Advancing transformative STEM learning: Converging perspectives from education, social science, mathematics, and engineering

Abstract

Society faces emerging challenges that require re-envisioning what it means to know and use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and who are STEM scientists. We advocate for a transdisciplinary framework for participatory STEM learning based on the culmination of the authors’ designing and complemented by reviews of extant works in youth STEM learning and engagement. Data literacy, geospatial reasoning, and community science are cornerstones in our framework because of their power to leverage and integrate the four STEM disciplines. Youth with their families are authors and designers in community problem-solving using data literacy and geospatial reasoning through participatory community science to question, analyze, and design solutions empowered by their lived experiences. Through partnerships with community organizations, families, youth, and STEM practitioners, we discuss how to develop and use tools and methods to design and build better spaces for youths’ communities. Our aim is for more authentic, inclusive, and empowering learning opportunities that broaden youths’ STEM participation. We describe our framework and the underlying commitments, design principles, expected outcomes, and limitations.