2016 AAAS Annual Meeting (February 11-15, 2016)

February 10 - 15, 2016

Advancing Science Through Afterschool STEM: Making the Case with Evidence

Informal science education programs are vital partners in improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially in reaching populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. But for policymakers and the public, they are often considered a luxury rather than a core strategy. How can STEM communicators make a more powerful case for expanding access to informal STEM learning? To foster an evidence-based exploration of this question, this symposium features complementary components. New findings from a special report on “America After 3pm” – the largest U.S. parent survey of afterschool participation – will be presented, and participants will engage in a discussion on how to best use this data. The session then reviews the latest research on afterschool and summer learning and its implications, and engages participants in conversation about new research on public perceptions and reframing strategies demonstrated to build public demand for informal STEM learning. The symposium illustrates the application of research in communication resources being developed, and invites participants to try their hand at using the strategies to frame the data highlighted earlier in the session. This interactive session will include significant opportunity for discussion, questions, and application of session concepts to current communication challenges.