STEM Teaching and Learning in Informal and Non Formal Contexts

This webinar explores the role of informal and non-formal STEM education in addressing opportunity gaps and fostering more equitable pathways into STEM fields. Drawing on research and practice, the session will examine how these learning environments support the development of STEM identity, self-efficacy, academic engagement, and career aspirations among populations historically underrepresented in STEM. Particular attention will be given to the ways in which expanding access to meaningful STEM experiences outside traditional classrooms can help mitigate inequities in preparation and participation, thereby contributing to the long-term reduction of achievement gaps. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how informal and non-formal STEM learning environments function as critical sites of equity-focused intervention, helping to transform disparities in opportunity into pathways for achievement, persistence, and success in STEM. Joseph Isaac