigning it an average grade of C- (2.87).
The U.S. pre-college system is graded lower by:
- Those who believe colleges and universities do not have adequate STEM courses (53% vs. 29% who believe they do)
Question 12
In elementary school, different subjects have different emphasis. Do you believe science should be given the same, less or more emphasis than reading, writing, and math?
Four in five (81%) executives surveyed believe science should be given the same emphasis as reading, writing, and math in elementary school.
Significantly more of those whose company participates in pre-college education programs think science should be given the same emphasis as reading, writing, and math (95% vs. 73% of those who don’t participate).
More CEOs think science should be given more emphasis (16% vs. 0% Non-CEOs).
Question 13
In elementary school, teachers use a variety of methods to teach science. One way is to have students read a textbook, listen to lectures and memorize scientific information. Another is to have students conduct hands-on experiments, form opinions, and discuss and defend their conclusions with others. If you had to choose, which ONE of these two methods do you think is more effective for students learning science?
The majority (82%) of executives surveyed believe the most effective method for teaching science to students is to have them conduct hands-on experiments, form opinions, and discuss and defend their conclusions with others, as opposed to reading a textbook, listening to lectures, and memorizing information.
Question 14
When it comes to U.S. higher education, do you think that today’s colleges and universities have STEM courses that adequately prepare students for today’s workplace realities?
Executives surveyed are more inclined to believe that today’s colleges and universities have STEM courses that adequately prepare students for today’s workplace realities, with over one-half (56%) saying the colleges and universities provide adequate STEM courses.
Question 15
Do you believe STEM companies have a role to play in ensuring that women and minorities succeed in science and engineering fields?
Over four in five (83%) executives surveyed agree that STEM companies have a role to play in ensuring that women and minorities succeed in science and engineering fields.
Agreement that STEM companies have a role to play is highest among:
- CEOs (88% vs. 70% Non-CEOs)
- Those who believe their company could do better in ensuring women and minorities receive appropriate raises, promotions and recognition (94% vs. 76% of those who believe their company does an excellent job)
- Those with a degree in a STEM field (90% vs. 74% without a STEM degree)
Question 16
In order to eliminate underrepresentation in the science and engineering fields, how important is it that girls and minorities receive a strong science and math education beginning in elementary school? Is it very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important?
Nearly all (96%) executives surveyed think that in order to eliminate underrepresentation it is important that girls and minorities receive a strong science and math education beginning in elementary school.
Question 17
How important is it for STEM companies to support pre-college science education programs that help create the next generation of inventors, innovators and discoverers? Is it very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important?
Nine in ten (91%) executives surveyed feel it is important for STEM companies to support pre-college science education programs, with the highest proportion saying it is very important (55%)
Question 18
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "Direct contact with scientists and engineers is an effective way to help students better appreciate careers in science and engineering."
Nearly all (98%) executives surveyed agree that "Direct contact with scientists and engineers is an effective way to help students better appreciate careers in science and engineering".
Questions 19 and 20
19. Some STEM companies support pre-college education programs that attract, encourage and sustain girls’ and minority students’ interest in math and science in school. Programs like "Scientists in the Classroom," internships and school-to-work programs, and scholarships. Does your company or do any of your employees participate in programs such as these?
20. If not, how interested would your company be in participating in these types of programs? Would you be very interested, somewhat interested, not too interested or not at all interested?
Over one-third (37%) of executives surveyed indicate their company or employees participate in pre-college education programs that attract, encourage, and sustain girls’ and minority students’ interest in math and science. Of those who do not, over one-half are interested in doing so (10% very interested and 46% somewhat interested).
Reported participation is highest among:
- CEOs (44% vs. 19% Non-CEOs)
- Those concerned with their competitors in other countries gaining competitive advantage (48% vs. 18% of those not concerned)
Question 21
In a recent survey, U.S. parents said it is very important for today’s science and technology companies to communicate the message to today’s students, including women and minorities, that there are significant job opportunities for them in STEM fields? Does your company effectively communicate this message to today’s students?
Over one-half (53%) of executives surveyed believe their company does not effectively communicate to today’s students the message that there are significant job opportunities in STEM fields. One-third (32%) say they do effectively communicate.
Significantly more of the following believe their company effectively communicates this message:
- Those concerned with their competitors in other countries gaining competitive advantage (43% vs. 16% of those not concerned)
- Those who feel colleges and universities do not provide adequate STEM courses (50% vs. 23% of those who think colleges/universities do provide adequate STEM courses)
- Those whose company participates in pre-college education programs (54% vs. 18%)
- Executives surveyed ages 45 and younger (46% vs. 20% of those over 45)
 Back to Facts of Science XII
 Search  Quicklinks
MSMS News Article Search Please enter a list of one or more keywords, separated by commas, to search for
What's New
|