Key Resources
This briefing, video and infographic from the Frameworks Institute explains how to communicate to a variety of audiences about STEM education, informal STEM and STEM ecosystems, to a general audience, including media, the public, parents and families. Page 21-22 of the PDF specifically discuss ecosystems, but the whole brief (although long) is valuable reading for anyone who writes and speaks […]
The Common Instrument is a survey developed by PEAR for youth 10 years or older that includes 10 self-report items to assess child and adolescent interest and engagement in science. The Common Instrument is simple and quick to administer, easy to receive feedback on, and useable for pre-post analysis.
This Guide is designed to help principal investigators and other leaders of informal STEM education projects integrate evaluation into all phases of project design, development, and implementation. Such projects include exhibits, media projects, websites, community science projects, afterschool programs, festivals, family activities, online games, citizen science projects, and other efforts to help people learn about science in the course of […]
The Dimensions of Success observation tool (DoS), defines twelve indicators of STEM program quality throughout 4 broad domains: 1) Features of the Learning Environment, 2) Activity Engagement, 3) STEM Knowledge and Practices, and 4) Youth Development in STEM. While primarily developed for after-school, it can be used to observe activites led by teachers, private sector scientists, after-school workers, and more. […]
The STEM Educators Academy trains community educators and teachers together to build design thinking and scientific inquiry.
Click2SciencePD is an interactive professional development site for trainers, coaches, site directors and frontline staff/volunteers working in out-of-school time STEM Programs, serving children and youth. Sections on sparking youth interest, giving youth control, and developing identity are useful beyond informal science.
This research by synthesis by William Penuel, Tiffany Lee, and Bronwyn Bevan provides a set of design principles that emerge from a review of the research literature addressing equity-oriented programs that support learning across settings. The authors also identify key infrastructure elements that support programs successes.
This site offers Girlstart Online STEM Modules, icebreakers, board games and quick hands-on STEM activities for educators, including 31 days of STEM activities in DeSTEMber.
The Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Afterschool Alliance partner to connect science centers, museums and other informal learning organizations with afterschool professionals offering STEM programming. ASTC members can join the afterschool community of practice.
If you are looking for information on partnerships between institutions of higher education and informal science institutions, visit the SENCER-ISE (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities-Informal Science Education) website. The project includes ten cross-sector partnerships.