Improved Insights Newsletter for May 2022: STEM Identity
Welcome to the May edition of the Improved Insights Newsletter: a newsletter for folks in informal STEM learning spaces who want to learn more about how to measure and communicate the impacts of their work.
I’m Sarah M. Dunifon - a long-time STEM educator, evaluator, and equity advocate. After spending time working in museums, nonprofits, and higher education, I now work on cutting-edge informal STEM learning research and evaluation with my team at Improved Insights. We specialize in informal STEM learning and youth programs.
This monthly newsletter includes tips, resources, and news on informal STEM learning evaluation. We hope you find it valuable! Now, let’s get started —
Deep dive: STEM Identity
Outcomes in informal STEM learning can range from affective outcomes (think: feelings, attitudes, emotions), behavioral outcomes, content knowledge changes, skill development, and more. One common construct we see in our work is STEM Identity. In this month’s blog, we’ll do a deep dive into what this concept is, how it might be incorporated into your program outcomes, and how evaluators think about assessing it. Here’s a taste:
What is STEM Identity?
STEM identity (or sometimes “science identity”) is a complex construct.
It relates to our self-concept, and unsurprisingly, we hold many identities at once. Different identities are activated at different times, depending on the contexts we’re in.
Put simply, STEM identity is the understanding of oneself as a “STEM person.”
STEM identity is an essential indicator for engagement with STEM and persistence in STEM fields (McDonald et al. 2019) as it relates to how much we feel a part of that context. Similarly, interest, motivation, and sense of belonging are related concepts that also can serve as indicators of persistence in STEM. These can be particularly important to cultivate in people traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields, as - again - they tend to correlate with how likely folks are to continue in STEM degrees and fields.
As Dr. Smirla Ramos-Montañez describes it, identity is “a situated concept. It is actively negotiated in a variety of social interactions and contexts while being informed by complex cultural and historical narratives.” And different researchers have slightly different takes on how STEM identity is defined and shows up in informal STEM education work. Check out more definitions from informal STEM education experts on CAISE.org.
ii Updates
We have a new publication out in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, entitled “Impacts of a Near-Peer Urban Ecology Research Mentoring Program on Undergraduate Mentors.”
The article examines the effects of a near-peer mentoring program on undergraduate students, including their science interest, career paths, and appreciation for nature. It is based on the Wildlife Conservation Society program Project TRUE (Teens Researching Urban Ecology), an NSF-funded initiative to introduce high school students to urban ecology research through a tiered mentoring model.
In the article, the impacts of this mentoring on undergraduate student mentors are explored. The article is open source and can be accessed here.
60-Second suggestions
Here are a few of my favorite things this month, usually pertaining to informal STEM education and evaluation, but occasionally some fun personal stuff, too.
Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything, Even Things that Seem Impossible Today, by Jane McGonigal. This book has been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "an accessible, optimistic field guide to the future." McGonigal's work has challenged me to think about what could be in ways that prepare me for possible changes and choices, and allow for us to co-create the future we want.
Conducting a time study: either with a time tracking app or device or with simple pen and paper (feel free to use this template I developed). I’ve been tracking how I’m spending my time and whether those activities are giving me energy or taking it away. This process has revealed so much to me and allows me to work better with my team to delegate based on our unique strengths.
Season Two of Code Switch presents School Colors, “a limited-run series about how race, class, and power shape American cities and schools.” Focused on the borough of Queens in New York City, this podcast explores community response to a school district diversity plan.
If you check out any of these suggestions, let me know what you think!
Until next time - thanks!