In the wake of declining PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores and growing concerns about proficiency in mathematics and problem-solving skills among learners, using more innovative ways to spark excitement in core subjects is paramount.
The results of PISA 2022 underscore the critical need for educational reform in the United States, especially in bridging gender and socio-economic gaps in STEAM education. STEAM solutions provide an engaging and effective solution for enhancing mathematical skills and problem-solving abilities among all students.
STEAM Solutions offers a unique, hands-on learning experience that transcends traditional educational methods. The focus on practical problem-solving in STEAM subjects directly addresses issues of student disengagement. It fosters critical thinking and creativity, preparing students for real-world challenges and aligning with PISA's core competencies.
STEAM education accessible to every child. By blending physical and digital learning environments, one offers a versatile and affordable approach, aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and aiming to close the educational equality gap.
The PISA 2022 results highlight ongoing issues in the US education system, including gender disparities in mathematics and the impact of socio-economic factors on student achievement.
Strawbees, a Nordic edtech company making significant strides in the US implementing their solutions in well-known school districts in the country such as Harmony Public School and Dallas ISD in Texas, Baldwin County Public Schools in Alabama, Pasco County Schools, and Pinellas County Schools in Florida, addresses these gaps by providing digital learning resources and curated content to ensure high-quality education for all students.
Strawbees, led by Erik Boji Torstensson, advocates for empowering children through coding, creative confidence, and hands-on prototyping. Torstensson says, "Let kids create the change our world needs!"
In light of the PISA 2022 results, Strawbees is poised to address the challenges in U.S. education. The PISA study shows a global decline in math performance amid COVID-19, with the U.S. experiencing a less severe setback compared to other industrialized nations. Peggy Carr of the National Center for Education Statistics notes, "The whole world is struggling with math... we had less [struggle]."
The pandemic's disruption undoubtedly played a significant role in worldwide educational setbacks. However, the OECD advises against attributing these declines solely to COVID-19. The organization notes that even before the pandemic, there was a downward trend in science and reading scores, with countries like Belgium, Finland, Canada, and France already experiencing a decline in math performance.
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona attributes America's relative success to President Biden’s educational investments, including $190 billion in pandemic relief. However, he also acknowledges that America's math scores remain "stubbornly low."
Strawbees invites educators and stakeholders to explore its role in transforming US education, especially in light of the recent PISA results. They emphasize that students across various socio-economic backgrounds could significantly benefit from understanding Strawbees' innovative approach to create the problem solvers-of tomorrow. “Everything is progressing – phones, cars, TV. So why isn’t education?” questions Erik Boji Torstensson.
Strawbees is a pioneering Swedish edtech company that empowers teachers to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers and inventors. Embracing the motto “Let kids create the change the world needs,” they offer award-winning modular STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) Classroom solutions. Strawbees Classroom, accessible at classroom.strawbees.com, provides free resources aligned with various curriculum standards to teachers and learners worldwide. With a significant presence in the US STEAM education sector, Strawbees has engaged over 400,000 K-8 student users all-time and about 100,000 active users in the past two years. Their vision extends globally, with a strong emphasis on the US market, especially following the recent PISA findings.
Strawbees is part of Albert Group, a leading provider of education technology solutions in the Nordics (Europe), fitting in well in their high-student engaging, fun and playful digital education offering with their hands-on STEAM modular building and robotics solution.
Albert The journey began when childhood friends Arta Mandegari and Salman Eskandari, while studying at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, devoted their evenings and weekends to providing free math help to children from the suburbs of Gothenburg. After graduating, they pursued different careers in management and economics. In 2015, they decided to pick up where they left off at Chalmers. They quit their jobs and dedicated themselves to creating what would become Albert.
Albert was started with a clear goal - to democratize knowledge through technology, a mission that still drives them today. Currently, over 500,000 families have chosen to explore a new and fun way of learning with Albert, a trust they are very proud of.
Holy Owly is a language learning app designed specifically for children aged 3 to 12. It offers a fun and interactive way to learn new languages, utilizing a game-based approach. Developed after three years of research, the app has become widely popular, evidenced by its over 1.5 million downloads. The primary objective of Holy Owly is to make language learning enjoyable and accessible for children, helping them acquire new language skills in just five minutes per day
At Sumdog, they want to help every child enjoy mathematics and spelling. Their online learning service is used by millions of children worldwide. It adapts to each individual, using engaging game-based learning to motivate and build confidence. Sumdog provides engaging learning and practice in numeracy for children aged 5–14, and literacy for children aged 5–11.
At Swedish Film, they love movies and work to ensure that filmmakers are compensated when their films are shown outside the private home. They have represented film companies and producers for over 70 years and daily encounter a wide variety of customers who show films in different contexts. Together, they have extensive expertise in film and its various applications. They are passionate about the opportunities that each screening opens up, so do not hesitate to ask them about the rights that apply to your film screening or which films are suitable.
Press release to be downloaded here >> Link
High resolution images to be downloaded here >> Link
Watch Strawbees & United Nations' SDGs Workshop in Bogotá, Colombia here >> Link