What does it take to involve, encourage, and support more young girls in maker-centered learning opportunities? That’s what the Makers + Mentors Network (M+MN) team was tasked to explore with members of the Mott-funded 50 State Afterschool Network for STEM Next Opportunity Fund’s Million Girls Moonshot Initiative (MGM). 

Launched in October 2020, MGM was developed to re-define who can be an engineer, who can build, and who can make by breaking down gender stereotypes and bias. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), only 21% of engineering majors and 19% of computer science majors are women. However, evidence from Girls Who Code show that 74% of middle school girls express interest in STEM topics and careers, yet only 0.4% of high school girls choose to pursue them in college. While interest is there, a lack of confidence begins to develop in girls from a young age. In fact, research from the University of Houston and the University of Washington cite that boys and girls develop the perception that girls are less interested in computer science and engineering than boys as early as age six. 

The MGM initiative seeks to engage one million more girls in STEM and maker-centered learning opportunities over the next five years. Through their partnership with the Afterschool Network, out-of-school providers are able to enroll in “booster packs” which offer direct support for deeper learning practices and programming led by expert organizations in the field. Organizations are enlisted to create a framework for these booster pack members to learn, share, and ideate on their own goals to encourage and support girls in STEM. These dedicated members form a Community of Practice (CoP) that work towards a culminating product over the course of the training. 

When the STEM Next Opportunity Fund approached M+MN to host a CoP, staff felt well equipped to lead a robust learning series to address the initiative’s goals. The 5-week training started with participants establishing their goals for engaging more young women in their programming. The M+MN team then developed teachings for the remaining weeks, which included topics such as “Engaging Young Women in Engineering Solutions to Real World Problems” and “Universal Design for Learning”. Members were joined for the latter session by Kim Ducharme, ​​Director of Educational User Experience Design of CAST who shared about their Universal Design Learning (UDL) framework. UDL improves and optimizes teaching and learning based on scientific insights into how humans learn. To design with UDL, participants were taught to first set clear goals. Next, they were encouraged to anticipate the barriers learners will face in the goals, assessments, methods, materials, and physical environment. Finally, UDL Guidelines provide options to reduce those barriers. “When environments are intentionally designed to reduce barriers, all learners can engage in rigorous, meaningful learning and making,” remarked Ducharme during her guest facilitation. 

Karina Popovich was another guest speaker that shared her experience in the field. As the founder of Makers for COVID-19 and Makers for Change, Karina, an undergraduate student at Cornell University's Dyson School of Business, is pursuing a career at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and social impact, especially as it relates to engaging girls. She is focused on developing and exhibiting educational STEM pop ups where people least expect them through Inertia.

The cumulative result of the training was the development of a project proposal in which participants could receive peer review. “A great resource was the document we created detailing our commitment toward reaching more girls with our STEM/maker programs,” shared Sophia Bender, STEM Coordinator for Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania (BGCWPA). “We got a chance to articulate our goals to engage more girls, particularly through a narrative framing—surrounding our STEM challenges... BGCWPA values this opportunity and we look forward to continued partnership.”

The CoP represented an expansive and mixed geographic landscape, including members from the California, Hawaii, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming chapters of the Afterschool Network. At the conclusion of the 5-week course, participants were extended an invitation to join Maker + Mentors Network’s national learning network to develop efforts and further connect with like-minded communities across the country. Many of the attendees accepted and will continue to work with the additional 25+ communities in 2022 and beyond.  

“I gained a sense of renewal as I connected with colleagues from across the country. Even in a big city like Los Angeles, hands-on STEAM education can sometimes be a lonely field. I got a boost [from] being reminded just how many people know about and value this work,” said Executive Director, Jonathan Bijur, of reDiscover Center in Los Angeles, CA. 

About the Million Girl Moonshot Initiative

The Million Girls Moonshot initiative seeks to engage one million more girls in STEM and maker-centered learning opportunities over the next five years. MGM is currently recruiting a cohort of youth advocates who are committed to creating equity for girls in STEM through elevating youth voices and inspiring future STEM leaders. The inaugural cohort will include youth ages 13-18 who have participated in afterschool STEM programming, and who identify as female, gender-expansive, or outside of the identity of cis-gender male. To learn more about the Flight Crew, visit https://milliongirlsmoonshot.org/moonshot-flight-crew.

About Makers + Mentors Network

Since 2014, Citizen Schools’ STEM initiative, the Makers + Mentors Network, has worked toward uplifting STEM mentoring and maker-centered learning for underserved youth, including girls and students of color. Makers + Mentors Network’s strategy is informed by Citizen Schools’ 25+ years experience as a national leader in expanding opportunity through real world learning and mentorship.