INNOVATION GENERATION STEM and Entrepreneurship in K-12

Transcription

1 INNOVATION GENERATION STEM and Entrepreneurship in K-12 Discussion Paper May 2014

2 The Public Policy Forum is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of government in Canada through enhanced dialogue among the public, private and voluntary sectors. The Forum s members, drawn from business, federal, provincial and territorial governments, the voluntary sector and organized labour, share a belief that an efficient and effective public service is important in ensuring Canada s competitiveness abroad and quality of life at home. Established in 1987, the Forum has earned a reputation as a trusted, nonpartisan facilitator, capable of bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in productive dialogue. Its research program provides a neutral base to inform collective decision making. By promoting information sharing and greater links between governments and other sectors, the Forum helps ensure public policy in our country is dynamic, coordinated and responsive to future challenges and opportunities. 2014, Public Policy Forum Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4 Tel: (613) Fax: (613)

3 Thank you to our partner Crabtree Foundation

4 Introduction In a highly competitive, rapidly changing world, innovation is critical to Canada s long-term prosperity. New ideas drive growth and enhance productivity, but they also contribute to resilience in uncertain times. Unfortunately, Canada s global ranking in innovation continues to fall. 1 When measured against other member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), we are underperforming across a range of common indicators, including spending on research and development, investment in information and communications technology, and high-tech manufacturing and export market share. 2 A concerted effort is needed to improve this track record and ensure that Canada can play to win in today s global economy. Over the past few years, Canada s Public Policy Forum has undertaken several initiatives focused on advancing innovation. As part of these efforts, the Forum launched a series of conversations with leaders across sectors and regions to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our country. In 2011, we published Innovation Next: Leading Canada to a Greater Productivity, Competitiveness and Resilience, which offered recommendations for building a culture of innovation. Following that capstone report, we shared further findings on regional contexts and perspectives in Leading Innovation: Insights from Canadian Regions. Throughout these discussions, many leaders characterized the Canadian business community as lacking the entrepreneurial edge needed for innovation success. To address this gap, they emphasized the importance of building capacity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), as well as developing entrepreneurial skills, traits, and knowledge from an early age. Other related recommendations included interdisciplinary approaches, engaging disadvantaged youth, and providing real-world experiences and mentoring through cross-sector collaboration. Because dynamic economies depend on human capital, exploring how Canada develops the next generation of innovators will help identify opportunities for greater impact. Although innovation requires a broad mix of skills, our focus on STEM and entrepreneurship is informed by our previous work and aligns with global trends in education policy. To catalyze further dialogue on strengthening innovation capacity, this discussion paper outlines challenges and opportunities in K-12 STEM and entrepreneurship education in Canada, followed by key questions for consideration. Challenges in the Canadian context Despite being an innovation underperformer, Canada has one of the most educated populations among OECD countries. 3 International comparisons indicate that Canadian youth not only demonstrate aboveaverage competencies in math and science 4, but also contribute to the growth of early-stage 1 World Economic Forum, Global Competitiveness Report : 2 The Conference Board of Canada, How Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada Executive Summary 2013: 3 OECD, Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2013 Canada:

5 entrepreneurship across the country. 5 While Canada appears to have a deep pool of bright young talent, intensifying global competition means complacency is not an option. The Canadian education sector also faces a number of challenges that may undermine our ability to stay ahead of the curve. Global competition Much of the research on labour market trends forecasts increasing demand for skilled workers in the STEM fields. 6 But predicting the jobs of the future is next to impossible. Given the volatility inherent in today s economic and technological environments, building innovation capacity will help ensure that workers can adapt. Many countries have already begun to invest heavily in STEM and entrepreneurship education, recognizing the value of developing foundational skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. Although quality education has contributed to Canada s competitive advantage for some time, other countries are quickly catching up and, in some cases, taking bolder steps to achieve better outcomes. The expansion of higher education in rapidly-developing G20 nations is closing the skills gap between OECD and non-oecd countries. 7 Canadian post-secondary enrollment in STEM programs lags behind trends in emerging Asian economies. 8 According to the latest OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, more countries are outperforming Canada in math and science. 9 Entrepreneurship education has also become more institutionalized. For instance, Chinese universities have started to incorporate basic courses at the undergraduate level to develop entrepreneurial capacity. Some members of the European Union have passed legislation mandating the inclusion of entrepreneurship education throughout grade school. 10 Domestic constraints Canada is one of the few countries in the world without a national education strategy, in part because of jurisdictional divisions. This lack of national vision and coordination has led to different curricula, standards, and measurements across jurisdictions, as well as challenges around data collection and comparisons. In a time of public budget deficits and rising demands, fiscal pressures have forced governments across the country to make cuts to education. As technology changes and competition increases, education systems will have to modernize their practices to meet new benchmarks and expectations. However, public funding for all levels of education in Canada is well below the OECD average, especially at the 5 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Youth Business International, Generation Entrepreneur? The state of global youth entrepreneurship, August 2013: OECD, Education Indicators in Focus, May 2012: 8 Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Competing in the 21 st Century Skills Race, 2012: Schmidt-Hu-July-2012-FINAL.pdf 9 Council of Ministers of Education, Measuring up: Canadian Results of the OECD PISA Study, 2013: 10 Stephen Daze, Countries Legislate Entrepreneurism Are We Losing to Other Nations?, Pivot Magazine, 14 July 2013: 2

