Q. Why is Afterschool a Perfect Platform to Build STEM Learning in Middle School?
A. An
article in Education Week, "Science by Stealth," summed up the role of
afterschool in STEM learning: "...afterschool programs offer an ideal
setting for nurturing the potential scientist in every student, as well
...as reinforcing the science taught during the school hours.
| I
got interested in science from a very early age; my parents took me to
the American Museum of Natural History in New York when I was about 8,
and they read out loud to me and my sister from biographies of Darwin
and Galileo. Nothing in school at that age was nearly as interesting as
the adventures I began to imagine doing science. --John C. Mather, Astrophysicist and Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2006 |
Compared
to the school day, these programs' smaller groups, longer time slots,
and less formal settings provide opportunities for young people to visit
museums, study neighborhood environments, cultivate gardens, perform
laboratory experiments and have their love of discovery awakened in
countless other ways." Further, a number of studies show that STEM learning during the school
day is necessary, but not enough to support lifelong STEM literacy. It is not surprising that 75 percent of Nobel Prize winners in the
sciences report that their passion for science was first sparked in
non-school environments.
The case for including STEM learning in afterschool is strong.
The case for including STEM learning in afterschool is strong.
- Supporting the STEM pipeline: Afterschool programs can play a key role in increasing the number of students following STEM academic and career paths at a time when the nation's economy is becoming increasingly dependent on a STEMliterate workforce.
- Fostering diversity: Enrollment, especially of youth from populations historically underrepresented in STEM fields, is dramatically increasing in afterschool programs.
- Generating awareness of the value of afterschool: There is increasing awareness of the importance of non-school learning experiences in generating interest, engagement, and capacity to know and do science, but we still have a long way to go. For STEM truly to thrive in the afterschool space, we need widespread recognition of the value of afterschool in contributing to STEM interest and learning.
- Responding to expectations from afterschool funders: Many supporters of afterschool programs are increasingly asking for evidence of academic achievement. STEM activities have the potential to support academic growth while being engaging and entertaining.
- http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/documents/evaluationsBackgrounder2011.pdf
