General Info
The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany has focused its work on the further development and introduction of nationwide educational standards in the area of mathematical, scientific and technical teaching.
It has succeeded in describing demanding and feasible educational goals in the form of competencies. Schools must develop teaching concepts and out-of-school learning and experience opportunities. The individual Länder have recorded the activities to strengthen mathematical, scientific and technical education in a catalogue of measures.
The Länder have defined the following fields of action in the field of STEM education:
a. Social acceptance
Recognise the importance and cultural status of science and technology education and its role in Germany's technical and economic performance. Arousing the interest of children at an early age.
b. Elementary section
Include educational goals for educational work in the orientation framework for work in day-care facilities and primary schools.
c. Primary education
It is linked to the experience and adventure world of the children. In the learning area of the subject lessons, scientific and technical elements are systematically strengthened, introduced to experimental activities and an informatics background is ensured.
d. Secondary level I and II
Consistent science lessons in grades 5 to 10 in the form of subject lessons, integrated scientific and technical lessons, learning fields, interdisciplinary or subject combining lessons.
e. School-specific curriculum development / school profile development
Consistent orientation towards existing educational standards for intermediate educational qualifications. Vocational and academic orientation in schools is promoted, e.g. by offering scientific and technical practice or laboratory days, by scientific and technical internships, by regular visits to student laboratories or labs. The MINT subjects are related to the world of life and practice.
f. Training of nursery school teachers, teacher training
The acquisition of scientific and technical basics and didactic skills in the training of nursery school teachers is strengthened. Further training courses for nursery and primary school teachers are being expanded.
g. "Cooperation/out-of-school places of learning
Mathematical, scientific and technical student camps are offered, student universities are expanded, and cooperation is established with extracurricular partners in the promotion of giftedness, especially with universities and institutes.
h. "Actual/Personal Framework Conditions
Support is provided for the establishment and expansion of learning workshops and specialist scientific and technical libraries, the intensification of cooperation with the school authorities in order to develop a more experimental and technical approach to the subject.
exploratory lessons in the MINT subjects with the necessary personnel and material equipment.
Applicability and Audience
Details
Although politicians and the general public repeatedly point to the lack of young skilled workers, universities, business and industry are looking for highly qualified engineers, technicians and scientists and are promoting a choice of these school and university subjects, awareness of the importance of mathematical, scientific and technical education does not yet seem to have grown to a desirable extent. The so-called STEM subjects - above all mathematics, physics and chemistry - still do not receive enough positive feedback from young people as a school subject, as a course of study or when choosing a career. The training of young people in scientific and technical professions is nowadays an important indicator of the performance of the economy (from 2009: https://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/Dateien/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2009/2009_05_07-Empf-MINT.pdf).
The purpose of the policy is the predictable need for skilled workers in the scientific and technical field. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (KMK) advise to educational authorities to implement and support STEM education of children and young people from the early beginning.
Adapted to the advise each Bundesland develop and implement appropriate measurements according to the age of children and school type.
- measures at elementary level
- measures at primary level
- measures at secondary level I and II
- measures in the field of school-specific curriculum development / school profile development
- measures in nursery teacher training and teacher education
- measures of cooperation with out-of-school places of learning
- measures to promote gender orientation in STEM education
- measures to improve the material/personnel framework
Hereby you find some examples from a very long list:
- Primary school: Within the framework of a sustainability initiative for science learning, a nationwide network has been in place for three years, which includes primary schools with a focus on science education and extracurricular cooperation partners. The network supports other primary schools in the field of science education in various forms of organisation (Rheinland Pfalz).
- Primary school: Offers for teacher training, e.g. "Tried and tested teaching units for the integration of physical and chemical contents in experimental lessons" by the LFBZ Chemistry at Rostock University (Mecklenburg Vorpommern).
- Secondary school: A high number of out-of-school places of learning (student laboratories etc.) leads to an interlocking of school learning in the MINT subjects with universities, research institutions, companies and other institutions (Berlin).
- Secondary school: STEM initiative at secondary modern schools: 8 networks of 4 secondary modern schools each are testing support measures in the MINT area: Quantitative targets: Increasing the proportion of pupils in compulsory elective subject group I (mathematics and natural sciences), especially the proportion of girls; increasing the proportion of graduates opting for technical occupations Qualitative targets: Strengthening scientific skills; improving the reputation of the MINT subjects/topics Exemplary measures (Bayern).
The STEM policy was successfully implemented in Germany (https://www.bmbf.de/files/6001821mw.pdf). In 2019 the OECD rated the German approach as the best in comparison to other countries. With a share of 40 percent (2017) of Bachelor's and equivalent vocational programmes, Germany ranks first in an international comparison. Austria, Greece and South Korea follow in second place with 34 percent each. The OECD average is 27 percent. The study covers the entire educational process from elementary education in kindergarten and pre-school to continuing education for adults. The indicators provide information on the human and financial resources invested in education, on the functioning and development of education systems and on the returns on investment in education.
In the beginning of 2019 a STEM action plan was provided to strengthen STEM education and its effectiveness. On the one hand networking clusters should be established in different regions of Germany. On the other hand a networking centre was initiated. Those activities were funded from the government with 55 million Euro (https://www.bmbf.de/de/mint-aktionsplan-10115.html).
The German actions also focus on childrens ability of being curious and promote STEM activities for the youngest in institutions like "Haus der kleinen Forscher".
1. Education policy and educational administration at each Bundesland
2. Teacher training and further training (University, Further training institutions)
3. School practice (School authorities, schools)
Educational Material/Resources
German