6 tertiary level. 11 If this persists, the quality of education in Canada and the desirability of its graduates may continue to decline. Limited interest in STEM Most international studies on STEM education have found that interest in science tends to decrease with age. 12 Common explanations focus on how classes are taught, often citing the shift from hands-on learning at the elementary level to more rote memorization in high school, which is less engaging and meaningful to students. In addition to general disengagement, research shows significant underrepresentation of women and Indigenous peoples in STEM programs and occupations. 13 Equally concerning is limited awareness of STEM s relevance to a range of professions. 14 However, some studies reveal that recognition of STEM as valuable to society does not necessarily influence career choice. 15 This disconnect seems to imply that the decision to pursue a career in the STEM fields may be based on more than practical considerations. In fact, much of the literature suggests that early and ongoing exposure to experiential learning opportunities may be the most effective way to cultivate a lifelong interest in STEM. Some schools have formally incorporated more interaction into their curricula, while others have worked with organizations specifically focused on engaging youth or underrepresented groups in STEM learning. Informal education initiatives are currently offered by Youth Science Canada, Scientists in School, Let s Talk Science, Actua, and The Learning Partnership, among many others. Although a range of options exists, access to innovative programming is uneven across the country. Silo approach to entrepreneurship Almost all post-secondary institutions have begun to offer entrepreneurship courses 16, but the scope and quality tend to vary. Exposure to entrepreneurship education at the elementary and secondary level is even more disparate across jurisdictions, considering differences in resources and capacity. Similar to extra-curricular STEM programs, entrepreneurship education is also provided by different organizations across the country, including Junior Achievement, Shad Valley, and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. Widespread recognition of the value of entrepreneurship has led to recent growth in formal and informal educational initiatives. The Government of New Brunswick launched Brilliant Labs, a grant program focused on advancing innovative entrepreneurship initiatives in schools through public and 11 OECD, Education at a Glance 2013 Canada: 12 Ipsos Reid, Canadian Youth Science Monitor Final Report, May 2010: 13 WISEatlantic Research Group, Career Choices and Influencers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math: An Analysis of the Maritime Provinces Executive Report, January 2014: 14 Ibid 15 Let s Talk Science and Amgen Canada, Spotlight on Science Learning: The High Cost of Dropping Science and Math, 2013: 16 Ernst & Young, The power of three: The EY G20 Entrepreneurship Barometer 2013 Canada: Entrepreneurship-Barometer-2013-Canada.pdf 3

7 private investment. As part of the Youth Jobs Strategy, the Ontario government established the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund to further expand outreach activities and enhance business supports. Interdisciplinary incubators and competitive mentoring programs are pushing entrepreneurial momentum beyond high school. Examples include Ryerson University s Digital Media Zone, The Next 36, and The Next Big Thing. As issues around funding and mentoring persist, aspiring Canadian entrepreneurs would benefit from a more coordinated approach that leverages expertise and resources across the country. 17 Opportunities for greater impact Some progress has been made in promoting the importance of STEM and entrepreneurship. Innovative programs have been developed through partnerships in educational outreach. K-12 schools across Canada are working with government, business, nonprofits, post-secondary institutions, and local entrepreneurs to provide students with more real-world learning opportunities. However, increasing global and domestic pressures demand more imaginative education policies, programs, and services, especially in light of youth unemployment and skill mismatches. To provide meaningful learning opportunities, researchers and practitioners alike have emphasized the importance of content relevance, program access, and measurable impact. The STEM fields, in particular, can benefit from better branding to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness of the diversity of career opportunities at an early age. Rather than simply focusing on students, investments must support better tools and training for educators to modernize curricula and pedagogy. With parallel efforts across jurisdictions, more platforms and networks for sharing best practices and new approaches can also be valuable. For example, further collaboration within and across sectors could improve national coordination and maximize resources for better outcomes. As Canada strives to advance innovation capacity, it is important to take the pulse of current practices and remain open to new directions. To guide the process of determining the best path forward, some questions for consideration include: What should we prioritize to better leverage our efforts in building innovation capacity? o How do focused approaches compare with interdisciplinary initiatives? o What are the benefits of formal versus informal learning opportunities? How can we achieve better outcomes for students? o What kind of tools, capacity, and resources are required? o How can we build on best practices? Who needs to be involved and what type of leadership is required? o What are the appropriate roles for various stakeholders across sectors? o How do we engage students, families, and communities? 17 Ibid 4