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The 21st century has brought an increasing demand for expertise in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Although strides have been made towards increasing gender diversity in several of these disciplines, engineering remains primarily male dominated. In response, the U.S. educational system has attempted to make engineering curriculum more engaging, informative, and welcoming to girls. Specifically, project-based and design-based learning pedagogies promise to make engineering interesting and accessible for girls while enculturating them into the world of engineering and scientific inquiry. Outcomes for girls learning in these contexts have been mixed. The purpose of this study was to explore how cultural gender norms are navigated within informal K-12 engineering contexts. We analyzed video of single-and mixed-gender collaborative groups participating in Studio STEM, a design-based, environmentally themed afterschool program that took place in a rural community. Discourse analysis was used to interpret interactional styles within and across groups. Discrepancies were found regarding functional and cultural characteristics of groups based on gender composition. Singlegender groups adhered more closely to social gender norms. For example, the boys group was characterized by overt hierarchies, whereas the girls group outwardly displayed solidarity and collaboration. In contrast, characteristics of interactional styles within mixed gender groups strayed from social gender norms, and stylistic differences across group types were greater for girls than for boys. Learning outcomes indicated that girls learned more in mixed-gender groups. Our results support the use of mixed-gender collaborative learning groups in engineering education yet uncover several challenges. We close with a discussion of implications for practitioners.

Currently, unless a K-12 student elects to enroll in technology-focused schools or classes, exposure to engineering design and habits of mind is minimal. However, the Framework for K-12 Science Education, published by the National Research Council in 2011, includes engineering design as a new and major component of the science content to be taught by all K-12 teachers of science. This addition will likely require substantial teacher preparation in all the states that adopt the new standards that will be developed from the Framework. Engineering design will not be taught as just an elective to students who have prior interest in a career in engineering, but also as a habit of mind and a 21st century skill to all students in their regular classes. In this case study, one middle school science teacher taught an engineering design-based curriculum to two different classes of 8th grade students: a high-track and a low-track. The low-track class contained a substantial number of students with learning disabilities. Given the freedom to differentiate her teaching based on the needs of her students, the teacher provided a disparate learning environment for her lower-tracked students, and disparate learning outcomes were evident. This study is designed to begin the discussion about equity in engineering education at the K-12 level. Engineering design-based science instruction can level the playing field for students with learning differences if teachers are prepared for the challenge.

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The primary purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which a 12-week afterschool science and engineering program affected middle school students' motivation to engage in science and engineering activities. We used current motivation research and theory as a conceptual framework to assess 14 students' motivation through questionnaires, structured interviews, and observations. Students reported that during the activities they perceived that they were empowered to make choices in how to complete things, the activities were useful to them, they could succeed in the activities, they enjoyed and were interested in the hands-on activities and some presentations, they felt cared for by the facilitators and received help when they were stuck or confused, and they put forth effort. Based on our examination of data across our three data sources, we identified motivating opportunities that were provided to students during the activities. These motivating opportunities can serve as examples to help both formal and informal science educators better connect motivation theory to practice so that they can create motivating opportunities for students. Furthermore, this study provides a methodological example of how students' motivation can be examined during the context of authentic science and engineering instruction.