Girls start off strong in math and science, participating and achieving at similar rates as boys, but lose interest and confidence in their skills as they grow older. Although equally capable, girls’ interest and confidence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) begins to decrease in middle school when they are developing their identities and starting to f … [Read more...]
Bridging the Divide Between Classrooms and Corporations
Two years ago, Minnesota STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) leaders from across the corporate, education, and government sectors came together to discuss our individual and organizational experiences related to the gender gap in the STEM fields. Although everyone’s circumstances were very different, the trends and themes of our stories were all connected, and we d … [Read more...]
Understanding Nature Through Active Listening
Sounds are all around us and are useful sources of information for scientists. Unfortunately, we are living in an earbud society in which many youth and adults have “turned off their ears” and go through their daily lives not noticing the wonderful sounds occurring around them. A comprehensive, environmentally oriented STEM education project called “Global Soundscapes: Big Data, … [Read more...]
Interested in Connecting In-School and Out-of-School STEM Learning?
Use the National AfterSchool Association's resources to learn about best practices for implementing out-of-school STEM learning. The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) is committed to providing professional development (PD), resources, and other opportunities that vary in level of commitment and intensity based on individual needs. Whether you’re l … [Read more...]
Engineering Design Challenge
Minnesota 4-H seeks to improve the quantity and quality of out-of-school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) experiences for middle school–age youth. In 2013 the Minnesota STEM team, a statewide team of 4-H staff charged with providing leadership for STEM programming, collaborated to create the Engineering Design Challenge (EDC) to engage youth across the state in … [Read more...]