Intellectual Merit: The EdLab Group proposes to leverage aspects of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) model, successfully implemented in a previous NSF-funded project, to expand the reach and impact of the NGCP. The proposed extension services project would use the comprehensive program of changed developed and tested in the previous project that uses collaboration to expand and strengthen STEM-related opportunities for girls and women. The NGCP model accomplishes this by creating a network of researchers, extension service agents and practitioners, facilitating collaboration within this network, and delivering high-quality research-based professional development. The proposed project will expand the network and type of professional development offered, serving more leaders and practitioners in the field and, ultimately, impacting more girls.
The NGCP's collaborative model changes the way practitioners and educators work to advance girls participation in STEM. It facilitates the development of practitioners in their knowledge of good gender equitable educational practices, awareness of the role of early education in STEM workforce development, and mutual support of peers locally and cross the country. Nearly 3 million girls are currently served under the umbrella of NGCP, and this next phase project will continue to serve them with greater quality, effectiveness, and provide a broader reach to a minimum of 500,000 additional girls and approximately 13,000 additional STEM practitioners. It will contribute to greater science and engineering literacy, and STEM workforce development.
Broader Impacts: This proposed second-phase effort will develop 11 new Regional Collaboratives, increasing the number of states served from 28 to 41 and incorporating geographical areas with significant representation of ethnic minorities who are greatly underserved in STEM. The project will focus training and professional development activities for practitioners to engage and serve underrepresented girls; for Regional Collaboratives to improve sustainability; and to expand outreach and dissemination to better equip school counselors to accurately inform and encourage girls in STEM. The EdLab Group will partner with the American School Counselor Association, Assessing Women and Men in Engineering Project, and DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) to expand the reach and impact of NGCP.
