Evolution of STEM, STEAM and STREAM Education in Africa: The Implication of the Knowledge Gap

Abstract

Developing countries have limitations in almost every area of modernization. These limitations are not limited to only education and the classroom in which teachers and learners exercise their duties but also other aspects of human endeavours. Scholarly approaches embraced by educators in the quest to evolve knowledge, especially, those whose basis arise from Science and Mathematics have generated considerable improvement over the years. These approaches beget a pattern aimed at preparing emerging learners with up to date knowledge on how best to solve challenges required of complex, yet human everyday life. The goal of education and by extension science is to equip citizen with requisite skills to embrace challenges and solve human everyday problems. This article exposes the trend in STEM, STEAM and STREAM approaches, as well as, the rationale for each of the appendage component of the evolution. The global application of robots in areas with shortage of manpower is a trend in global economy and governance. Africa’s classroom integration and limitation of technology in classroom learning can potentially be resolved with solutions from robotics. A measure of the grounds covered in the developing countries and the gap expected to be covered were extensively explored. The limitation in knowledge, expertise and resources to cope with these emerging trends for purposeful and meaningful classroom integration in Africa were investigated.