Teaching the concept of STEM Activation and integrating it into civic science – Sarah Dunifon

STEM Activation is a framework that describes the dispositions, practices, and knowledge that enable success in STEM learning experiences. It includes dimensions like fascination with natural phenomena, valuing of science, competency beliefs, and scientific sense-making. This framework can be used to predict STEM career preferences, especially among middle school students who are at a critical age for maintaining STEM interests. The Activation Lab has developed various measurement tools, including surveys and observation protocols, that are publicly available for educators to assess STEM Activation in their students. By understanding and supporting STEM Activation, educators can help foster students’ long-term engagement and success in STEM fields.

CS Media Lab

mlab@saicollective.org

The CS Media Lab is a Boston-anchored civic science news collective with local, national and global coverage on TV, digital print, and radio through CivicSciTV, CivicSciTimes, and CivicSciRadio. Programs include Questions of the Day, Changemakers, QuickTake, Consider This Next, Stories in Science, Sai Resident Collective and more.

• CS Media Lab

  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/mlab/

  

  February 10, 2025

  Boston’s Museum of Science launches “Being Human” spotlight to explore “what’s inside everything that connects us”
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  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/mlab/

  

  February 6, 2025

  Ep.2: In Malden, Massachusetts, artists are responding to a call for art titled ‘Our Warming Planet’
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  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/mlab/

  

  February 1, 2025

  Food for thought: Brian Southwell’s insights for educators on how to help students navigate outside the classroom to get accurate information about science