Why Schools Should Cultivate STEM Identity in Students

 
While that sentiment is valid and is effective for many people who become high achievers, this aspirational goal doesn’t even cross the minds of those children who are the furthest away from opportunities. We are here to give them the resources and the tools they need to dream big and achieve bigger.
 

What it Means to Conceive, Believe, Achieve

According to Dictionary.com, conceive means “to form a notion, opinion, purpose, etc.” Young people that have been raised in an environment without exposure to STEM concepts or careers don’t have the opportunities to form a purpose or identity in STEM, so they also don’t have the opportunity to believe in their STEM abilities.
 
One educator shared a story about a guest speaker who visited her third-grade classroom in her underserved and underfunded school to talk about STEM careers. During the presentation, the speaker asked students to share what jobs they hoped to have in the future. In addition to common responses like “become a professional athlete,” one student said she wanted to make mattresses when she grew up.
 
It was an unexpected response, but in her world, she was able to conceive the concept of a job in mattress-making. If she wants a career in manufacturing mattresses, that could be the right path for this young lady. Yet, we must provide students with awareness of a broad range of options and opportunities so they can make a choice, rather than having a choice made for them.
 
As an educator, you already know this. However, as we get excited about helping students “believe and achieve,” it’s a good reminder for us to level-set expectations for children and teenagers who come from diverse backgrounds and may not have experienced the “conceived” part of the equation.
 

STEM Identity Is Becoming a Necessity

The concept of STEM identity isn’t brand new, but its relevance has never been greater. As our world’s need for competent and forward-thinking professionals working in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics grows, it’s essential that educators help students form a positive STEM identity — especially for children haven’t had exposure to the wonders of STEM.
 
A child’s STEM identity is a multi-faceted form of social identity that is driven by two key factors:

• Typicality. This is the belief that you are a person who is compatible with being a STEM student or professional because you see yourself as someone with the traits of those who work in STEM disciplines.
• Centrality. This is the level to which your beliefs, abilities and knowledge are aligned with STEM fields. It also includes the feeling that members of the STEM discipline(s) you are interested in accept you (or will accept you as you move into the workforce).

 

NMSI is a Driver of STEM Identity

Since its inception, National Math and Science Initiative has been committed to supporting educators in their efforts to help students build a strong STEM identity. One of the most critical aspects of fostering a STEM identity among students is to cultivate a culture of STEM ubiquitousness throughout the district.
 
This often starts with taking an honest assessment of the way teachers, administrators, staff, parents and students talk about things such as Advanced Placement® classes. It can be easy to subconsciously put students in a box — or allow them to put themselves in a box — when it comes to AP® coursework, other areas of study, extracurricular activities and even everyday conversations.
 
As we wrote in 2021, the belief that AP is exclusively for “smarter” individuals remains in the minds of many students, parents, teachers and school administrators. The truth is that nearly every high school student can take AP classes. But AP coursework isn’t the only way to infuse a STEM identity into the classroom. In addition, STEM acuity needs to start at a much younger age so that students have the “I can do it” and “I belong” mindset by the time they reach high school.
 

Flipping the Script on STEM Identity

“Even at a young age, many students adopt mantras such as ‘I’m not a math person,’ or ‘I’m not a science person,’ and repeat these phrases to themselves whenever they struggle with their STEM coursework,” said Lourdes Norman-McKay, Ph.D. in an article for the American Society for Microbiology.
 
“They hear these phrases from adults –– often their teachers and parents,” Norman-McKay continues. “Such mantras cement that any struggle with science and math coursework is simply because one is not inherently wired to learn or understand the core concepts, and therefore, it is natural, and even expected, that one will not succeed in STEM work. Imagine how differently students would approach STEM coursework if these limiting ideas were obliterated.”
  The words we choose, the actions we take and the expectations we set for students can cultivate STEM identity, even among those who may not have a natural affinity for STEM education. This is more than an opportunity to create positive STEM learning experiences — it’s our honor and privilege to serve students in this way.
 

