Snacks by Anita Krishnamurthi
MAY
6
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
As you've probably heard by now, we've partnered with the Noyce Foundation to offer the Afterschool STEM Impact Awards. We are inviting applications for two $10,000 awards to recognize afterschool STEM programs that are showing great youth outcomes. We have started to receive applications and I hope that we get a lot more! It's a terrific opportunity to showcase your great program, help us highlight why afterschool must be an integral partner in STEM education, AND win $10,000 for your program.
Eligible programs must have been running for two years and working with students in grades 4 through 8. We invite applications in two categories:
- Afterschool programs that are a strong partnership between an afterschool provider and a STEM-rich institution(s), which include science centers or museums, nature centers, universities, government labs, STEM-related businesses, or other similar institutions. Programs may focus on any STEM topic.
- Afterschool programs that have a strong computing and/or engineering component.
We recently held a webinar to answer questions and go over the review criteria we will utilize for the STEM Impact Awards. You may also be interested in taking a look at the slides from our prior webinar on “Defining youth outcomes for afterschool STEM programs” available on the same "Archived Webinars" page.
Additional details are available on the award website, along with a link to the online application. Applications are due by May 15, so don’t delay! We encourage all applicants to review the questions and generate their responses prior to beginning the online application. Once you begin filling out the online application, you must finish. Answers cannot be saved or returned to at a later date.
We look forward to receiving your applications and learning more about the terrific programs engaging our young people in innovative STEM learning experiences all across the country.
APR
23
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
The president recently released his budget request for FY2014 and we wrote about the implications for afterschool in a recent blog post. The budget proposes a sweeping (and unprecedented) reorganization of federal STEM education investments—it consolidates or restructures 114 programs out of the existing 226 federal STEM programs. In the budget proposal, 78 programs are terminated and the funds from these programs ($176 million dollars) are redirected to other agencies, 49 programs are consolidated within agencies and 13 new programs have been proposed.
The $176 million from the eliminated programs would be split as follows:
- $100.3 million to the Department of Education for K-12 education programs
- $51.1 million to the National Science Foundation for undergraduate education and fellowship programs
- $25 million to the Smithsonian Institution for a new STEM engagement initiative
There are several places to get the full details of the president’s budget request for STEM education—the White House R&D budget site and the American Institute of Physics FYI analysis are good places to start.
There would be a significant reduction of investment in informal STEM education (ISE) if this budget request were to be approved. Federal science mission agencies—such as NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency—that have invested in ISE and afterschool see a significant reduction if not a complete elimination of their STEM education budgets. Of particular interest to the afterschool community, NASA’s Summer of Innovation program, which has provided funds to summer and afterschool providers, has been zeroed out. The National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal Science Learning program also sees a $13.6 million cut below its current level of funding.
The Smithsonian is a new and surprising partner in STEM education, and the details of the $25 million request for “STEM engagement” are still being worked out. One of its main roles will likely be to serve as a centralized location for the education resources generated by the various science mission agencies. According to the budget request:
“The STEM initiative will be coordinated by the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access, which will create new online resources and experiences for students that have a measurable impact, align Smithsonian content with learning standards set by the states and create communities of teachers who may use Smithsonian content and tools to customize their own programs.”
At the Department of Education, the only real new opportunity for ISE lies with the “STEM Innovation Networks,” a new program to help school districts build strategic partnerships with institutions of higher education, museums, businesses, government agencies, etc. The three pillars for these networks are supposed to be teacher preparation, teacher professional development and ISE. However, the only required partnership as of right now is between school districts and universities, raising a concern that ISE will (again) not play its rightful role in STEM education reform.
The focus of the other K-12 programs proposed by the department is on teacher recruitment, preparation and professional development—$80 million to prepare 100,000 excellent teachers over the next decade (the "100k in 10" initiative) and $35 million to pilot a new program, the STEM Master Teacher Corps, that would recognize and reward the best and brightest STEM teachers and help them play a leadership role in their schools and communities. The Effective Teaching and Learning Program (formerly the Math and Science Partnerships Program) will receive $150 million; this program has been mostly used to provide professional development to teachers.
