Problematic Issues on STEM Education

Any nation that cares about its future should provide the young generation with a good education. In the 21st century, it is essential to provide them with the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful innovators in the 21st century. The article analyses the main aspects of a STEM learning strategy, which provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Both the advantageous and disadvantageous issues of this learning approach are revealed in the article. The peculiarities of STEAM learning have also been emphasised. The article notes the specific practices of applying STEM/ STEAM learning in the USA, European Union and Ukraine, specified by educational and professional training programmes. Special emphasis is put on the perspectives of these approaches to education. STEM educational programme focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The aim is to help better prepare students in these areas of learning and create practical applications for how these lessons apply to the real world. Lately, there has been a growing emphasis on STEAM that is a new educational discipline that engages students not only in the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math but also the Arts, which is the ability to think, discuss, dispute the problematic issues, to encourage and develop inquiry, curiosity, ability to find solutions to a problem, creativity in the finding of the necessary solutions, both practical skills and appreciation for collaborations. It is opposed to traditional teaching models and aims to bring the disciplines together. Modern STEM education promotes skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, higher-order thinking, and design and behavioural competencies such as perseverance, adaptability, cooperation, organisation, and responsibility.