STEM Without Boundaries - Informal STEM Learning for Girls

We accelerate the impact of informal learning through the use of digital technologies already available at the local level to encourage girls to learn STEM beyond the classroom by connecting them with empowering individuals, who will be using our social learning approaches which are open source.

STEM Without Boundaries (STEM) creates a volunteering movement to make it possible for anyone around the world to get involved at any level to encourage girls to pursue and stay in STEM outside of their classrooms. We empower people to engage in projects and challenges that help girls to continuously be aspired to learn science and math through the use of digital technologies already available to them at the local level. By creating safe environments and solving multiple existing challenges faced by girls outside of the classroom, these advocates will contribute to solving some of the biggest challenges issues in informal STEM learning. SWB will set to turn digital learning engagement into an easy to implement and efficient experience, accessible to absolutely everyone at a global scale. 

Even though gender gaps in STEM learning have been closing, gaps in STEM self-concept and aspirations remain large. Even when girls perform academically well in STEM, many lose interest and do not pursue careers in STEM, representing an exodus of talent among girls who could otherwise become the next generation of scientists and inventors of technology. 

When compared to formal learning, girls are more likely to engage as readers instead as collaborators when using digital technologies for informal STEM learning. Collaboration and communication are core competencies emphasized in the 21st century education but yet it is seemingly low.

Our input is time spent to train individuals who will lead digital platforms identified for collaborative informal STEM learning. These individuals will engage with girls who are showing interest to learn STEM informally but are not comfortable to communicate in a male dominated space. As a result, the output created will be an increased number of engagement that is likely to occur in this space. The outcome of the project will increase the number of girls who are likely to pursue and persist in STEM studies and careers. The impact will see the girls achieve economic independence through STEM careers.

The impact of our solution will see the girls who join our informal STEM digital learning journey achieve economic independence through STEM careers. Our targeted girls are those who are between 15-24 years old who have access to digital technologies (mainly Web 2.0 and mobile devices). Access to informal STEM learning outside of the classroom will be available to them at any time, anywhere with the guidance and support from their social network of digital leaders and peers.

Track data analytics and insights - 10,000 girls in each of the 5 countries are follow on our digital platforms

Track data analytics and insights - An average of 10,000 engagement in each of the 5 countries on our digital platforms

Track individual application for the leader roles - 1,000 leaders who are empowered to rally informal STEM learning in 5 countries

Only 3% of girls said they collaborate and communicate all the time using digital technologies to explore STEM related topics outside of the classroom. This is exceptionally low compared to the digital access available to them. Our solution enable girls to optimise the use of the existing digital technologies available to them at the local level for informal STEM learning. 

Our solution is a volunteered driven social movement and using existing available technology for communication at the local level. Hence, our human centred approach will definitely meet your criteria and values.

Our solutions will be made available online (free and open source) for any individuals who want to drive the informal STEM movement. However, these individuals have to work independently and resourcefully to cultivate and build the informal STEM learning agenda at the local level. Knowledge and information are free and 

In the first year, we hope to leverage on this MIT program to help us to network and collaborate with reputable organisations to kickstart the pilot in 5 countries, while still pursuing our research study in this area. Subsequently in the second year, we will build enough contents and achieve some milestones for us to receive a grant and corporate sponsorship to expand the program. At the local level, volunteers/leaders should be able to identify sustainable financial support to back their own initiatives. We hope to scale up to 10 countries within the next 5 years and impacted 100,000 girls around the world.

Generally, investors are usually in favor of solutions that help underprivileged communities and lower income nations. However, as a team that comes from a developed country, we believe the people in middle income and high income nations should not be left out too. Our solutions are mainly catered for this group of communities and we wish for an equal opportunity to empower girls through informal STEM learning beyond their classroom. Otherwise, we don't see any other factors that will limit our ability to deploy this solution in order to succeed.

We're applying to Solve to get our idea validated. We hope to be given the opportunity to pilot and eventually scale our solution. Because it's also part of a research for postgraduate degree, we hope we can put those data to good use and benefit the people of this program. 

We do not have any partners at this point of time except some other social movements in our country whom we can speak to for advices but not in terms of collaboration.

There isn't a competitors that I know of at this point of time.