The impact of an out‐of‐school STEM education program on students’ attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers

There is an increasing awareness of out‐of‐school program value in enhancing student interest and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined the impact of an out‐of‐school STEM education program on student attitudes toward STEM disciplines and STEM...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:School science and mathematics 2019-04, Vol.119 (4), p.223-235
Main Authors: Baran, Evrim, Canbazoglu Bilici, Sedef, Mesutoglu, Canan, Ocak, Ceren
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
After School Programs
Attitudes
Career Choice
Colleges & universities
Design engineering
Education
Engineering education
Grade 6
Learning
Learning Activities
Mathematics
Mathematics education
Middle School Students
mixed methods
Mixed methods research
out‐of‐school
Problem Solving
Program Effectiveness
Relevance (Education)
Research facilities
Science education
STEM careers
STEM Education
Student Attitudes
Student Interests
Students
Technical education
Technology education
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Summary:There is an increasing awareness of out‐of‐school program value in enhancing student interest and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined the impact of an out‐of‐school STEM education program on student attitudes toward STEM disciplines and STEM careers. A STEM education program implemented at a public research university was designed to integrate STEM disciplines with hands‐on problem‐based activities. Design features included authentic learning contexts, engineering design processes, and content integration. Data sources included an attitude survey and interviews conducted with forty sixth grade middle school student participants. The analysis revealed significant differences between pre and posttests on student attitudes toward personal and social implications of STEM, science and engineering learning, and their relationship to STEM. Findings showed that the program contributed to students’ developing interest in STEM fields, and helped them make connections between schoolwork and daily lives. Recommendations for future research on out‐of‐school STEM education programs were discussed.
ISSN:0036-6803
1949-8594
DOI:10.1111/ssm.12330