Wraparound Services for STEM Learning (WSSL)
Abstract
San Diego, California, is home to the nations largest military community and its defense cluster is the driving force behind the re,gions innovation economy; it is the second largest recipient of defense procurement dollars. The Navy is the number one employer in, San Diego, which includes numerous STEM jobs. However, the next generation of workers are poorly prepared for a job in a STEM field,, especially individuals of color from low-income backgrounds. With the high need, there has been a proliferation of STEM programmin,g over the last 20 years, not just in schools but in after-school and out-of-school time settings. These efforts, however, are in mo,st cases disconnected from one another and are comprised of no more than a transactional relationship with a school or caregiver. Th,e result is rather than identifying measurable, targeted community goals and building on STEM concepts, they each operate in a vacuu,m with no reliable outcome. Fleet Science Centers solution will facilitatea collaborative called Wraparound Services for STEM Lear,ning (WSSL) to establish coordinated STEM learning that is informed by Naval Base San Diego and aligned with job forecasts relevant, to the Department of the Navy. As the leader of the San Diego STEM Ecosystem, offering STEM education and outreach efforts across S,an Diego County, Fleet Science Center has the experience and infrastructure to lead this project. Fleet Science Center is engaging s,ix partners as follows: Naval Base San Diego (School Liaison Officer will educate and provide guidance to the WSSL partnership), Nat,ional School District (liaison for in-class and after-school STEM learning), Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center (in-class and aft,er-school STEM learning), A Reason to Survive-ARTS (in-class and after-school learning, in addition to family STEM experiences), Oce,an Connectors (in-class STEM learning), and National City Public Library (host of parent workshops and family STEM activities). Targ,et populations forWSSL include elementary and middle school students from schools with a high Free and Reduced Lunch Program rate wh,ich indicates low income, poor math/science scores, and where more than 95% of students are Hispanic. WSSL also educates parents/car,egivers about the importance of STEM and offers shared STEM experiences for families. Teachers will also receive professional STEM t,raining to increase their confidence in STEM concepts and to demonstrate ways they can incorporate STEM into several lessons. Annual,ly, WSSL will reach more than 1,000 youths via in-school and after-school programming, 600 parents/caregivers and their child with S,TEM activities, and 180 teachers and 100 parents with STEM education, modified for each group. Measurable goals include integrating,Fleet Science Center and WSSL partner curriculum with teaching methods and curriculum from Naval Base San Diego consistent with Stat,e curriculum standards; improving communications between partners resulting in coordinated STEM activities; reducing redundancies in, STEM curriculum and ensuring STEM learning and activities build on each other and leverage partnership; increasing student, parent/,caregiver, teacher, and community engagement in STEM learning; measuring and refining any obstacles to ensure the project can be rep,licated. Dr. James Marshall, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a recognized expert in both pro,gram evaluation and community partnerships, will lead the evaluation effort utilizing a variety of models and frameworks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 05, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212523
Entities
People
- Kris Mooney
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
- United States Navy