Thriving STEM Learning Ecosystems—for All?

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Discover how researchers utilized case studies of youth interested in STEM to identify characteristics essential to thriving STEM learning ecosystems.

Keywords:

• Middle School
• Informal Education
• Equity
• Research
• STEM

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (DRL-1516718). We also want to acknowledge Dr. Yoon Ha Choi for her assistance in data collection and interpretation, Tanya Kindrachuk for coordinating all SYNERGIES data collection, and Kiyauna Williams, SUN Afterschool Coordinator, for her support. Finally, we thank Charlie, Steve, and Stella, and their parents, for participating in this study and so graciously sharing their STEM Interest and Participation Pathways with us.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lynn D. Dierking

Lynn D. Dierking ([email protected]) is Principal Researcher at the Institute for Learning Innovation and Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.

John H. Falk

John H. Falk is Executive Director at the Institute for Learning Innovation and Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.

Neta Shaby

Neta Shaby is a Lecturer in Science Education in the Southampton Education School and a member of the MSHE (Mathematics, Science and Health Education) research group at University of Southampton in the U.K.; she served as a post-doctoral scholar with the SYNERGIES project from January 2019 through June 2020.

Nancy L. Staus

Nancy L. Staus is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Research on Lifelong STEM Learning at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.