Survey: Most Young Kids Are Learning STEM at School

A large majority of students age 10 and younger are being taught STEM at school, and parents can't seem to get enough of it. A survey of 1,000 parents of students aged 10 and younger found that 78% reported that their kids are learning STEM-based curricula at least weekly. And 73% of parents want schools to adopt more STEM learning.

The findings were part of a fall 2021 parent survey administered by ed tech company codeSpark, which offers a game-based educational tool focused on STEM for grades K–5. The tool, codeSpark Academy, is free for public schools in North America.

Almost two-thirds of parents participating in the survey (64%) also said they believe there's a direct correlation between STEM learning in the classroom and later career success.

The survey also asked parents about student gaming habits and screen time. According to the survey, 70% of children 10 and under spend "at least" three to five hours per week "on apps and online games." And nearly half in that age range are comfortable using apps and online games by themselves.

As far as screen time goes, 76% of screen time occurs in the home. And 65% of parents said the pandemic "significantly" impacted the amount of time their kids spend in front of a screen.

Some other findings from the survey included:

  • 75% of kids use an educational platform at home, versus 70% at school;
  • 40% of parents said that using ed tech platforms at home "helps advance success in the classroom for their children";
  • 50% of parents surveyed said they want to invest in ed tech at home; and
  • Of all game categories, students 10 and under interact most with "ed tech-based games" (with a 30% plurality).

The findings were not released in a report accessible to the public. Further information about codeSpark can be found at codespark.com.

Related article: "Many Parents Say Tech Barriers Hindered Academic Success in the Last Year."

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  •  classroom scene with students gathered around a laptop showing a virtual tour interface

    Discovery Education Announces Spring Lineup of Free Virtual Field Trips

    This Spring, Discovery Education is collaborating with partners such as Warner Bros., DC Comics, National Science Foundation, NBA, and more to present a series of free virtual field trips for K-12 students.

  • glowing padlock shape integrated into a network of interconnected neon-blue lines and digital nodes, set against a soft, blurred geometric background

    3 in 4 Administrators Expect a Security Incident to Impact Their School This Year

    In an annual survey from education identity platform Clever, 74% of administrators admitted that they believe a security incident is likely to impact their school system in the coming year. That's up from 71% who said the same last year.

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • pattern of icons for math and reading, including a pi symbol, calculator, and open book

    HMH Launches Personalized Path Solution

    Adaptive learning company HMH has introduced HMH Personalized Path, a K-8 ELA and math product that combines intervention curriculum, adaptive practice, and assessment for students of all achievement levels.