UTS STEAMpunk Girls

UTS STEAMpunk Girls is a program empowering girls (aged 12-16) through engagement with science, technology, entrepreneurship, engineering, arts, and maths (STEAM) fields and role models. Participants develop interdisciplinary mindsets and technical skills, equipping them for the 21st century workforce, and an enhanced capacity to solving problems in their local community.

STEAMpunk Girls’ provides a unique interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial and technology-focused approach to improving  the engagement and perceived self-efficacy of young women (particularly from low socioeconomic and rural/regional backgrounds) in STEM. Given concerns regarding women’s declining participation in STEM, UTS recognises the importance of a more equitable and representative future workforce that utilises individuals’ diverse talents. While there is no quick fix to the problem, the creation of evidence-based outcomes that influence policy, resources and novel pedagogical approaches and pathways into STEM constitute worthy and timely interventions that contribute to a holistic approach to STEM learning and teaching in high schools.  

Declining STEM engagement is a concern for Australia, exacerbated by diminishing female representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) fields. Studies point to lower self-efficacy perceptions among girls, regarding studying and working in STEM. In terms of what UNESCO calls ‘transversal skills’, Australian youth are lagging behind their international peers. This does not bode well for an agile 21st century, global workforce, equipped to solve increasingly complex problems. STEAMpunk Girls aims to bridge this gap through novel programs that empower girls to operate with an interdisciplinary mindset through STEAM theory and practice, and through merging the creative with the technical. 

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) education is increasingly envisioned as a novel method for engaging young women in STEM. The inclusion of creativity and a humanities context (with links to positive social impact) has been proven to increase young women’s interest in STEM and to improve learning and teaching outcomes in general. To harness this potential, STEAMpunk Girls was developed through a co-design process with girls, and subsequently trialled at four schools. Preliminary results indicate improved understanding, interest and confidence in STEM fields, in interdisciplinary learning, and increased exposure to the role of technological solutions in problem solving.

The program primarily benefits young women from low socioeconomic backgrounds and their teachers. It aims to deliver the following main outcomes:

• Improved engagement in STEM among participants, especially girls from low socioeconomic and rural/remote residential backgrounds
• Increased ‘STEAM-powered’ teaching efficacy among participating teachers and schools
• Increased awareness of the benefits of transversal/interdisciplinary STEAM skills, among students’ parents/guardians
• Replicable research instruments for measuring STEAM-based outcomes
• Creation of evidence-based STEAM pedagogical resources for wide-scale deployment
• Improved awareness among industry partners regarding STEAM concepts and commensurate organisational policies that recognise STEAM skillsets
• Development of a teacher community of practice to share professional practice input 

Indicator: recruitment of 500 program participants (by Dec 2018), with at least 1/3 cohort consisting of girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Instrument/method: Longitudinal participant surveys demonstrating alignment with indicators. - Improved engagement in STEM among student participants, especially girls from low socioeconomic and rural/remote residential backgrounds.

Indicator: recruitment of at least 2 teachers from each participating school.

Instrument/method: Focus groups and interviews with participating teachers, with positive indicators for improved teacher efficacy engagement. - Increased ‘STEAM-powered’ teaching efficacy among participating teachers and schools

Indicator: Positive feedback as to the rigor and suitability of the learning and teaching resources designed by the program. Positive feedback from stakeholders regarding the resources.

Instrument: academic peer review process, feedback forms. - Creation of evidence-based STEAM pedagogical resources for wide-scale deployment across the national education sector

STEAMpunk Girls puts technology in the hands of young women, empowering them with interdisciplinary, technological and design skillsets to solve problems they’re passionate about. The program is evidence based, drawing on previous projects and research to design learning that best supports students and teachers. Young women will have the opportunity to contribute to conversations around STEM pedagogy, innovation, and government, industry and education policy. The program’s unique value proposition is its focus on the intersection of creativity, social impact, science and technology, and the use of entrepreneurial methods to further equip young women with 21st century capabilities.  

STEAMpunk Girls’ co-design foundations ensure that its processes and goals are democratically conceived. The program’s inception brought together young women from a number of low socioeconomic schools to attend co-design workshops aimed at integrating participants into the design of the program itself. This has ensured that the program is appropriate for its audience and empowers participants to feel a sense of ownership in its, and their, success. The program equips young women with key STEM skillsets and concepts to engage with community issues they are passionate about, and to develop an entrepreneurial, solution-based approach to the challenges they face.

It is crucial that barriers to accessing quality STEM educational experiences, particularly for underserved community members is removed for young women in Australia. Based at the University of Technology Sydney, STEAMpunk Girls utilises the University’s existing relationships and resources to connect with high schools across Australia. Through these networks, and presenting at conferences and events, STEAMpunk Girls has already received expressions of interest from over 60 schools. By receiving funding support from the University and seeking external grant funding, it is the goal of STEAMpunk Girls to provide the program at zero cost to participants and their schools. 

A number of organisations, including the Australian Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), have provided resources and time to STEAMpunk Girls, with the University of Technology Sydney committing to over $130,000 per annum of in-kind funding for the upcoming 2017-2018 sessions. However, in order for the program to be delivered at zero cost to participants from disadvantaged communities, it is crucial that STEAMpunk Girls receive funding from sources such as Solve to continue. Program organisers will also continue to leverage the University of Technology Sydney’s place in the community to communicate and connect with potential funders in the future

The growth of STEAMpunk Girls requires financial support. Financial support will assist in creating digital platform with educational resources for dissemination and scalability. STEAMpunk Girls aims to gradually increase the number of women moving into the STEM pipeline, however, the nature of the program is that it relies on external funding to iteratively grow. Without the support of initiatives such as Solve, the ability of STEAMpunk Girls to reach young women in disadvantaged communities across Australia and Asia Pacific will be limited. 

https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/articles/steam-education-taking-a-co-design-approach

http://splash.abc.net.au/newsandarticles/blog/-/b/2517621/steampunk-girls-a-new-project-that-empowers-young-women-to-shape-the-digital-future

https://twitter.com/search?q=steampunkgirls&src=typd

STEAMpunk Girls aims to find the best practice educational and scalable approach to equipping young women with technical skills and crucial capabilities to empower them to pursue STEM study and career pathways. STEAMpunk Girls seeks to utilise the Solve community by securing future funding and creating connections with global partners to broaden the reach of the program internationally. Furthermore, STEAMpunk Girls aims to develop an approach to co-design that can be replicated in other programs and organisations to help position women at the centre of problem solving and technology use and design. 

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIR0), Australian Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences,  Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

STEAMpunk Girls is not aware of any competitors, particularly as it is a not-for-profit program.