FAMINT: New Research Project Launched for Co-Creatively Developing Family-Oriented STEM Programs

Principal Investigators: Stephan Kröner, Lisa Birnbaum,

Staff: Sophie Uhing

Period: 2026-2028

Funding: as part of the program “Second guideline for promoting research projects on the conditions for successful STEM education” funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

FaMINT is a joint project with colleagues from the Urban Lab, Nuremberg, and further support from the Industrial Museum Lauf. Its aim is to co-creatively develop a sustainable, family-oriented STEM program for third places like museums, focusing on the intersection of making activities and AI.

Abstract:

Museums as third places enable STEM education for children from families in socially and financially disadvantaged situations, unaffected by any negative STEM experiences at school. How can STEM programs for these children be designed in a way that involves their parents and promotes STEM interest and skills? The conditions for success are derived from empirical evidence and good practice and compared with the attitudes and expectations of parents in interviews. A multi-professional team co-creatively develops a concept for sustainable, family-oriented STEM programs at third places on making and AI as current STEM topics and tests this concept on children in grades 4-6 and their parents at an industrial museum. Through formative evaluation, the conditions for success are examined and context-related explanatory approaches are further developed. Finally, recommendations for action are derived, discussed with stakeholders from STEM educational institutions, and disseminated in practice.