We conceptualize STEM in a different acronym order:
Maths → Science → Engineering → Technology.
These disciplines build on each other:
- Mathematics is the language of science; it’s a core tool for essentially all scientific endeavours.
- Science is the basic research we do to critically evaluate the world around us and, by doing so, generate new ideas.
- Engineering is the development of those novel ideas into something useful – the technology that improves our lives.
Scientific literacy cannot be achieved unless these relationships are internalized by students.