Family Engagement to Support Community Sustaining STE(A)M Education

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 12:40 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Promoting STE(A)M Through Family, School, Community Partnerships (Table 30)

Abstract

Calls for broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning and careers have become common but often remain vague about what needs to change for these fields to become more inclusive. We argue that the role of families and communities is critical in reaching the goal of broadening participation in STEM, and that collaborations among teachers, students, families, and community members should be central to such efforts. This study describes work facilitating two models of STEM family engagement with teachers, families, and communities in rural Oregon. The models resulted in different outcomes seen in data from family interviews at the end of family engagement activities where parents and children interview each other about STEM in their lives.

Authors

• Cory A. Buxton, Oregon State University

• Diana Crespo Camacho, Oregon State University

• Barbara Ettenauer, Oregon State University

• Charissa V. Jones, Oregon State University