How do STEM schools succeed?

What was the project about?

School conditions in STEM sector:
suggestions from research and practice

STEM subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, technology) play a significant social ans political role in Germany. The research project School-ProMINT systematically describes school conditions in STEM subject areas for school context in Germany. In addition, the effects on competencies, interests and career orientation in STEM subject areas were examined.

For this purpose, a total number of 24 schools with proven STEM focus in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony were analysed. Processes and characteristic of successful initiatives in the STEM fields were examined based on interviews with schools and heads of departments at STEM schools. Hence, the following main questions were formulated:

• Which processes and measures contribute to the successful implementation of a STEM focus in schools?
• How is a STEM focus currently structured in schools in Germany and what types of characteristics does it feature?
• What goals are intended by the implementation of a STEM focus, both from the perspective of students as well as from an entire school community?

Filed reports were supported by findings from empirical educational research. The state of research internationally on the influence of school conditions in the STEM fields was summarized to research synthesis.

What results did the project produce?

The results were summarized in this brochure (in German)➚. This should serve as a source of ideas "of schools for schools" with the potential for adapting it to one's own school situation. Two scientific articles were published in this project:

• Zum Zusammenhang von schulischen Rahmenbedingungen und der Berufsorientierung von Schülerinnen und Schülern: Sarah Reinhold, Doris Holzberger & Tina Seidel (2018) Encouraging a career in science: a research review of secondary schools’ effects on students’ STEM orientation, Studies in Science Education, 54:1, 69-103, DOI: 10.1080/03057267.2018.1442900

• Zum Zusammenhang von schulischen Rahmenbedingungen und Schülerleistungen: Doris Holzberger, Sarah Reinhold, Oliver Lüdtke & Tina Seidel (2020) A meta-analysis on the relationship between school characteristics and student outcomes in science and maths – evidence from large-scale studies, Studies in Science Education, 56:1, 1-34, DOI: 10.1080/03057267.2020.1735758