Read A personal story beyond the numbers: Policies that generate success stories, a blog published on the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) website, written by Monica Arkin and Isai Garcia-Baza.
Excerpt
Individuals with higher levels of formal education are likely to be more knowledgeable about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). They are also more likely to hold favorable attitudes toward STEM research, such as believing that it benefits society and having confidence in the scientific community. Yet only about 46 percent of the U.S. population earns an associate’s degree or higher, and many have limited access to STEM research findings that are relevant to everyday life. In particular, many parents could use high-quality information from child development research to make more informed caregiving decisions; however, they lack convenient, relatable means to access this information. How can we broaden access to STEM research to address the gap between actionable research findings and those who can benefit from them?