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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 brought听together researchers and practitioners to focus on the experiences, practices and tools that would听support equitable youth pathways into STEM.
was听a 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
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 in听informal 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听
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
- 听
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听- 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). .听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,听听(2015-2016)
- 听(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.听
- 听(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.
- 听(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.
- 听(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 YESTEM model shows the interconnection between the 鈥淩eflect鈥� (The Equity Compass), 鈥淎ct鈥� (a set of eight Core Equitable Practices) and the Outcomes components (including Youth Outcomes, Practitioner Outcomes, Programme and Institutional Outcomes and Broader Outcomes).
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.
The Equity Compass
The "Equity Compass鈥� graphic shows eight dimensions of equity, grouped into four overarching areas. The eight dimensions of equity are written in the outer layer. The inner layer indicates inequitable or weak practice.
鈥淐hallenging the status quo鈥� area includes three dimensions of equity: 鈥減rioritising minoritised communities鈥� (with inner layer 鈥減rioritising the dominant鈥�), 鈥渢ransforming power relations鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渞eproducing power鈥�), and 鈥渞edistributing resources鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渞einforcing privilege鈥�).
鈥淲orking with and valuing minoritised communities鈥� area includes two dimensions of equity: 鈥減articipatory working 鈥� with鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渢o鈥�) and 鈥渁sset-based approach鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渄eficit-based鈥�).
鈥淓mbedding equity鈥� area includes one dimension of equity: 鈥渆quity is mainstreamed鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渢okenistic鈥�). 鈥淓xtending Equity鈥� area includes two dimensions of equity: 鈥渃ommunity/society orientation鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渋ndividual鈥�) and 鈥渓ong term鈥� (with inner layer 鈥渟hort term鈥�).
- Insight 1:听听(PDF, 1MB)
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MediaCentral Widget Placeholder Our practice partners reflected on the four Equity Compass areas and how equitable practice has been developed within their settings - more films to follow.
MediaCentral Widget Placeholder 听MediaCentral Widget Placeholder MediaCentral Widget Placeholder 听MediaCentral Widget Placeholder 听Core Equitable Practices
These are pedagogical practices that support youth鈥檚 learning and engagement in STEM in empowering ways. When educators engage in Core Equitable Practices, they take the stance that educators and youth are co-learners, co-disruptors and co-creators of a more just world with and in STEM.
YESTEM Core Equitable Practices
鈥淭he Core Equitable Practices鈥� 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:听 (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.1:听 (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.2:听 (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.3:听 (PDF, 0.6MB)
- Insight 2.4:听听(PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.5:听 (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.6:听 (PDF, 0.5MB)
- Insight 2.7:听 (PDF, 0.4MB)
- Insight 2.8:听 (PDF, 1.1MB)
Equitable outcomes
- Insight 3.1: (PDF, 2.1MB)
Accessible and alternative language听versions
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Email: ioe.stemparticipationsocialjustice@ucl.ac.uk- Insight 1:听听(PDF, 1MB)
- Events and training
- Free online course on Future Learn -听
- Youth Equity + STEM (YESTEM) - informal STEM learning for social justice
- A recording from the YESTEM Dissemination Event held in October 2021.
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