MOMENTUM
MOMENTUM is a collaborative movement led by the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA) in partnership with The Opportunity Project (The Opp), aimed at revolutionizing the STEM education experience for youth in northeast Oklahoma. By forming strategic alliances and implementing innovative approaches, MOMENTUM strives to foster equitable opportunities and drive systemic change in STEM education, both within and beyond traditional classroom environments.
This initiative represents a significant stride towards achieving equity and transformation in STEM education. While digital badges play a crucial role, they alone cannot address all aspects of equity. Through collective efforts and innovative strategies that incorporate all four elements of the initiative, we aim to inspire and prepare every child for a future enriched by STEM. We invite you to join us on this transformative journey and become an integral part of the momentum driving positive change throughout northeast Oklahoma.
The name ‘MOMENTUM’ is derived from the concept of physics, symbolizing the combined force generated by our alliance. In this analogy, the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance acts as the driving velocity, propelling our efforts forward. Together, our ecosystem represents the mass pooling of resources, expertise, and leadership to bring about substantial and measurable change in STEM education for youth in the Tulsa area.
Components
Digital Badges
Digital badges serve as a tangible representation of students’ skills and experiences in STEM. By partnering with Accredible’s platform, MOMENTUM will introduce digital badges to certify students’ achievements in both formal and informal learning environments. These badges recognize individual accomplishments and communicate skills to potential employers and educational institutions, enhancing students’ pathways to success.
Evaluations
Ensuring the quality of STEM learning experiences is paramount to the success of MOMENTUM. STEM organizations can request this new, free service from TRSA. Through rigorous program evaluations, this initiative will uphold high standards for STEM education across all participating programs. By assessing the effectiveness and impact of STEM initiatives, MOMENTUM aims to continuously improve and refine educational practices, ultimately benefiting students and communities.
STEM Hubs
Localized partnerships play a crucial role in advancing STEM education under the MOMENTUM initiative. By establishing STEM Hubs in collaboration with community stakeholders, TRSA will strategically allocate resources and support to areas with the greatest need. These hubs serve as focal points for innovation, collaboration, and resource-sharing, driving positive change in STEM education at the grassroots level. The North and Central STEM Hubs meet on alternating months at the TRSA office.
Professional Learning
Building capacity among educators and stakeholders is essential to sustaining momentum in STEM education. MOMENTUM offers professional learning opportunities and resources designed to address ecosystem-wide gaps and empower STEM educators with the knowledge and skills needed to inspire the next generation of innovators. The initiative cultivates a network of passionate educators committed to fostering STEM literacy and equity by investing in professional development.
Get Involved
We are collecting commitments from cross-sector partners to participate in this important alliance – to learn together, to collaborate, and to align and coordinate efforts behind shared goals.
Commitments include the following priorities:
- Awareness and Value: Committing to helping create awareness of digital badges and current badge opportunities.
- Understanding: Committing to providing access to data to establish a baseline of availability and impact.
- Equity & Access: Committing to help develop new badges providing increased access to STEM opportunities.
- High-Quality STEM Programming: Committing to establishing and working towards a common vision of high-quality STEM programming for our ecosystem.
Upcoming Opportunity:
MOMENTUM Convening
Virtual
You are formally invited to our first annual MOMENTUM Community of Practice Convening! Whether you're new to this field, curious about how digital badges might enhance your work or industry, or currently issuing badges yourself, this event is designed for you!
The day will be divided into three engaging segments. In the morning, we’ll explore the story of digital badges' role in strengthening our STEM ecosystem across workforce development, K-12 education, higher education, and STEM program providers. After that, join us for a community lunch featuring roundtable discussions that delve deeper into how badges can support both workforce development and the broader ecosystem, as well as how we can leverage the badge structure to enhance STEM learning in both in-school and out-of-school programs. The day will conclude with interactive workshop sessions with current badge issuers and potential future partners.
This program is made possible in part by our Ecosystem Program Sponsor:
