2024 Trends Report: Trends and Predictions That Are Defining STEM in 2024

Posted by Beyond 100K on April 9, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of STEM education, the challenges faced by educators are multifaceted, demanding a nuanced understanding and collaborative solutions. Drawn from extensive research and conversations with countless stakeholders in the Beyond100K network and the broader STEM ecosystem, this year’s Trends Report delves into four significant trends shaping the future of education and offers field-leading insights and solutions to share with you.

Since the onset of 2020, a perpetual state of change and uncertainty, aptly termed “perma-crisis,” has become an unwelcome constant in our lives. Collins Dictionary named this term a 2022 word of the year, reflecting the enduring challenges posed by the global pandemic, climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and political upheavals.

Professor Danny Ralph of Cambridge’s Centre for Risk Studies notes that while crises like famines, wars, and pestilence have always existed, they seem to be occurring at an accelerated rate. This acceleration challenges our ideas of returning to a pre-existing state of “normal” and requires adapting to the constant flux.

Amidst the perma-crisis, we’re noticing a shift from a focus on flexibility to an urgent search for certainty. We engaged hundreds of people to identify the challenges that persist in STEM education, and from their responses, we distilled thousands of data points. A common thread emerged: Across different arenas and areas of education, the quest for clarity is top of mind.

Research indicates that uncertainty activates pain centers in the brain akin to physical pain, impacting our capacity to focus, collaborate, and solve problems. In response, we’re seeing STEM education leaders wrestling with questions about the definitions and parameters within the education landscape. People are seeking clarity on things as foundational as the very definition of STEM and belonging, and they are also yearning for predictability in a topsy-turvy world.

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