The purpose of this mixed methods concurrent triangulation study was to assess the vocational relevancy of adventure STEM for sixth grade students attending the Science Adventure School (SAS), a residential, informal education program focused on delivering adventure STEM education to low-income, rural students. Specifically, this study sought to research any changes in STEM attitudes, including science interest (Eccles, 2007;Gilmartin et al., 2007) and science career interest (Sadler et al., 2011) as a result of participating in SAS. In the quantitative phase of the study, curriculum relevancy and STEM attitudes were assessed with a pre-and post-adventure STEM experience survey. The qualitative portion of the study consisted of semi-structured in-person interviews with 14 students and eight teachers shortly after their SAS experience to gain additional insights into the results of the statistical analysis and identify how students and teachers see the relevancy of adventure STEM curriculum. This study's findings add to the body of adventure STEM literature and lends support to the positive benefits of engaging youth in adventure STEM programming.
The purpose of this research paper was to examine the relationship between vocational relevancy and adventure STEM education in the context of a four-day adventure STEM camp. Middle school students participated in a variety of adventure activities designed to teach STEM concepts. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design, 246 students completed preand post-surveys that assessed changes in attitudes related to STEM interest, career interest, STEM career knowledge, STEM identity, STEM self-efficacy, and STEM value. Fourteen students and eight teachers participated in semi-structured interviews to further examine the role of vocational relevancy in curricula. Overall, results indicate some support for increased positive STEM attitudes as a result of attending camp, with positive results across multiple data points for STEM self-efficacy (surveys, student interview, teacher interview). STEM interest received support in teacher interviews, STEM career interest in surveys and student interviews, and STEM career knowledge in surveys. STEM values showed conflicting results. Emergent interview data also indicated the possibility of an increase in students' social and interpersonal skills. Though further research in this area is needed, findings support a link between vocational relevancy and adventure STEM education. Future potential research avenues are also discussed.iii DedicationMi deciĉas ĉi tiun laboron al mia edzo, Kevin. Vi estas mia gvida stelo kaj la lumo de mia vivo.I would like to acknowledge everyone who helped make my postdoctoral journey possible. Thank you to my family for the love and support along the way. In particular, thank you to my Mom who helped me find my wings and has never faltered in the belief that I can do anything. Your belief and encouragement made me who I am today.
This study was designed to test validity of the assumption that 10-key electronic calculators should always be operated with the right hand, with no regard to the natural preference for tight or left hand by the operator. The question was whether the theory universally accepted in typewriting (of naturally expecting the student to use both hands) necessarily applies to office machines techniques. The hypothesis was that students who naturally use the right hand to write will achieve equal or greater speed and accuracy by operating 10-key electronic calculators with the left hand. Right-handed trainees were randomly divided into right- or left-handed keyboarding groups. Multivariate analysis showed treatment on both speed and errors was significant, and univariate analysis indicated treatment on speed was significant. It may be possible to improve speed in the operation of office machines, with no significant loss of accuracy, by instructing trainees to operate the keyboard with the alternate hand and record answers with the dominant hand.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.