STEM Outreach in Underrepresented Communities through the Lens of Play, Creativity, and Movement

Abstract

We designed, implemented, and assessed a STEAM (STEM + Arts) outreach program. Our goals were to increase children's exposure to STEAM topics, spread awareness of STEM fields, and build confidence and interest in STEM fields with underrepresented students in a fourth and fifth grade afterschool program so that these students could see themselves in STEM roles in the future. Our program involved kinesthetic movement, collaboration, and project-based learning. The program encouraged self-expression through the lens of play, creativity, and movement. Students engaged in coding through technology-enabled activities. This kind of educational enrichment begins by scaffolding interdisciplinary collaborations and promoting a culture where engineering, science, and art are equally considered. The overall framework of our program addressed many UN Sustainable Development Goals including quality education, gender equality, and reduced inequalities, ultimately contributing to the development of sustainable cities and communities. This project was conducted by university students working in a research group with a faculty member at the University of Washington. Our outreach program succeeded in reaching underrepresented students, with female students and all students without previous STEM experience showing the most substantial gains in confidence and interest over the course of the program.