Interest High School Students in STEM Studies, while Preparing STEM Students for Leading Positions

Abstract

A declining interest in STEM studies can be monitored in Germany. Additionally, graduates of STEM studies often lack of developed soft skills, which are required to succeed in their respective careers. This paper presents the development and introduction of the ELPro university course. Within the scope of this course, groups of university students develop study-related projects over the period of one semester. As part of a project week, these projects are conducted by groups of high school students under the supervision of the respective group of university students. The main purpose of that course is to provide STEM students with necessary soft skills for their professional career, while stimulating the interest of high school students in STEM studies. The motivation and potential challenges for this course are explained. The contents and the schedule of the course are described. First results of the course are shown, highlighting positive feedback from university students, high school students and school. An overview of potential future developments of the course is given. In conclusion, courses like the ELPro course can contribute to an increased interest of high school students in STEM courses, while preparing STEM students for leadership positions.