Trends in CXC CSEC STEM subject entries: Are we on the right track? by Stafford A. Griffith School of Education, UWI Second International Conference on TVET in the Caribbean: STEM Education in TVET - Imperative to National and Regional Development Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Montego Bay May 13-15, 2015 Professor Stafford A. Griffith

Importance of STEM Education Professor Stafford A. Griffith Greater emphasis on the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as social and human sciences, is vital for all our societies (UNESCO, 2009) Everyone has a stake in improving STEM education. Inspiring all our students to be capable in math and science will help them contribute in an increasingly technology-based economy, and will also help America prepare the next generation of STEM professionals-scientists, engineers, architects and technology professionals to ensure our competiveness. (Duncan, United States Education Secretary, 2010)

Professor Stafford A. Griffith The 21 st century requires a modern labour force equipped with training in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and related fields which constitute the platform needed to move the nation towards growth and prosperity. The Jamaican education system has to be transformed to prepare students to make the transition to this type of workforce and be more marketable. (Ministry of Education, Jamaica, n.d.)

Role of CXC in STEM Education  School leavers in the Caribbean struggle to find formal employment due to a mismatch between the education they receive in the region and the demands of the job market (World Bank, 2013)  CXC plays an important role in shaping the nature of the education provided to secondary school students for various destinations in both employment and further education. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 It is therefore expected, that the offerings of CXC will reflect the need for courses of study that provide secondary school students with competencies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  A corollary obligation is that member-territories will emphasize the preparation of students in these areas.  This should be reflected in larger number of entries for clusters of subjects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics among those taken by students. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

The Parameters of the Study  This study seeks to assess the extent to which students preparing to exit the secondary education system are taking the STEM cluster of subjects in the CXC CSEC examinations.  The following research questions guided the investigation:  To what extent does the number and proportion of entries for STEM subjects in the CSEC examinations reflect a positive change in popularity of these subjects among students at the end of secondary school level?  To what extent does the growth rate in entries for STEM subjects in the CSEC examinations reflect changes that are consistent with increasingly higher value being placed on these subjects by students at the end of secondary school level? Professor Stafford A. Griffith

STEM Subject Data  In this study the STEM CSEC subjects were defined as follows:  Science cluster: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  Technology cluster: Building Technology - Construction, Building Technology - Woods, Technical Drawing, Information Technology, and Electronic Document Preparation and Management.  Engineering cluster: Electrical and Electronic Technology, and Mechanical Engineering Technology.  Mathematics cluster: Mathematics and Additional Mathematics.  The study used data for nine years ( ) on  the total population of candidates who took the 15 STEM subjects.  the total population of candidates who took all 34 CSEC subjects. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

Findings: Research Question 1 Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 For the first seven years (2006 to 2012) there was a steady increase in the number of candidates taking STEM subjects. The increase ranged from 174,001 in 2005 to 215,462 in  This provided some evidence of increased popularity of STEM subjects over that period.  After 2012, there was a decline in the number of students taking STEM subjects - 212,967 in 2013 and 212,114 in  A similar pattern of growth and decline was noted for the overall entries in the CSEC examinations. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 However, the percentage increase in entries in the period of growth was higher for the STEM clusters of subjects than for the overall entries in CSEC subjects.  For the STEM clusters there was a percent increase in entries between 2006 and 2012, compared with percent for the same period for overall CSEC entries.  During the period of decline, the entries for the STEM cluster of subjects fared better than the overall CSEC subject entries.  The decline in entries over the period 2012 to 2014 was 1.55 for STEM subjects, compared with 2.99 for the overall CSEC subject. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 These growth and decline figures, taken together, suggest that over the nine year period, there was a more favourable increase in the entries for STEM subjects compared with the overall CSEC entries.  The proportion of STEM entries across the nine year period covered by the study also showed an upward trajectory.  The only exception to the steady increase in the proportion of STEM entries occurred in 2010 when STEM subject entries decreased from percent in the previous year to percent. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

Percentage of STEM subject entries over the nine year period Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 These increasing proportions of STEM subject entries, though a positive finding for the STEM cluster of subjects, must be interpreted with caution.  If students were responding to the espoused importance of STEM subjects, the numbers and proportion pursuing the STEM subject entries would have been much higher.  For the 15 STEM subjects which represent just under a half of the 34 CSEC subjects, the percentage of entries ranged from percent to percent.  This is not a proportion that one would reasonably expect if indeed STEM subjects were being given the preference expected. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

Year % Increase in Entries for STEM Subjects Ovrl SciTecEngMthComb Mean Professor Stafford A. Griffith Findings: Research Question 2

 Except for one year, the growth rate for the combined STEM subject entries was better than the growth rate for overall CSEC entries. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 This growth of STEM entries at a higher rate than the overall CSEC entries is consistent with what may be reasonably expected.  Growth rate for the various clusters of STEM subjects as well as for the combined STEM clusters fluctuated and no pattern was evident.  The growth rate in mathematics was negative for half of the eight period covered in the study.  The findings for the engineering cluster were similar.  Only the science cluster showed sustained positive growth.  The growth rate for the technology cluster was positive for seven of the eight periods but the mean growth rate was highest of all. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 The small rate of positive growth and the number of negative growth periods for the STEM clusters of subjects, even when they are higher than the growth rate for CSEC subjects overall, are inconsistent with the espoused importance of STEM subjects.  The average growth rate over the nine years for each cluster was as follows: Science 3.64 %; Technology 4.05 %; Engineering 1.29 %; and Mathematics 2.39 %. This is anaemic – 10 to 20 percent required.  The average growth rate for all STEM clusters combined was 2.39 %.  Although these mean growth rates are higher than those of CSEC subject entries, they are obviously weak in relation to the emphasis placed on these subjects to meet the job market demands. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

Conclusion and Recommendations  In light of the findings of this study, the Jamaica proposal to establishing a large number of STEM academies at the secondary school level might well be the type of response required to increase the preparation of the end of secondary school population with the critical skills associated with STEM subjects.  While problem-based learning approaches may be used to pursue STEM education, this should not be at the expense of providing opportunities for students to pursue CXC certification in a number of specialized STEM subjects. Professor Stafford A. Griffith

 The students from these academies should graduate with the desired competencies of critical thinking and innovation skills to support and develop programmes that are vitally important for the development of the Caribbean.  They should also be able to obtain the necessary certification to allow those who wish to pursue higher education and training to satisfy the matriculation requirements for more advanced studies in areas related to STEM education.  There is a need for more effective policy in the education system to give STEM education at the secondary level the primacy of position it requires for the region’s development. Professor Stafford A. Griffith