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Abstract: STEM is the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields. STEM education refers both to teaching and learning in the above-mentioned disciplines, but especially to teaching and learning a new discipline based on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The present survey aims to investigate the opinion of a sample of 110 respondents, students from Romanian universities, taking into account: a) their experience in STEM fields during high school studies; (b) the engineer's profession and the engineer's skills; c) the factors that influenced their option to study one of the STEM fields. The results show that the respondents have been interested in STEM fields since secondary and high school; this interest determined them to choose to continue their studies in a STEM field. Also, the majority of respondents agreed that the choice of their university specialisation was influenced by the teachers who taught them the subjects that they study at the university during their school years. The data also show that the students are convinced of the importance of the engineer's profession as well as of the engineering knowledge and skills.
Key words: STEM, education, survey, students, engineer.
1.Introduction
The National Research Council/CNC (2011) considers that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are "cultural achievements that reflect people's humanity, power the economy, and constitute fundamental aspects of our lives as citizens, workers, consumers, and parents". The progress of knowledge, skills and attitudes in STEM fields is essential for national security, economical growth, citizens health and the stability of the nations (Burke & Mattis, 2007, cited by Heaverlo, 2011).
Reviewing literature (CE, 2015) we find that "the umbrella term" STEM is frequently used for reference to: a) study disciplines, labour markets and occupations in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (ibidem); b) training in individual STEM study disciplines; c) an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary/transdiciplinary approach (English, 2016; Maden et al., 2013; Ostler, 2012; Spanias et al., 2016; White, 2014) "that integrates academics and real world concepts in schools, community and work based context" (Tsupros, in Ostler, 2015); d) a multidisciplinary and applied approach (White, 2014); e) learning of integrated STEM topics or school subjects based on a school curriculum developed in a transdisciplinary manner (English, 2016; Kearney, 2011); f) is an intentional,...