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Design Principles

What are STEM Ecosystems?

The STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice is A movement to transform how students learn, how educators teach and how society embraces STEM education in order to prepare better and stronger futures.

STEM Learning Ecosystems are based on a few simple beliefs:

  • All children need and deserve a chance to reach their potential.
  • Learning doesn’t and can’t happen in silos.
  • Society needs to prepare the next generation to lead and thrive in a world dominated by technological advances and more intentionally cultivate pathways for post-secondary success.
  • A strong STEM education equips students with knowledge, skills and dispositions that are necessary for a fast-paced, information-driven world.

And the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice is governed by the following Design Principles:

  • Value and promote equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of individual and collaborative decision-making.
  • Pursue a collective advocacy approach to those who influence policy at all levels, including federal, state, regional and local policy to support a STEM for ALL agenda with unique supports for each learner.
  • Deepen and broaden the understanding of what is working and why using multiple instruments that measure the potential and promise of SLECoP initiatives.
  • Promote best practices, shared resources, peer learning, leadership development and strong internal and external communications.
  • Seek opportunities that provide cross-cutting and aligned STEM education, workforce and community economic development options.
  • Embed a system of onboarding and coaching, rooted in the collective experiences of the SLECoP, for new and existing ecosystems.
  • Organize through collaboration, transparency and democratic ideals to sustain the reciprocal benefits of the Community of Practice.
Stakeholders graphic

KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN A STEM LEARNING ECOSYSTEM INCLUDE:

  • A credible, highly engaged lead organization committed to collaborative practice
  •  Schools and school districts
  • Out-of-school time (OST) systems/programs
  • STEM-expert museums and science centers
  • Institutions of higher education
  • STEM-related companies
  • Businesses that recognize the need for STEM competencies
  • Libraries
  • Community-based organizations
  • Philanthropies
  • Families and parent organizations
  • Youth organizations