There are still many details to be worked out in this large-scale redesign of STEM education. While the proposal is worrisome for those of us who strongly believe that ISE should play an integral role in STEM education reform, it is still just a budget request. The ISE and afterschool community should view it as an opportunity to engage the Administration and Congress in a dialogue about the research base and evidence for building an “ecosystem for learning” that includes afterschool. Let’s rally to make it clear that young people lose when they can’t participate in innovative engaging afterschool STEM learning opportunities.
MAR
11
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
This piece was originally published as a commentary in Education Week on March 6, 2013 (Vol. 32, Issue 23, Page 26). Read the original article here.
Few dispute that the after-school community has a vital role, and can make a crucial difference, in promoting science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, learning. Yet after-school providers are often so immersed in their work with students that they don't always present a unified voice in articulating their impact.
A 2013 Afterschool Alliance study that I led, "
Defining Youth Outcomes for STEM Learning in Afterschool," could help change that. By reaching consensus among a group of after-school experts (including 55 experienced providers and 25 after-school STEM supporters, such as funders and national and state education policy leaders), the study lays out three major, achievable outcomes for youths in after-school STEM programs:
- Developing interest in STEM and related learning activities;
- Developing capacities to productively engage in STEM learning activities; and
- Valuing the goals of STEM and STEM learning activities.
These are vital contributions that can change students' lives. Yet many in the after-school community are pessimistic that their impact will be recognized and valued. They aren't as confident about affecting the in-school outcomes that policymakers often focus on—grades and test scores—as they are about improving "foundational" skills, such as problem-solving and teamwork.
The after-school community needs to reinforce the point that its role in STEM isn't an either-or proposition, particularly as Congress moves to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and considers where after-school programs fit into K-12 funding priorities. It takes both after-school and in-school STEM efforts, and their respective strengths, to move toward educating a STEM-savvy workforce that can compete in the global economy.
After-school programs are uniquely suited to engaging students in flexible, hands-on learning that can spark an interest in STEM. They also build real skills and help students appreciate the value of science, technology, engineering, and math for themselves and their communities. That's why such programs are often the home of robotics and rocketry teams and environmental education programs, and why after-school educators frequently work with STEM-related companies and university professors, among others, to give students a glimpse of future careers in the field.
Such experiences can make all the difference for some students and provide a critical complement to their in-school classroom time. Moreover, by broadening the base of students who are interested in STEM, after-school programs increase both the diversity and sheer numbers of students likely to succeed in science and math classrooms—and careers.
Another report, also released in January by the organizations My College Options and STEM connector and called "Where Are the STEM Students?," reveals that the number of high school seniors interested in pursuing STEM-related studies in college and beyond has increased 20 percent since 2004. After-school programs can support continued growth in that area, as well as help address an increasing gender gap noted in the study, since a fundamental strength of after-school programs is their ability to reach underserved and underrepresented populations.
Indeed, the after-school community has seen increased interest from philanthropies and the business community precisely because many funders recognize that progress will not happen without the kind of informal STEM education that is offered after school.
Conversations around major STEM learning outcomes (as well as a number of indicators and sub-indicators of progress outlined in the Afterschool Alliance's study) cannot wait. As the reauthorization of the ESEA progresses and states devise new assessment measures in line with the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, policies that directly affect the funding and focus of many after-school programs will take effect.
At this crucial time, the outcomes and the associated indicators of learning identified here can, I hope, give the after-school community the clarity it needs to show what it does best and help policymakers understand that after-school programs are an essential partner without which STEM learning can't thrive.
JAN
23
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
We have just released our long-awaited report on STEM outcomes for youth in afterschool programs!
This report concludes a 10-month study, “Defining Youth Outcomes for STEM Learning in Afterschool,” that asked experienced afterschool providers and supporters to identify appropriate and feasible outcomes. Study participants identified a consensus on outcomes, indicators and sub-indicators that provide a framework to map how afterschool programs contribute to larger STEM education goals.
