STEM in the industry

Talk for MOE Science Curriculum Committee 29th July 2015

Transcript

1. STEM in the industry How does it all link together?
2. whoami • Currently • Software Engineer at PayPal Singapore • Head of Developer Outreach at PayPal Singapore • Executive Committee at IAmTalented.SG • Previously • Engineer at BillPin + homie.co + 99.co • Engineer at Chalkboard • Chief Organizer at GeekcampSG • Organizer of StartupRootsSG • Taught introductory programming for 2 semesters in NUS
3. What education was like during my time Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTwhtKVjlNE
4. What is the purpose of education?
5. “Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous” -Confucius “学而不思则惘，思而不学则怠。”
6. Educate and prepare the students for a journey of discovery. my opinion only lar
7. “Even a circus lion learns to sit on a chair in fear of the whip, but you call such a lion well-trained, not well-educated.” Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEVw1CeiGNM
8. State of Singapore’s economy Industrialized Economy (1960-1990) Knowledge-based Economy (1990-?)
9. Differences Industrial Economy • Repetitive tasks • Soldering wires together • QC checks • Process oriented organizations • McDonald’s • Textile manufacturing plants • No need to innovate • Following the instructions is enough Knowledge Based Economy • Ever changing tasks • Engineering problems are often different from what has been done before • Organizations organized around deliverables • What each team does is no longer clearly defined • Innovation required • Due to ever changing problems, people on the ground have to react to changes
10. We need to change the mentality in education “Being wrong is bad”
11. So what does the industry need?
12. • Programming • Physical engineering • Strong theoretical background • Chemical engineering • Electrical engineering
13. It’s 10 years later. No one knows what the future would be like.
14. But there is a common denominator
15. Well educated people, not well trained
16. Our kids need to be exposed to failure
17. e.g. Physics/Chemistry Curriculum
18. Now
19. What if we swapped the 2?
20. Effects • Kids are given the chance to explore • Kids are actually doing experiments, as opposed to following the textbook • Failure becomes acceptable, because kids have no idea what to expect
21. We just need to not kill off the belief that kids have when they are young. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9HypBG3z4Q
22. “Pursue excellence, and success will follow, pants down!” 3 idiots