Exciting news! NSTA has been awarded funding from the National Science Foundation to convene an expert study group that will help us bring new resources to the STEM education community. This project launches in 2021 and will include a collection of resources for connected learning enthusiasts—specifically a series of feature articles, web seminars, and online Q&A forums with authors. The goal of these new resources is to support the STEM education community in providing high-quality learning experiences that bridge the gap between in-school and out-of-school settings by sharing exemplary program models and compelling research. These resources will highlight effective ways to blend teaching and learning strategies across in- and out-of-school settings; connect practice and research; share examples of effective collaboration and co-creation; and blur the boundaries between science, technology, engineering, and math with each other and with other subject areas.

The study group held its first meeting via Zoom in October and will complete its work before the end of the year. We look forward to putting their recommendations into action and support you in your efforts to provide connected learning experiences in your communities!

If you’d like to inform the study group’s work by sharing ideas for future themes for Connected Science Learning, please provide your feedback here before November 20.

Connected Science Learning is NSTA’s newest journal and features articles about highly effective programs and research that connect preK–12 STEM learning in school-based and out-of-school environments. We invite you to visit the journal here.

Beth Murphy, PhD (bmurphy@nsta.org), is field editor for Connected Science Learning and an independent STEM education consultant with expertise in fostering collaboration between organizations and schools, providing professional learning experiences for educators, and implementing program evaluation that supports practitioners to do their best work. 

Beth serves as the principal investigator for this NSF-funded project. Dennis Schatz (NSTA's retiring president) and Flavio Mendez (Assistant Executive Director, e-Learning & University Partnerships at NSTA) are also part of the project's leadership team. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation, grant number DRL-2031157. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
 

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.