All Connect Science Learning resources

Journal Article

A Tale of Two Partnership Models

Engaging in science at an early age cultivates foundational mindsets and practices for future learning, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and curiosity (Hadani and Rood 2018; McClure et al. 2017). Science learning can be robust for young ...

By Jenny Ingber, Jacqueline Horgan, and Veena Vasudevan

Informal Education

Journal Article

Dealing With Disasters Through Emergency Response Teen Science Cafés

According to a 2012 United Nations report, many countries prioritize children’s learning about the genesis, prevention, and mitigation of natural disasters (Selby and Kagawa 2012); the United States, however, falls behind with respect to disaster...

By Jan Mokros, Michelle Hall, and Michael Mayhew

Informal Education Careers

Journal Article

Partnering to Develop a Coordinated Engineering Education Program Across Schools, Museum Field Trips, and Afterschool Programs

Engineering Explorations are curriculum modules that engage children across contexts in learning about science and engineering. We used them to leverage multiple education sectors (K–12 schools, museums, higher education, and afterschool programs...

By Danielle B. Harlow, Ron Skinner, Tarah Connolly, and Alexandria Muller

Informal Education Curriculum Engineering

Journal Article

The SciGirls Strategies

Middle school is a critical time for fostering girls’ interest in science, as it is during these years that girls begin to identify with their strengths and weaknesses and start to decide what kind of person to be (Allen and Eisenhart 2017; Carlo...

By Alicia Santiago, Kristin Pederson, and Rita Karl

Informal Education Equity Inclusion STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

STEM Mindset

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) mindset is critical to youths’ ongoing participation in STEM, as well as their functioning in today’s technology-rich world (e.g., Murphy 2019). This is true for all students, but it is e...

By Jeanna R. Wieselmann

Middle School Informal Education STEM

Journal Article

Connecting Learning to Life

Teen science café programs are a free, fun way for high school teens to explore advances in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through lively conversations and hands-on activities with STEM professionals, teen science café ...

By Michelle Hall, and Michael Mayhew

Informal Education STEM

Journal Article

Where Should Learners Struggle?

"I’ve had one cohort of kids…They were with me last year and then they came back and did a more advanced maker club this year, and so the way that they approached these challenges is so different. They have this mindset where they need to pla...

By Alice Anderson, Megan Goeke, Amber M. Simpson, and Adam V. Maltese

Informal Education

Journal Article

Defining and Measuring STEM Identity and Interest in STEM Learning

A growing number of educators are focused on increasing students’ interest in and developing their identity in relation to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as an intended outcome of their out-of-school activities and programs. ...

By Jamie Bell, Kevin Crowley, Martin Storksdieck, John Besley, Matthew A. Cannady, Amy Grack Nelson, Tina Phillips, Kelly Riedinger, and Melissa Ballard

Informal Education Research STEM

Journal Article

Fostering a STEAM Mindset Across Learning Settings

Developing a growth mindset has been identified as a key strategy for increasing youth achievement, motivation, and resiliency (Rattan et al. 2015). At its core, growth mindset describes the idea that one’s abilities can change through using new ...

By Laura D. Carsten Conner, Blakely K. Tsurusaki, Carrie Tzou, Perrin Teal Sullivan, Mareca Guthrie, and Stephen M. Pompea

Informal Education STEM

Journal Article

Using the ChangeMaker Mindsets™ to Enhance STEM Experiences

A ChangeMaker is anyone who chooses to take creative action to solve a problem for impact.  The ChangeMaker Mindsets™ help youth navigate ambiguity and reframe thinking toward problem-solving. As students embrace and use the ChangeMaker Mind...

By Amanda Kopischke and Angela Anderson

Informal Education Is Lesson Plan

Journal Article

Evaluating Nature Museum Field Trip Workshops, an Out-of-School STEM Education Program

Out-of-school learning opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) represent an important context in which students learn about and do STEM. Studies have shown that in- and out-of-school experiences work syn...

By Caroline Freitag, and Melissa Siska

Informal Education Administration STEM

Journal Article

Saturday Seminars for Urban Scholars Program

The K–16 academic journey to a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often described as having serious barriers, such as uninspired teaching, an unwelcome environment, and poor math and science preparation that lea...

By Michele W. McColgan, Robert J. Colesante, Albert G. Andrade, and Kenneth Robin

Middle School Informal Education STEM