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resource research Media and Technology
Science communication that connects STEM-based professionals with various publics are often designed and implemented with a range of multiple outcomes in mind which can influence the effectiveness of engagement efforts. Scientists, science communicators, and STEM professionals can be more effective at engaging diverse audiences if they align their engagement strategies with their communication goals and target audience. About this resource: This is a practice brief produced by CAISE's Broadening Participation in STEM Task Force to help informal STEM education (ISE) and science
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TEAM MEMBERS: Jameela Jafri Danielle Watt Rabiah Mayas Sunshine Menezes Olivia Ambrogio James Bell Tony Streit
resource research Media and Technology
The varied and diverse ways in which people engage with STEM are often not acknowledged due to the historical representation of STEM in school, industry, and society. These cultural models of “who does STEM” discourage many who don’t identify as male and/ or white, or who don’t see themselves as highly intelligent, from choosing or identifying with STEM. To broaden participation, the field needs to define STEM more comprehensively so that people can recognize the ways they already engage in, use, and contribute to STEM disciplines, even if they don’t conform to cultural stereotypes associated
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TEAM MEMBERS: Melissa Ballard Marc Lesser Christine Reich Bruno Takahashi
resource research Media and Technology
When everybody engaging in STEM is expected to adhere to dominant cultural norms established by the populations that have historically participated in and institutionalized STEM—that is, male, white, western, and privileged, some may feel like outsiders, even though others will find them familiar and comfortable. This can shape perceptions about who has expertise and/or belongs in STEM fields. STEM programs and science representations must encourage and support participation by leveraging audiences' personal experiences and cultural practices. About this resource: This is a practice
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TEAM MEMBERS: Angela Calabrese Barton Sunshine Menezes Rabiah Mayas Olivia Ambrogio Melissa Ballard
resource research Media and Technology
Science communicators and educators need strategies to account for the differences in ways that learners build on prior knowledge and experiences, and position these differences as strengths, rather than as weaknesses. Science communicators and STEM educators can more effectively engage their audiences by applying asset-based approaches in their activities and strategies. About this resource: This is a practice brief produced by CAISE's Broadening Participation in STEM Task Force to help informal STEM education (ISE) and science communication groups reflect on and strengthen their
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TEAM MEMBERS: Raychelle Burks Sunshine Menezes Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE)
resource research Public Programs
Learning is a lifelong, life-wide, and life-deep process. Narrow definitions of learning as consisting only of conceptual knowledge can limit how we engage people with and in STEM. Science communicators and educators can design opportunities to build on prior knowledge to help people make sense of new ideas and experiences in ways that can guide decision-making as well as future choices. About this resource: This is a practice brief produced by CAISE's Broadening Participation in STEM Task Force to help informal STEM education (ISE) and science communication groups reflect on and
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TEAM MEMBERS: Bronwyn Bevan Sunshine Menezes
resource research Media and Technology
Though many communities are now undertaking collective efforts to transform who participates in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the informal science education and science communication sectors are largely peripheral to these initiatives. A task force assembled by the Center for the Advancement of Informal STEM Education (CAISE) spent 18 months examining how the public engagement with STEM sector typically presents and represents STEM, and deliberated on whether or not it does so in truly inclusive ways that can contribute to efforts to broaden participation. In this
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resource research Media and Technology
To help informal STEM education (ISE) and science communication groups reflect on and strengthen their efforts to broaden participation in STEM, CAISE’s Broadening Participation in STEM Task Force developed a suite of professional development tools. If you are a staff leader or trainer working on broadening participation, these resources can help support your work. You can use them to plan and lead reflective discussions about current practices, with an eye to developing goals, strategies, and priorities that can make your ISE and science communication work more inclusive. Toolkit
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resource evaluation Media and Technology
RK&A conducted a summative evaluation of five climate change and resiliency programs at the Science Museum of Virginia (SMV). The summative evaluation was the culmination of a three-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—front-end and formative evaluations were completed in the two years prior. The goal of this evaluation was to test the extent to which the programs achieved the intended visitor outcomes defined in SMV’s Impact Framework. How did we approach this study? The summative evaluation focused on five programs—the Digital Dome theater’s
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TEAM MEMBERS: Stephanie Downey Katie Chandler
resource research Media and Technology
Informal STEM education institutions seek to engage broader cross sections of their communities to address inequities in STEM participation and remain relevant in a multicultural society. In this chapter, we advance the role that evaluation can play in helping the field adopt more inclusive practices and achieve greater equity than at present through evaluation that addresses sociopolitical contexts and reflects the perspectives and values of non-dominant communities. To do this for specific projects, we argue that evaluation should privilege the voices and lived experiences of non-dominant
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resource evaluation Exhibitions
The Field Museum contracted RK&A to conduct a summative evaluation of the Grainger Science Hub and the Discovery Squad Carts, two museum experiences facilitated by educators or trained volunteers. The goals of the study are to explore the extent to which visitors interact with programming in the Science Hub and at Discovery Squad Carts and the nature of those interactions, as well as visitor motivations and takeaways. How did we approach this study? RK&A conducted observations in the Science Hub and at Discovery Squad Carts to understand the nature of experiences at each. The
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resource research Public Programs
Since 1992, the WSU Math Corps, a combined mathematics and mentoring program, has worked to make a difference in the lives of Detroit’s children—providing them with the love and support that all kids need in the moment, while empowering them with the kinds of educational opportunities and sense of purpose, that hold the promise of good lives for themselves and a better world for all.
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TEAM MEMBERS: Steve Kahn Stephen Chrisomalis Todd Kubica Carol Philips-Bey Francisca Richter
resource research Public Programs
This poster was presented at the 2019 AISL PI Meeting, and describes the the ongoing research questions and goals of the Ute STEM Project, which explores the integration of the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of the Ute Indians of Colorado and Utah and Western science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
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TEAM MEMBERS: Liz Cook Shannon Voirol Sheila Goff Cassandra Atencio Garrett Briggs Alden Naranjo Betsy Chapoose Terry Knight, Sr. Nicole Shurack Richard Ott Carl Conner Kelly Kindscher Kate Livingston