INCLUSIVE PREK STEM PLAYGROUPS: EMPOWERING OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS FOR CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE IN STEM LEARNING

Inclusive PreK STEM Playgroups: Empowering our Youngest Learners and their Caregivers for Confidence and Competence in STEM Learning Project Summary/Abstract There are STEM opportunity gaps for a number of young children, including those with disabilities and from underserved populations. The proposed project aims to address those

gaps and to increase access to high quality STEM learning opportunities for all young children. By creating partnerships between researchers and practitioners, the project has the potential to impact many young children and their caregivers who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to engage in STEM learning.

The proposed science education partnership (SEP) consists of researchers and practitioners in an informal learning space collaborating together in the co-development and implementation of inclusive STEM playgroups for children with and without disabilities and their caregivers. Researchers will support the practitioner team to collect and analyze preliminary efficacy data

relative to child-caregiver engagement, child STEM play skills, and caregiver feelings of self- efficacy and confidence and competence related to embedding STEM learning, specifically related to foundational computational thinking skills into their daily routines and activities. The project will last for two years using a waitlist control design comparing groups receiving the

intervention to those who are on the waitlist. Both quantitative data and qualitative data will be collected and analyzed in order to assess playgroup preliminary efficacy and preliminary changes in caregiver perceptions following playgroup participation. Qualitative data will additionally be used for ongoing modifications and adaptations of the playgroup model and

materials to ensure that they are useful and relevant to caregivers and children who are participating in them. The findings and products from the proposed project could inform future inclusive STEM playgroups both in informal learning spaces and beyond and will be freely available on the partners’ websites. Overall, the project has the potential to lessen the STEM opportunity gaps

that exist for many children and caregivers.