There was a clear consensus that afterschool programs help youth to:
- Develop an interest in STEM and STEM learning activities
- Develop capacities to productively engage in STEM learning activities
- Come to value the goals of STEM and STEM learning activities
There was also shared agreement that afterschool STEM programs are best positioned to impact indicators of learning in the following rank order:
- Active participation in STEM learning opportunities
- Curiosity about STEM topics, concepts or practices
- Ability to productively engage in STEM processes of investigation
- Awareness of STEM professions
- Ability to exercise STEM relevant life and career skills
- Understanding the value of STEM in society
Participants grouped the sub-indicators, which represent specific measureable dimensions of the indicators, into high-medium-low categories reflecting their confidence in achieving those impacts. They rated the sub-indicators that stress the doing of science and developing skills highly. These included demonstrating active engagement, teamwork, STEM skills, problem-solving abilities and an understanding of STEM careers. They expressed medium levels of confidence in those sub-indicators that were more specific in terms of links to STEM resources or expertise and asked about demonstrating very specific types of knowledge such as a mastery of tools used in STEM investigations or knowledge of how to pursue STEM careers. They did not express a low confidence in achieving any of the 17 listed sub-indicators, but did rate the “pursuit of school STEM learning opportunities” lower on the list indicating they expect to see little impact.
We also found some differences in opinions and perspectives between the afterschool providers and afterschool supporters (who included funders, national education policy leaders and state education department leaders). Most notably, the afterschool supporters were much more optimistic than the practitioners about the availability of assessment tools to document impacts of afterschool STEM programs. This suggests that there may be different standards for assessment between the two groups. The provider group may either be unaware that such tools exist or feel that they are not accessible or appropriate.
Based on the results of this study, we make the following recommendations to move the afterschool field forward and help programs achieve their maximum potential in STEM programming.
- Policy makers should utilize the results of this study to define the appropriate niche for afterschool programs in STEM education;
- Afterschool program leaders should utilize the framework of outcomes and indicators to map out how their work contributes to STEM education overall; and
- Evaluation and assessment experts should map available assessment tools to the framework of outcomes in the study and use it to inform the design of new afterschool assessment measures.
The study was funded by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Noyce Foundation.
The study team was led by Anita Krishnamurthi, director of STEM policy at the Afterschool Alliance, and included Bronwyn Bevan, associate director of program, Exploratorium; Vicky Ragan Coulon, director, Evaluation & Research Associates; and Jen Rinehart, vice president for research and policy, Afterschool Alliance. The report was released at the monthly STEM Salon hosted by Change the Equation and a recording of the event will be available shortly at http://changetheequation.org/stem-salons.
OCT
31
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
Afterschool programs are a natural partner in offering hands-on STEM learning opportunities—and afterschool providers around the country have enthusiastically embraced this idea! We know how crucial STEM skills are for workforce development and the types of creative, innovative learning that takes place within the afterschool environment. STEM afterschool programs have proven results and offer great possibility to play a role in broader STEM education reform.
However, getting that message to influential people in our communities can still be challenging. Effective local and state policies, as well as investments from other stakeholders are crucial to ensuring that quality STEM afterschool programs are available to the children in your community. There are many people and groups that can help you achieve this goal, but all have different perspectives on STEM education and afterschool learning. We know that sorting through these audiences’ needs, figuring out what to ask for and how best to support your case can feel overwhelming.
The Afterschool Alliance has developed a new toolkit to help you become an advocate for STEM in afterschool. “Making the Case for STEM Afterschool” walks you through the steps you’ll need to take to develop a strong case you can effectively present to any audience. It helps you tailor your message, identify data and talking points that support your case, learn about existing policy recommendations that help craft your ask, and see who you can enlist as an ally in your advocacy efforts.
Let us know how you like the advocacy toolkit and check back for periodic updates. Also be sure to check the STEM Policy page to stay updated on developments in national legislation, initiatives and reports that effect STEM afterschool.
OCT
23
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
We know finding funding for afterschool STEM programs is a major concern of program providers—it comes up during most conference presentations and when I am out talking to programs. We heard you and we did something about it. Today we released a resource to help you identify, sort through and take advantage of the many funding opportunities available for afterschool STEM! “Know Your Funders: A Guide to STEM Funding for Afterschool” was written in partnership with The Finance Project and developed with generous support from the Noyce Foundation.
The guide walks you through the two main types of funding—public and private—and further categorizes the funding opportunities available. Public dollars come from federal, state and local sources and private dollars encompass both philanthropic foundations and corporations.
While we list a few major funding streams, we didn’t attempt to provide you with an exhaustive list of every single opportunity out there as that becomes dated very quickly. Instead, we focused on showing you where to go to find the most current information. You will also find lots of tips on how to match available funding streams to your needs and capabilities. We give you the key steps to searching for and obtaining grant dollars regardless of the source.
