An Online STEM Career Exploration and Readiness Environment for Opportunity Youth

探索研究K-12项目（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具（rmt），显著提高pre -12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。CAST、马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校和YouthBuild USA旨在创建一个基于网络的STEM职业探索和准备环境（CEE-STEM）。这将为16-24岁既不在学校也没有工作的青年提供机会，帮助他们重新参与STEM学习，培养与各种高等教育/培训和就业途径相关的STEM技能和能力。该项目将为年轻人提供一个个性化的便携式工具，让他们有机会探索STEM职业，展示他们的STEM学习，反思STEM职业兴趣，并采取行动，朝着感兴趣的STEM职业道路前进。拟议的计划解决了机会青年STEM学习的两个关键和相互关联的方面：发展STEM基础知识；STEM参与、准备和职业道路。STEM学习的这些方面是通过一个综合的项目模型来解决的，其中包括课堂STEM教学；包括绿色建筑、卫生保健和技术在内的职业道路的实践工作培训。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.CAST, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and YouthBuild USA aim to create a web-based STEM Career Exploration and Readiness Environment (CEE-STEM). This will support opportunities for youth ages 16-24 who are neither in school nor are working, in rebuilding engagement in STEM learning and developing STEM skills and capacities relevant to diverse postsecondary education/training and employment pathways. The program will provide opportunity youth with a personalized and portable tool to explore STEM careers, demonstrate their STEM learning, reflect on STEM career interests, and take actions to move ahead with STEM career pathways of interest. The proposed program addresses two critical and interrelated aspects of STEM learning for opportunity youth: the development of STEM foundational knowledge; and STEM engagement, readiness and career pathways. These aspects of STEM learning are addressed through an integrated program model that includes classroom STEM instruction; hands-on job training in career pathways including green construction, health care, and technology.