network

The six-member organizations of the International Dialogue on STEM Education (IDoS peers) release a learning paper: “How can networks help encourage the development and professionalization of innovative early STEM Education in a changing world?”, that highlights the impact of networks among diverse actors and initiatives engaged in early STEM Education. In a world marred by crises and growing complexities, the paper recommends network-building and collaboration to ensure children receive quality STEM Education.

The world is becoming more complex. In the face of the climate crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, social inequality, and the changes brought by digitalization, children today need to acquire skills and competencies to cope with future challenges. Thus, extensive advocacy for quality early education in science, technology, engineering/ computer science, and mathematics (STEM) is needed, as it promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills in children and benefits community members and societies around the globe. In their learning paper, the six IDoS peers “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation, Siemens Stiftung, Smithsonian Science Education Center, LUMA Centre Finland, Fondation La main à la pâte, and the Office for Climate Education (OCE) demonstrate how impact networks (formed to address complex social or environmental issues) can enhance innovative early STEM Education. As experts in this field, the peers aim to support field-developing institutions to increase the impact of their work for a better and easily accessible education worldwide.

Paper lists criteria for successful networking in STEM Education

In the paper, the peers draw on scientific findings combined with their own experiences of impactful collaborations. The paper presents five types of networks (Resilience Networks, Scale Networks, Action Networks, Movement Networks, and Learning Networks) and identifies key factors that determine the success of a collaborative network. These include a good strategy and stewardship of the network, sufficient resources and funding, high motivation and commitment of network members, the application of effective practices of monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL), as well as the network’s ability to adapt to the context and complexity they are faced with.

We can address the global challenges only by connecting people, communities, and societies. The IDoS network’s learning paper bears testimony to this: Joint exchanges help identify meaningful and pressing themes in the STEM field. By learning, exchanging, and experiencing together as sparring partners and in the process realising United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 17: ‘Revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development’. The 17 SDGs can only be met if the global community combines forces to work together. 

- Dr. Nina Smidt, Managing Director and Spokesperson of the Board at Siemens Stiftung

Our network partners in Germany enable us to scale up our continuing professional development programme for teachers and educators all over the country, thus ensuring that as many children as possible get a quality STEM Education. Similarly, other IDoS organisations cooperate with networks in their respective countries and even across borders. This paper demonstrates how a strategic interplay of actors from education, politics, business, science, and society gives the field of early STEM Education the attention and support it deserves.

- Michael Fritz, Executive Manager of “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation

Combined expertise to drive change

IDoS defines itself as a learning network, formed to exchange and combine knowledge and best practices from organizations around the world to deal with the growing intricacy of STEM Education. Not only do STEM disciplines become more intertwined as sustainable development goals evolve, but the environments in which they are being taught are changing as well, as they come to include digital tools like Open Educational Resources (OER), blended- or hybrid learning, and online learning. Organizations that specialize in teachers’ training and in the provision of pedagogical resources need to be able to adapt to these new environments. IDoS peers pave the way for networks to become “education ecosystems”: supporting and implementing national education policies, increasing the capacity of teachers and educators, and improving access to STEM Education worldwide. IDoS peers share a common vision of educational innovation, whereby STEM Education concepts are developed, professionalized, and effectively implemented in networks of different countries in a way that is tailored to local needs on the ground.

Their learning paper is the second publication by members of IDoS. The first publication in 2019 argued for an integrated approach to STEM Education for Sustainable Development. In 2023, the peer dialogue will focus on the topic of “STEM Education in a digitalized world”.

Read the original story from Stiftung Kinder forschen | Little Scientists Foundation webpage.

For further information about the IDoS project: the blog post.