Dive Brief:
- Science fairs can help educators and stakeholders expand access and opportunities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education across all grades, including elementary school.
- These learning and social events provide an opportunity for students to practice what they’re studying in school, explore new areas that pique their curiosity, and even fail in an environment that can provide a positive learning experience, said Rebekah Stendahl, program director at the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair.
- Science fairs require students “to own their own learning, which is unfortunately a rare practice,” Stendahl says. “And it gives them the opportunity to learn what interests them.”
Dive Insight:
School districts can help support the curriculum across buildings through science fairs. But more keenly, educators can use science fairs to help broader, more diverse student populations build scientific skills and connect to STEAM subjects, which ultimately increases the voices and perspectives in the scientific community overall.
To that end, MSEF coordinates volunteers in the STEAM community who want to work with students and can also support entire classes as well as individual pupils. Stendahl said this expands the number of students who can participate in science fairs.
“We’re connecting students to resources and making sure there’s a place for them,” said Stendahl.
Erika Shugart, CEO and executive director of the National Science Teaching Association, also reiterated that educators should ensure science fairs are open to all classes, and that learning differences and economic barriers don’t prevent students from taking part in the real-world, hands-on science experiences these events can offer.
Local grants can offset costs for schools, expanding the number of students involved, or schools can seek partnerships with local museums or businesses for more programming materials, Shugart said.
A team-based approach to science projects and fairs can also help to expand the voices involved, Shugart said, by elevating and including different voices and skill sets.
"There is an opportunity for schools and educators to be thoughtful of their selection and select a team-based program,” Shugart said. “There can be one student who is great at analysis, one who is more artsy, and one who is great at public speaking. They can bring in students with different approaches to learning."
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