What is STEM?
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. But STEM education is far more than an acronym. It’s a philosophy of education that embraces teaching skills and subjects in a way that resembles real life. STEM skills are durable skills that encourage life-long learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and other skills that can be translated into successful careers and futures.
Why is STEM important?
The outlook for STEM careers is strong, with job growth projected to outpace non-STEM fields, high demand for workers, and higher median salaries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects STEM jobs to grow by about 10.4% between 2023 and 2033, creating millions of new positions, with the technology sector, particularly computer and information security, expected to lead the way. Wages for STEM occupations are also much higher than for non-STEM occupations, meaning they provide financial security to individuals from all backgrounds and a pathway to financial independence for students from low-income communities.
Providing greater opportunities for STEM learning isn’t just about preparing the future workforce. As our world continues to rely more and more on technology, we all require a greater level of STEM literacy and fluency to understand how science and technology play a role. Greater STEM literacy also helps prepare students to better understand challenges and issues that affect them and their communities.
Why STEM in Afterschool?
Research has found that students who experience the real-world relevance of STEM had 1.8 times the odds of aspiring to STEM careers at the end of high school compared with controls (Kitchen et al., 2018). It is vital that students build an identity within STEM and feel represented within the field of STEM.
Several studies highlight the importance of giving youth opportunities to engage with STEM on their own terms with the flexibility not allowed during the typical school-day, showcasing how afterschool can fill this need in supporting STEM identities (Krishnamurthi et al., 2014).
According to the America After 3PM survey, more than half a million Florida children participate in an afterschool program, yet a third of children still do not have opportunities to participate in STEM learning in those programs.
Florida parents value STEM learning in afterschool and summer programs:
- 80% of parents agree that STEM learning in afterschool helps kids gain interest and skills related to STEM
- 77% of parents report that STEM and computer science are an important factor for a majority when selecting their child’s afterschool program
All students need opportunities to engage in quality STEM learning experiences. These can take place across different informal environments, but over the last decade, afterschool programs have become a cornerstone in providing STEM learning for students from all backgrounds in all regions of the country. Afterschool and summer programs provide hands-on learning opportunities and a natural space for students to explore, learn, and grow. These programs spark students’ interest in STEM and computer science subjects, expose them to future careers, and support school-day learning, all while developing a new generation of problem solvers.
Research
Kitchen, J. A., Sonnert, G., & Sadler, P. (2018). The impact of college- and university-run high school summer programs on students’ end of high school STEM career aspirations. Science Studies and Science Education, 102(3), 529-547. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21332
Krishnamurthi, A., Ballard, M., & Noam, G. G. (2014). Examining the impact of afterschool STEM programs. Afterschool Alliance. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED546628
What is Florida Doing to Support STEM?
Peer-Learning-Communities (PLCs)
Florida After School has led multiple Peer-Learning-Communities focused on exposing afterschool educators and professionals to STEM programming in a variety of subject areas. PLCs provide the opportunity for groups of 5-50 afterschool professionals to learn from like-minded peers and participate in rich professional learning on supporting STEM in their program.
Our Partners
ACRES is a nationally acclaimed coaching program that builds knowledge and skills so that afterschool educators can confidently facilitate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) experiences. ACRES coaching resources are completely free and are available via their website.
HOWTOSMILE is dedicated to bringing the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities developed by informal science organizations around the country to the wider informal educator community while encouraging that community to both use and contribute to the growing collection. They create the opportunity for anyone in the education field to search for over 4,000 of the very best STEM activities on the web.
Mizzen Education is a free, educator informed platform with a variety of resources such as lesson plans and activities. This platform includes resources that support several domains of youth development such as STEM, literacy, resiliency, and citizenship.
The Florida Space Grant Consortium was established in 1989 in an effort to provide a statewide network of college and universities to support the expansion and diversification of Florida’s space industry through grants, scholarships, and fellowships to students and educators in Florida.
NASA Kids’ Club is a safe place for children to play games to learn about NASA and its missions. The website includes a variety of games and activities for children in pre-K through grade 4.
NASA’s surprisingly STEM is a video series that highlights exciting and unexpected jobs at NASA through short, accessible videos.
PLANETS develops free curricula and resources for OST programs in grades 3-8 that provides STEM learning with an emphasis on NASA planetary science and engineering. The program focus on promoting STEM learning for all. The website includes facilitation guides for instructors as well.
Science Journal for Kids publishes an online science magazine for kids and educators featuring free downloadable peer-reviewed research papers written in kid-friendly language. The organization aims to make scientific research accessible to children.
STEM NEXT collaborates with a variety of local and state partners to spark young people’s curiosity and confidence in STEM through hands-on learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
PBS Kids is trusted by thousands of parents and educators to provide helpful information regarding the early stages of a child’s life. PBS Kids showcases a variety of free resources such as games, apps, hands-on activities, podcasts, and other learning resources.
YES empowers educators with high-quality PreK-8 STEM curricula and professional learning. The curricula is grounded in research and engages learners in real-world engineering design, builds computational thinking skills, and supports STEM identities. The website includes career posters, free webinars, lesson plans and activities, and more.