We are excited to share a new suite of tools to support your professional learning and development—Professional Pathways in Informal STEM Learning!

Developed by our friends at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), in collaboration with numerous partners, Pathways is for anyone who works in the informal STEM learning (ISL) field, whether you are jumpstarting your career or you are a 20-year veteran. It is also designed for organizations, academic programs, and professional associations to use.

Three free tools make up Pathways:

• A Framework that identifies the skills and knowledge (i.e., competencies) identified by ISL professionals as being important to their daily work, whether it’s grant writing, exhibit development, or welcoming visitors.

• A Self-Assessment that helps you reflect on which competencies you use in your work and which you’d like to develop and/or finetune.

• A Learning Plan that guides you in identifying your professional development goals and a path for how to reach them.

Lastly, a hand-picked selection of resources—including professional organizations, articles, online courses, and more—will further support your journey on this path!

At AMM, we believe there is great value in pausing to reflect on our experiences and areas where we'd like to grow as museum professionals. Pathways is a wonderful guide for not only articulating needs and interests, but also taking those first steps.

Discover ways to learn more below.

And, of course, if you have any questions or ideas about how members of AMM could take advantage of these tools and resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out to AMM at info@midwestmuseums.org or to ASTC at programs@astc.org.