CaREN: Career Resources Education Network for STEM

教育发展中心性别和教育研究所。正在开发和维护一个科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）职业发展数字图书馆- CaREN，l。或STEM职业资源教育网络-针对吸引初中和高中早期学生。资源和用户服务和界面特别强调目前在STEM教育和职业中代表性不足的人群的需求和兴趣，包括女性，有色人种学生和残疾青年。该项目正在实现其目标：创建和维持一个易于访问的，全面的职业发展资源，邀请和吸引不同人群的初中和高中早期学生，这建立在他们不同的切入点和兴趣上，并将他们吸引到STEM领域易于导航的职业探索选择和资源中。该项目的活动包括：（1）在开发性别和科学数字图书馆的基础上，设计和开发CaREN数字图书馆;（2）利用当前关于有效获取和使用数字资源的研究;利用全国性调查和焦点小组来确定不同人群的中学生如何看待他们的职业发展需求，数字图书馆可以帮助他们的方式，以及引人入胜的设计的关键组成部分。CaREN对代表性不足的人群的关注有助于让更多的学生接触STEM职业选择，从而增加他们在高中和大学阶段学习STEM科目的人数。

The Gender and Diversities Institute at Education Development Center, Inc. is developing and maintaining a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career development digital library - CaREN, l. or the Career Resources Education Network for STEM- targeted toward engaging middle and early high school students. The resources and, the user services and interface place particular emphasis on the needs and interests of currently underrepresented populations in STEM education and careers, including females, students of color, and youth with disabilities.The project is achieving its goals to: create and sustain an easily accessible, comprehensive career development resource that is inviting and engaging of diverse populations of middle and early high school students, and that builds on theirdiverse points of entry and interest, and draws them into an easily navigable range of career exploration options and resources in the STEM field. Among the project's activities are: 1) the design and development of the CaREN digital library based on development of the Gender and Science Digital Library; 2) the use of current research on effectively accessing and using digital resources; and, 3) utilization of national surveys and focus groups in determining how different populations of middle school students perceive their career development needs, ways that a digital library could help them, and the key components of an engaging design. CaREN's focus on underrepresented populations is serving to expose more students to STEM career options, thereby increasing their flow into the study of STEM subjects at the high school and college levels.