You can find the guide on our
STEM Publications Page along with other Afterschool Alliance STEM publications. You can also find it through our
STEM Funding Page, where you can also check out the list of specific funding opportunities. Finally, it is linked through the Afterschool Alliance “
How to Find Funding” toolkit, where you can get more general tips on identifying funding for your afterschool program.
We hope you will find this a useful resource. Let us know how you like it!
OCT
22
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
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Children from the Godman Guild afterschool program in Columbus, OH learning about electricity during a demo at COSI.
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Afterschool programs and science centers have a lot in common—we are both part of this large and loose field called “informal science education. ” We both struggle to get credit for our accomplishments in engaging children and youth in STEM topics and to be seen as partners in STEM education reform. So it makes a lot of sense for us to work more closely together. With that in mind, we partnered with the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) to have a strong afterschool presence at their recent annual conference in Columbus, OH.
The Afterschool Alliance organized a session on “Navigating the Afterschool Landscape,” where we talked about what the state of play is with afterschool STEM and how science centers can get more involved. You can read a great
summary of the session on the ASTC blog. We had a full room of people who were extremely interested in what we had to say and several of them came up to say that they thought it was the best session of the conference! That was very flattering of course, but more importantly, it showed the enormous interest in the ASTC community to engage more with afterschool programs.
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| COSI hosted a Lights On Afterschool event during the ASTC conference. Children from the Godman Guild, COSI staff (including CEO David Chesebrough), ASTC conference attendees and staff (including CEO Bud Rock) participated in the event. |
Many science centers and museums are already very engaged in their communities, including several who work closely with afterschool providers in their cities. Some science centers, like the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, OH, are deeply involved with a couple of afterschool providers in Columbus. Others, like the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL, are working with community-based organizations in their city to offer afterschool STEM programs all over the city and are also offering professional development programs for afterschool providers.
As afterschool programs enthusiastically embrace STEM, they have a lot of unmet professional development needs. Science centers could expand their reach into their communities by partnering more with afterschool providers to help them offer quality STEM programming. Remember that there are 8.4 million children in afterschool programs around the nation, many of them from the very communities that are under-represented in STEM fields. Afterschool programs provide a great way to engage a diverse population of children and get them excited and ready to participate more in STEM fields and careers!
OCT
12
STEM
By Anita Krishnamurthi
This post was written by Owen Berliner, a curriculum writer for Engineering Adventures, a new out-of-school time (OST) engineering curriculum currently in development by the Museum of Science, Boston.
As the school year kicks into high gear, many afterschool educators are thinking about new types of activities for their programs. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities have never been more relevant for out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool programs, and the children they serve. The Obama administration has repeatedly called for a greater emphasis on STEM in the American educational system, and OST programs provide an amazing opportunity to reinforce the critical 21st century skills fostered through STEM activities. Engineering challenges in particular require children to work in teams, communicate and think critically in order to design successful solutions.
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When considering STEM, many people focus exclusively on science and math. These are the big subjects that are typically taught in school, and often the engineering and technology components are either neglected or treated as sub-disciplines. Luckily, introducing engineering and technology to kids can be done in amazingly fun ways. In fact, kids’ reactions to STEM activities might be the most compelling reason to introduce them in your program! Kids are natural problem solvers, and engineering activities provide an opportunity for them to express their abilities while learning to apply critical thinking skills they may not even know they possess.
Preliminary research conducted on pilot tests of Engineering Adventures, a new, free-to-download engineering curriculum designed specifically for 3rd to 5th graders in OST settings, suggests that participation in the program leads to a greater understanding of the engineering design process and improved attitudes regarding possible future engineering careers.
Engineering Adventures units are intentionally structured to provide background knowledge constructed through hands-on activities. Once a child has learned about technology and the engineering design process, that knowledge is solidified through activities that explore the materials, science concepts and design principles of a particular challenge. Each unit culminates in an engineering showcase where children present their final designs to their peers. Early research has shown that this structure works well in a wide variety of OST settings, including afterschool clubs, summer camps and community groups.
Consider adding engineering challenges to your programming schedule this fall!
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