Partnerships to Transform STEM Learning: A Case Study of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Ecosystem

An in-depth case study of one of America’s first STEM Learning Ecosystems in Tulsa, Oklahoma, conducted by researchers at The PEAR Institute: Partnerships in Education and Resilience, finds that strong leadership, deep partnerships, and data-informed methods have led to the creation of diverse, high-quality, STEM-rich learning opportunities for Tulsa’s youth. Additionally, these efforts improved the capacity of STEM educators through high-quality professional development and supported youth pathways to STEM careers by increasing mentoring opportunities for STEM professionals.

These findings emerge from Partnerships to Transform STEM Learning: A Case Study of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Ecosystem, among the first case studies of the national STEM Learning Ecosystem (SLE) Community of Practice (CoP). The SLE CoP initiative promotes local collaborations across community sectors, such as schools, afterschool programs, companies, universities, and museums, to provide quality, STEM-rich learning experiences for all young people, their families, and the larger community. The case study focused on the work of the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA), the lead entity of Tulsa’s SLE.