A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING STEM FOCUSED SCHOOLS

The importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education continues to grow around the world.Increasingly, schools are examining ways to implement STEM into their programs and curriculum and policymakers are discussing the urgent need for greater and more effective STEM instruction to meet the growing needs of various industries.As a result, ministries and departments of education are responding by creating pathways for schools to become specialized STEM-focused schools.These schools, theoretically, would offer curriculum designed to foster critical thinking, experiential learning opportunities in STEM, and innovative problem-solving by integrating the four STEM disciplines.Students in these schools often learn through project-based learning and consider real-world applications that include opportunities for collaboration with the community.The goal of these schools is often to increase student achievement and prepare students for careers in STEM fields, especially those that come from underrepresented populations.However, STEM-focused schools often face several key challenges when it comes to implementation.These challenges include ensuring students from underrepresented populations have equal access, navigating the shifts in resource allocation which can be significant, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the programs.However, these challenges can potentially become strengths of STEM-focused schools when guided by purposeful and intentional implementation, starting with the key structures and conditions that must be in place even before starting to make significant changes.A pre-implementation framework will ensure that all critical components are thoughtfully addressed before implementation begins.This is important in order to provide a clear roadmap for future changes, organize the process and define priorities.This presentation will review the existing literature on STEM-focused schools and propose a framework for the pre-implementation structures and practices necessary before schools start the work of transforming into equitable and effective STEM-focused institutions.This information will provide teachers, administrators, and policymakers with a research-based framework around which to make informed decisions as they move toward the successful implementation of STEM in a school-wide setting.