Dive Brief:

• A new survey from Horizon Media’s WHY Group indicates that three-quarters of Americans think  “science is cool in a way that it wasn’t 10 years ago.”
• The survey, which was conducted earlier this year, found that math and computer science top lists of the most important courses for students to take to prepare for the future.
• Of those surveyed, 65% agreed that learning to code was more important than learning a foreign language for most students.

Dive Insight:

The results may have gotten a boost from the STEM Education Act of 2015, which passed shortly before the survey was conducted. That act made computer science eligible for federal grants and dollars intended to support STEM education, as well as opening current training avenues for STEM educators. Those additions were a welcome update for many who feel that the offerings better matched what students in a modern school and work environment might benefit from.

"Science and math have always been core subjects. But the addition of technology and engineering makes STEM education feel current and critical," Kirk Olson, vice president of TrendSights at Horizon Media, told eSchool News.