STEM Transformative Practices
Million Girls Moonshot’s Transformative Practices include resources for all educators to foster inclusive STEM learning spaces for all youth, particularly girls. Below is more information on each transformative practice along with corresponding resources you can start using today!
Access For All
The Access to STEM Framework presents research- and practice-based strategies to help out-of-school programs provide equitable STEM opportunities and to engage youth historically excluded from STEM.
RESOURCES
Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, the Moonshot has developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation.
Engineering Mindset
The Moonshot believes that one of the primary goals of engineering education is to promote the development of an engineering mindset. An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering — using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams.
Using these skills and many more, engineers design objects, systems, or processes that address the needs and desires of people, animals, and society.
RESOURCES
Engineering education promotes the development of an engineering mindset - attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering. An overview of all 10 engineering practices is available to download.
Role Models, Mentors and Families
The Million Girls Moonshot believes that role models, mentors, and family engagement in a young person’s STEM education leads to increased interest, greater self-confidence, and ultimately a stronger STEM identity.
Developing a science-related identity increases the likelihood that students will work toward developing science literacy, or even pursue a career in a science or STEM-related field. Conversely, when a young person lacks a STEM identity, this increases the chance for disengagement and makes it less likely for them to pursue STEM-related activities in the future. Continuous STEM Learning Pathways
Working across organizations to ensure that young people, interested in additional STEM-related activities, experience a “warm hand-off” between experiences.
RESOURCES
Toolkit: Creating Connections with Role Models: The Power of Collaboration
From Techbridge Girls, in collaboration with The National Girls Collaborative Project, this guide is intended to support leaders with the recruitment and preparation of role models to inspire girls in science, technology, and engineering. This is an outline with Techbridge’s “recipe for success” for role models while encouraging you to make changes that best fit your needs.
IF/Then Collection
Free, downloadable resources for afterschool and summer programs to share inspiring stories, images, and more about women working in STEM.