UNCG BRIDGES: BROADENING IDENTITIES FOR DIVERSE YOUTH IN STEM

 

We believe STEM is for everyone.

BRIDGES focuses on connecting middle-school-aged youth with out-of-school learning experiences that are designed to help them see the science-y sides of themselves that many of them never knew were there. Our curriculum integrates science, engineering, and computing to address environmental problems.

We do not assume STEM people are cut from the same cloth. There are so many ways to be STEM-like! For example, designers, tinkerers, animal-lovers, naturalists, altruists, and innovators can all feel like they belong and that they can make unique contributions to the learning community.

Check out our award-winning video for an in-depth look at what we’re all about.

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OUR VISION

BRIDGES engages diverse middle school youth and teachers in out-of-school learning that integrates science, engineering, and computing to address environmental problems.

The UNCG BRIDGES (BRoadening Identities for Diverse Groups Engaging with STEM) project is a National Science Foundation STELAR iTEST strategies project (grant no. iTEST - 1657194). This project advances efforts to better understand and promote practices that increase diverse students’ motivations and capacities to pursue careers in environmental STEM careers. Youth in the program engage in hands-on, field and project-based experiences, with opportunities to act as leaders and mentors to other youth. The project activities integrate science, engineering, and computing to address socio-environmental problems that are multifaceted, have local and global significance, and lend themselves to personally meaningful and authentic disciplinary STEM engagement.

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OUR GOALS

  • Create, enact, and refine a pedagogical model that engages middle school youth with socio-environmental problems through science, engineering, and computing

  • Study the effectiveness of the model in triggering and sustaining youths’ STEM - linked identities and pathways

  • Test an updated model of disciplinary identity

  • Study the effectiveness of the program for teacher’s STEM professional learning