NSF Org:	DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
Recipient:	NATIONAL GIRLS COLLABORATIVE
Initial Amendment Date:	July 20, 2022
Latest Amendment Date:	March 19, 2025
Award Number:	2214449
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Lori Takeuchi ltakeuch@nsf.gov  (703)292-2190 DRL  Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	September 1, 2022
End Date:	November 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$245,882.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$294,721.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2022 = $245,882.00 FY 2025 = $48,839.00
History of Investigator:	Karen Peterson (Principal Investigator) kpeterson@ngcproject.org Erin Stafford (Co-Principal Investigator) Emily Early (Co-Principal Investigator) Tara Cox (Former Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	National Girls Collaborative 1616 H ST NW WASHINGTON DC  US  20006-4917 (206)914-9441
Sponsor Congressional District:	00
Primary Place of Performance:	National Girls Collaborative 1616 H St NW Washington DC  US  20006-4917
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	00
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	SLUJNEK2MLF8
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	AISL
Primary Program Source:	04002223DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04002526DB NSF STEM Education
Program Reference Code(s):	7556, 8212
Program Element Code(s):	725900
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

The National Girls Collaborative Project and Education Development Center are convening ?Advancing the Conversation on Scaling National Informal STEM Programs,? a two-and-a-half day knowledge-building conference that brings together key stakeholders in informal STEM education (ISE) to examine what scale looks like across informal learning settings. Currently, there is not a common definition or set of dimensions related to what it means to scale programs in informal learning settings. Approaches to scale in ISE too often center on the perspectives and needs of people who are developing and spreading programs while less consideration is given to the realities of those responsible for operationalizing programs in hyper-local contexts. This conference approaches the question of scale from the perspective of the program implementers, who are the beneficiaries of capacity building and serve as facilitators of these scaled programs. The conference also gives voice to program developers, researchers, evaluators, and funders of national informal STEM programs who study and support scale in education. The aim of the conference is to develop a new framework for scale in ISE that centers partnership and capacity building of informal educators. Such an approach to scale addresses issues of local access and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and promotes sustainability of ISE in high-need communities.

Conference discussions challenge three common misperceptions of scale across ISE: (1) simple spread and replication of turnkey programs lead to effective scale in ISE; (2) definitions of scale derived from formal learning settings should be used to scale across ISE; and (3) scale across ISE should be defined by program developers and those that seek to study it. Participants with a wide range of perspectives and who represent a diversity of organizational types will attend the conference and work together to articulate scaling success factors, barriers, diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, and intended outcomes, distilling themes, questions, and concerns about current approaches to evaluating and researching scale in ISE. Together, conference participants will co-create a framework for scale in ISE which will define new and expanded dimensions of scale that center on capacity building and diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as a Program Developer?s Guide for scaling ISE programs through the lens of the framework. These products will increase the knowledge and capacity of informal learning organizations involved in nationally scaled initiatives, STEM-rich institutions wanting to scale their own locally developed programs, informal STEM researchers and evaluators, and the broader field of ISE including program funders. Conference findings will be broadly disseminated through publications, conferences, and a national webinar co-hosted by the National Girls Collaborative Project and Education Development Center.

This conference is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to (a) advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments; (b) provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; (c) advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and (d) engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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