STEM Identity is a Life Matter

Although cultivating STEM identity in students often paves the path toward a career medicine, technology, engineering, research, cybersecurity, environmental science, and countless other roles, nurturing students’ STEM identity serves them well across the spectrum of their lives — even if they don’t pursue a career in STEM fields. Here are some of the ways STEM identity takes students beyond STEM workforce readiness:

• Fosters Critical Thinking — With the advent of Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT and other technologies, it has made it easier to go from “start” to “finish” with minimal mental involvement. Prior to the rush of AI flooding the milieu, smart phones have practically eliminated critical thinking as evidenced by the number of young people who rely on apps for skills like navigating a new city or conducting deep, exploratory research to find verifiable content. The days of unfolding a map or referencing hard-bound encyclopedias are gone.
• Stimulates Innovation — Ironically, forward-thinking STEM professionals developed so many innovations that we (both students and adults) don’t often need to be creative problem solvers. Need to fix a vacuum? Hop on YouTube. Unable to parallel park? Hit a button in your car. Have another challenge? Shop online and have the solution shipped to you.
• Facilitates Hands-On Exploration — Along the same vein as the previous points, as children, many of us spent our days being “bored” until we found something to explore, investigate, take apart, build or keep our hands and minds busy. STEM activities bring back the hands-on back aspect of discovery.
• Encourages Failure —Children who haven’t received positive feedback for making mistakes are typically afraid to try something new. Kids who are ridiculed — by parents, peers, neighbors, strangers, or even educators — for making mistakes will always play it safe. Piano teacher Eloise Ristad exhorts us that believe that “when we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel.”
• Promotes Taking Calculated Risks — In their efforts to be loving and supportive, helicopter and snowplow parents often take away the gift of failure because they always set their kids up for success. Age-appropriate trial and error can provide children and young adults with confidence. And in a world that is changing at warp speed, we all need to keep taking big swings.
• Builds Confidence — If you’ve ever heard “I do it myself” from your child or a young student as they try to buckle their car seat or zip their jacket, you’ve also seen their eyes light up when they achieve this. Helping students form a STEM identity requires intentionality in creating opportunities for confidence-building.
• Promotes Equity — When students see a diverse group of kids heading into AP classes or they hear others talking about it, this increases their feeling that a) they are capable and b) they belong. This is one manifestation of the Typicality and Centrality needed to form and nurture a STEM identity among all students.
• Facilitates Collaboration — There are many reasons why people don’t work together. These could include pride, insecurity or a situational barrier. As the world returned to pre-COVID life, a lot of in-person collaboration had gone by the wayside. For many people, especially those who are introverts or lack confidence, this has partially blocked their opportunity to experience the joy of collaborative learning and success. Educators can create spaces where teamwork becomes an inherent part of every single day.
• Develops Wise Consumers — With algorithms driving much of our media consumption, more and more people are living within echo chambers that feed their confirmation bias. Today’s students who will drive tomorrow’s economy need to apply critical thinking skills to ensure that they can ferret out truth when it comes to products, services and political rhetoric.
• Nurtures Curiosity — The natural curiosity that toddlers display often diminishes as they grow older. Anyone who is a parent or has taught little ones knows that one of their favorite questions is simply “Why?” But somewhere along the way, we get so distracted by technology or focused on what must be done that we don’t take the time to answer their “Whys” or ask our own.
• Delivers Global Impact — A STEM workforce filled with critical thinkers facilitates innovative solutions for worldwide challenges like climate change and public health, while also keeping the economic engine humming by equipping professionals for emerging global needs.
• Creates a Lifelong Learning Mindset — Whether a student wants to work in a STEM field, chooses another career path or decides to be a stay-at-home parent, they will need to proactively continue learning. This is where the magic of being a teacher happens — helping your students grow from those who are disengaged children to excited, self-motivated young adults.

 
Cultivating STEM identity is a significant part of NMSI’s work. We are committed to setting schools and districts up for success with all their students, not just the ones with a “natural affinity” for STEM. Learn how NMSI equips educators to help students thrive and reach their highest potential as problem solvers and lifelong learners who pursue their passions and tackle the world’s toughest challenges.
 
Want to learn more about STEM Identity and its role in cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators? Register for our webinar, “Cultivating STEM Identity in All Students” on May 6^th at 2pm EST. Education leaders Robin Johnson Ford, Todd Allen, and Dr. Kristen Vesely will share experiences and strategies you can use in your school district to build STEM Identity in all students. The conversation will be moderated by NMSI VP of Public Affairs Nichole Austion. Save your seat today!
 
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