STEM Survey
Afterschool Stakeholder:
The following is a survey that will help the NC Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) and our statewide partners learn more about the state of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in afterschool programming in North Carolina.
Even if you are not currently offering STEM programming, we still want to hear from you! The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. By completing this survey, you are also entered into a drawing for a Vivitar digital camera! Winners will be announced in August 2012!
What's been happening:
Over the past decade, NC CAP's strong partnerships with over 40 key state and local cross-sector partners, combined with an extensive network of over 6,000 afterschool programs serving more than 150,000 children and youth in the state, have positioned NC CAP as a critical catalyst in advancing STEM education in our state:
• Leading the charge to unify the afterschool field around STEM by assessing the landscape of afterschool STEM;
• Developing regional afterschool STEM hubs;
• Piloting outreach to educate and engage afterschool programs across the state;
• Conducting a statewide Youth STEM Summit; and
• Convening regional and state STEM leaders to develop a strategic plan for advancing afterschool STEM system-building that is focused on strategy and coordination, capacity building, and policy/advocacy efforts.
What's to come:
With your help, NC CAP and our statewide partners hope to implement a plan for systems change that will include:
• Developing a clearinghouse of best practices, curricula, trainings, and evaluation tools;
• Coordinating state and regional efforts to bring together a diverse group of STEM stakeholders;
• Infusing STEM into the state’s afterschool professional development system;
• Educating funders, business leaders, policymakers, and the general public about Afterschool STEM;
• Connecting youth and adult mentors to programs statewide; and
• Closing the knowledge gap and other barriers in afterschool programs’ awareness and utilization of STEM community resources.
For the purpose of this survey, we are using the following definitions:
STEM PROGRAMMING or STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES (used interchangeably) - includes lessons, activities, and curricula that focus on science, technology, engineering, and/or math, or any combination of the four.
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS - include a variety of offerings for children and youth, K-12, that take place before school, after school, on weekends, during the summer, or during track-out.
Please complete the survey by August 10, 2012.