Coalition for Science After School

• To increase quality and quantity of science for all youth in afterschool, summer, and out-of-school settings

• To bridge the afterschool, STEM education and scientific communities

POLLHow would you rate your familiarity/comfort with the topic of engaging diverse audiences?(1)Expert: Familiar with research, best

practices and resources and have experience with under-represented groups.

(2)So-so: Somewhat familiar with research and resources. Limited experience.

(3)Beginner: Unfamiliar with research and resources with no significant experience.

Women

Latino/Hispanic

African American

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Workforce

Workforce

Representation in the workforce

Women

Latino/Hispanic

African American

0% 5%10%

15%20%

25%30%

35%40%

45%50%

STEM jobsWorkforce

Under-represented in STEM

Wikimedia Commons

Clinton Global Initiative America 2012

Photos from Google.com & Balazs H.

Afterschool STEM & a level playing field

Quiz time!

True or False?

T/F Poll

• Girls take more high school math and science classes and have higher math and science GPA’s than boys.

(True)(False)

T/F Poll

20% of girls report that their parents encourage them to be engineers while 10% of girls report parents encourage them to be actresses.(True)(False)

True or False polls

• Mothers with 2-year-old daughters use more “math talk” than those with 2-year-old sons.

(True)(False)

T/F Poll

Boys outscore girls in timed math contests but girls score equally well on untimed tests where competition was de-emphasized.

(True)(False)

Research-based promising practices

• Intentional strategies• Highlighting six major

categories• Girls• African Americans• Latino/Hispanic

Research-based promising practices

(1) Allow for multiple learning paths– Open-ended projects–Multiple solutions and approaches– Allows for individualized approaches– Hands-on

Research-based promising practices

(2) Incorporate social aspect– Peer learning and support important– Foster collaboration and sharing– Fairness in roles and work

826 National

Research-based promising practices

(3) Make activities relevant

826 National

Research-based promising practices

(4) Involve community and family–Make activity relevant– Fosters support for STEM– Reinforces STEM identity

Research-based promising practices

(5) Adult role models and mentors– Culturally sensitive– Highlight an attainable path to STEM– Need to overcome challenges

826 National

Research-based promising practices

(6) Promote learning by addressing stereotype threat

826 National

Strategies for ALL!

Robotics competitions

Images from JPL and Popular Mechanics magazine

Robotics competitions: What steps could you take to ensure

equity in the experience?

Images from JPL and Popular Mechanics magazine

• Apply strategies intentionally• Respect differences• Be sensitive to your audience• Learning to adapt

NOT EASY!!

Dr. Erika Show

“Princess Scientists”—Good or bad?

The “princess scientist” approach:

Positive?

Negative?

Dr. Erika Show

“Princess Scientists”—Good or bad?

Coalition for Science After School

• http://afterschoolscience.org/

• Facebook, LinkedIn

• @SciAfterSchool @CarolTang1

• Slideshare.net/SciAfterSchool/presentations