This project ran from 2017 to 2022 and addressed fundamental equity issues in informal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning.
UK Project Director: Professor Louise Archer
This project broughttogether researchers and practitioners to focus on the experiences, practices and tools that wouldsupport equitable youth pathways into STEM.
wasa five-year Science Learning+ Partnership project (2017–2022) funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Wellcome, and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
- Aims
- Research agenda
- Methodology
- UK team
- Research-practice partnership
- Publications
- Resources and tools
- Events and training
Aims
The major goal of this partnership is getting practitioners and researchers –through working with youth through design-based implementation research, survey and critical ethnography –to develop new understandings of how and under what conditions they participate ininformal STEM learning (ISL) over time and across settings, and how they may connect these experiences towards pathways into STEM.
Research agenda
The YESTEM project responds to three challenges at the intersections of ISL research and practice in the United Kingdom and United States:
- lack of shared understanding of how youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds perceive and experience ISL opportunities across national contexts, and the practices and tools needed to support empowered movement through ISL
- limited shared understanding and evidence of core high-leverage practices that support such youth in progressing within and across ISL
- limited understanding of how ISL might be equitable and transformative for such youth seeking to develop their own pathways into and through STEM.
Methodology
Working across conceptual frameworks and ISL settings (e.g. science centres, community groups, zoos) and universities in four urban contexts in two different nations, the partnership will produce a coherent knowledge base that strengthens and expands research and practice partnerships, builds capacity towards transformative research and development, and develops new models and tools in support of equitable pathways into STEM at a global level.
Outcomes
The project will result in:
- new understandings of ISL pathways that are equitable and transformative for youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds
- a set of high leverage practices and tools that support equitable and transformative informal science learning pathways (and the agency youth need to make their way through them)
- a strengthened and increased professional capacity to broaden participation among youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM through informal science learning.
UK team
Principal Investigator
Co-investigator
Researchers
- Dr Ada Mau
- Dr Effrosyni Nomikou
- Dr Uma Patel
Research-practice partnership
The project builds on a previous funded partnership and will be carried out by research and practice partnerships in four cities: London & Bristol, UK and Lansing, Michigan & Portland, Oregon, US, involving university researchers from University College London, University of Michigan, Oregon State University / Institute for Learning Innovation, and practitioners in informal STEM learning settings, such as science centres, zoo and community-based organisations.
University partners
- University of Michigan–US PI,
- Institute for Learning Innovation/Oregon State University –CI,
UK ISL partners
US ISL partners
Publications
Research papers linked to Youth Equity + STEM
- Calabrese Barton, A., Greenberg, D., Kim, W., Brien, S., Roby, R., Blazer, M., Turner, C. & Archer, L. (in print). Disruptive Moments as Opportunities towards Justice-Oriented Pedagogical Practice in Informal Science Learning. Science Education
- Archer, L., Calabrese Barton, A., Dawson, E., Godec, S., Mau, A. & Patel, U. (in print). Fun moments or consequential experiences? A model for conceptualising and researching equitable youth outcomes from informal STEM learning. Cultural Studies of Science Education
- Godec, S., Archer, L. and Dawson, E. (2021). .Research Papers in Education
- Archer, L., Godec, S., Calabrese Barton, A., Dawson, E., Mau, A. and Patel, U. (2020). . Science Education (In press)
- Godec, S., Patel, U., Archer, L. and Dawson, E. (2020). . International Journal of STEM Education, 7 (51)
Research briefs from an earlier planning phase, (2015–2016)
- (PDF, 2.2MB) –this briefing document summarises the discussions, data and findings relating to equity and access work in informal science contexts that were conducted as part of phase one project funding
- (PDF, 2.4MB) –this briefing document summarises the discussions, data and findings relating to pathways within and across informal science contexts, in particular relating to youth and equity that were conducted as part of phase one project funding
- (PDF, 3.2MB) –the key figures and findings from the project are presented in this infographic, including data from the survey and workshops that were conducted as part of phase one project funding
- (PDF, 2.6MB) –we set out the key questions and themes for future equity and access work in this agenda, as identified through project research and activities that were conducted as part of phase one project funding
Resources and tools
YESTEM model
The Yestem model
The Equity Compass
The Equity Compass helps users to adopt a social justice mindset when developing and reflecting on their policy and/or practice. It prompts users to consider multiple dimensions of equity, as represented by the eight dimensions.
- Insight 1:(PDF, 1MB)
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Our practice partners reflected on the four Equity Compass areas and how equitable practice has been developed within their settings –more films to follow.
Core Equitable Practices
“The Core Equitable Practices” graphic shows eight practices: Authority sharing, Re-seeing and re-shaping, Shifting narratives, Reclaiming, Critically being with, Embracing humanity, Co-resigning and Recognising.
- Insight 2: (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.1: (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.2: (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.3: (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.4:(PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.5: (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.6: (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.7: (PDF, 0.4MB)
- Insight 2.8: (PDF, 1.1MB)
Equitable outcomes
Insight 3.1: (PDF, 2.1MB)
Accessible and alternative language versions
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We have . Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss translating any of our other material.
Email: ioe.stemparticipationsocialjustice@ucl.ac.uk
Events and training
- Free online course on Future Learn –
- Youth Equity + STEM (YESTEM) –informal STEM learning for social justice
- A recording from the YESTEM Dissemination Event held in October 2021