STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) clubs are gaining momentum as a means for engaging students in STEM-related activities. Despite this growth, there have been limited attempts to examine the conditions that inform practice in these informal educational spaces. This paper addresses that gap through a comprehensive literature…

The underrepresentation of Black women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing issue. According to the National Science Foundation (2019), Black women hold less than 10% of STEM degrees, while only 2% work in STEM fields. These disparities can be attributed to structural inequities related to the STEM…

There has been a growing awareness that STEM education should incorporate a wide range of capabilities, in addition to providing traditional theoretical and practical knowledge. In line with these skills, entitled "professional skills," GTIIT has defined seven core competencies. The enhancement of two of these competencies, namely,…

Informal STEM education experiences can be invaluable to students as a means of developing their future career goals and career interests. Extracurricular programs in the form of clubs, competitions, teams, and activities provide a platform for these informal education experiences. There are many STEM-focused extracurricular options for students,…

Academic service-learning through community engagement in a museum provides an opportunity for teacher leadership development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Twenty student volunteers from teacher education in a public university took part in service-learning teacher leadership activities in STEM education…

Background: Previous studies have investigated effects of out-of-school STEM activities aimed at stimulating children's interest in science with positive results. However, research has not discussed the reasons why such activities are successful. Purpose: In this study, we address this gap by investigating which factors children themselves…

In this article, we describe efforts to reduce barriers of entry to pre-college engineering in a rural community by training local teens to become maker-mentors and staff a mobile makerspace in their community. We bring a communities of practice frame to our inquiry, focusing on inbound and peripheral learning and identity trajectories as a…

What does it mean to express Black joy and loving blackness through STEM-rich making? What does it mean for Black youth in community-based, youth-focused makerspaces to express Black joy and loving blackness? We look at how Black youth alongside their facilitators co-create spaces of Black joy through making. These makerspaces are located at two…

This study analyzes mentor teachers' perceptions of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) professional development in STEM informal learning spaces and the support needed to nurture practices of CRP. Additionally, the study investigates culturally relevant professional development's (CRPD) influence on mentor teachers' transference of CRP theory into…

By drawing on data from two studies, we describe how a strategic partnership between student affairs professionals and faculty researchers supported the expansion of a K-12 engagement-focused teaching and learning model to one that could support undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learners. The model was…

Little research has been done to examine the impact of informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning on middle school students' career aspirations. Participants included 507 incoming fifth through eighth graders from underrepresented populations in STEM fields, which were recruited at three sites. Data collected…

In order to advance authentic equity in science education, it is salient to have frameworks that allow educators and researchers to design learning environments, activities, and research agendas that centers students' strengths in order for them to achieve full participation in science. As such it is important to consider the social identities of…

Global interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) literacy necessitates studying public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology -- the spectrum of settings where people encounter STEM. By expanding on the STEM learning ecosystem focused on youth's structured learning, we explore settings where lifelong learners encounter STEM…

To broaden participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and continue building research capacity, this dissertation focuses on STEM professionals: those who take up education research later in their career and those who facilitate engagement in physics learning outside the formal classroom. Using agency,…

Many youth on the autism spectrum possess interests and strengths for STEM-related postsecondary pathways, yet there are few research-based programs to support those interests and competencies including complex problem solving and social communication. This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceived outcomes of students, teachers,…