Talking Points

It’s about preparing our society for the challenges of the future. Given our complex and changing world, we will need citizens who are critical thinkers and problem-solvers to meet our modern challenges. Learning science, technology, engineering, and math—the subjects called "STEM"—builds the knowledge and skills needed to tackle problems systematically, including the abilities to sift through information, draw reasonable conclusions, make decisions based on evidence, and come up with creative solutions. This talking point uses the value of Future Preparation to productively channel thinking about STEM’s role in workforce development.

Helping children learn STEM is key to building a prosperous economy for us all. The interconnected content areas of science, technology, engineering, and math give us the building blocks for understanding and improving the systems that power our economy and advance our society. This talking point uses the value of Collective Prosperity to establish learning as a public issue and orient people toward collective benefits.

Learning STEM subjects is like becoming fluent in another language, children need to be immersed in STEM learning experiences outside of the classroom to practice STEM. Just as language learners need to experience different real-world situations to become conversationally fluent, STEM learners benefit from regular opportunities to work through interesting and practical challenges with STEM methods, tools, or ways of thinking. To truly immerse students in STEM, and allow for the level of exposure needed to develop fluency, we must ensure that all communities offer ways to engage with these subjects in multiple and varied ways, in different places and spaces. This talking point uses the metaphor of Fluency to explain why informal learning environments are important to STEM education.

Afterschool and summer programs activate learning and ignite interest by letting youth experiment with STEM ideas in real-world situations. Such opportunities help spark curiosity, especially for those who might not think of themselves as "math and science kids." For example, in a community garden, all kids can find a way to connect to STEM, whether by conducting scientific observations on how the environment affects plants, leveraging technology like sensors to monitor key indicators, practicing their math skills by calculating rainfall and nutrient levels, or thinking like engineers to build structures and systems for the garden plot. This talking point uses the metaphor of Activation to explain how informal STEM experiences generate interest in STEM, and is an example of an Explanatory Example.

Afterschool and summer STEM programs teach children skills they will use their whole lives. STEM subjects cultivate problem-solving habits like experimenting and checking assumptions against evidence. Additionally, STEM learning hones relevant, real-life observation and analysis skills for young people. The projects that kids tackle in afterschool and summer STEM programs also help them build teamwork and communication skills. This talking point uses the metaphor of Weaving Skill Ropes to explain how STEM learning develops transferrable skills and knowledge that are broadly useful, and is an example of an Explanatory Example.

Afterschool and summer learning opportunities function as an important part of the STEM learning ecosystem. Just as an ecosystem depends on all the plants and animals within it to play their unique role, STEM education depends on a diversity of educational institutions including schools and non-school environments to support students. Out-of-school environments like afterschool clubs and summer camps are pollination points within the learning ecosystem: essential locations that children need to grow their STEM knowledge and skills. Quality afterschool and summer programs are part of a thriving learning ecosystem for all young people. This talking point uses the metaphor of Ecosystem to explain the complementary relationships between formal and informal learning.

Youth in all communities can benefit from access to strong STEM opportunities and right now there’s a lack of fairness across places. Some communities are filled with opportunities for STEM learning: great libraries and museums, vibrant community gardens, science centers, and a variety of engaging, hands-on afterschool and summer programs. Other communities have fewer opportunities like these, or have other challenges that make them harder for learners to access. If we want shared prosperity across the nation, we need to ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, have lots of chances to be exposed to STEM learning out of school. This talking point uses the metaphor of Fairness Between Places to explain systemic sources of inequity, and also cues up the value of Collective Benefits.

Learning opportunities are like charging stations, and some communities lack these resources. All children need access to STEM charging stations, so they can plug in and power up their STEM skills. Presently, access to these stations varies greatly from one place to the next. This talking point uses the metaphor of spotty Charging Stations to explain how systemic factors produce disparities in outcomes, and can be easily interwoven with Fairness Between Places.

In most cases, we're not taking an immersion approach. To build fluency in a language, you need to use it often and in lots of different ways. The same applies to building fluency in STEM—it's not enough to do a little here and there. Multiple, connected experiences are important. Right now, there simply aren't enough afterschool and summer opportunities for students to immerse themselves in, whether in STEM, or in any other area of learning.
This should change.This talking point continues to build on the metaphor of Fluency.