Science Centers and Museums STEM Initiative Expands

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced $1.9 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Education to widen the scope of a national effort to equip more children's museums and science centers with STEM and making-based activities focused on "underserved youth."

The revamped program will enable resources, tools and training for up to forty 21st Century Community Learning Centers across eight states. The goal of the initiative is to reach up 1,000 students. The New York Hall of Science leads the initiative under a cooperative agreement with IMLS.

The project will be evaluated by a third party to assess outcomes including "changes in interest, skills, and behaviors related to STEM and making among youth participants."

For the 2019-2020 school year, seven children's museums and science centers will participate in the initiative:

"STEM-based learning is vital for young people to thrive in today's world, no matter their interests, backgrounds, or the professions they may ultimately choose,"said IMLS Director Kathryn Matthew. "By strengthening the inquiry skills that are inherently part of STEM learning, museums are uniquely positioned to spark curiosity among youth about the way their world works."

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • glowing AI text box emerges from a keyboard on a desk, surrounded by floating padlocks, warning icons, and fragmented shields

    1 in 10 AI Prompts Could Expose Sensitive Data

    A recent study from data protection startup Harmonic Security found that nearly one in 10 prompts used by business users when interacting with generative AI tools may inadvertently disclose sensitive data.

  • modern school building surrounded by a glowing digital shield and floating lock icons

    CoSN Launches Campaign Advocating for Congressional Support for K-12 Cybersecurity

    CoSN, the professional association for K-12 ed tech leaders, has launched a national advocacy campaign urging Congress to maintain federal support for cybersecurity assistance in K-12 education.

  • chart with ascending bars and two silhouetted figures observing it, set against a light background with blue and purple tones

    Report: Enterprises Are Embracing Agentic AI

    According to a new report from SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..