Alignment of Hands-on STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

Abstract

This study examines positive dispositions reported by middle school and high school students participating in programs that feature STEM-related activities. Middle school students participating in school-to-home hands-on energy monitoring activities are compared to middle school and high school students in a different project taking part in activities such as an after-school robotics program. Both groups are compared and contrasted with a third group of high school students admitted at the eleventh grade to an academy of mathematics and science. All students were assessed using the same science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) dispositions instrument. Findings indicate that the after-school group whose participants self-selected STEM engagement activities, and the self-selected academy of mathematics and science group, each had highly positive STEM dispositions comparable to those of STEM professionals, while a subset of the middle school whole-classroom energy monitoring group that reported high interest in STEM as a career, also possessed highly positive STEM dispositions comparable to the STEM Professionals group. The authors conclude that several different kinds of hands-on STEM engagement activities are likely to foster or maintain positive STEM dispositions at the middle school and high school levels, and that these highly positive levels of dispositions can be viewed as a target toward which projects seeking to interest mainstream secondary students in STEM majors in college and STEM careers, can hope to aspire. Gender findings regarding STEM dispositions are also reported for these groups.

Teknologiakasvatuksen haasteet ja mahdollisuudet automaatioteknologian oppimisympäristössä

“…Osaamisen kehittyminen ja teknologiasta kiinnostumisen tulkittiin olevan yhteydessä aktiiviseen hands-on -tyyppiseen oppimiseen, joka on yhteydessä ja koskee ympäröivää reaalimaailmaa. (Christensen, Knezek & Tyler-Wood, 2015.) Kansainvälisessä robotiikkakilpailussa toteutetun tutkimuksen mukaan (N=796, 26 maata, 80 % osallistujista poikia) osallistuminen kilpailuun robotteja rakentamalla ja ohjelmoimalla lisäsi oppilaiden mukaan ohjelmointi-, ryhmätyö-ja kommunikointitaitoja sekä kiinnostusta matemaattis-luonnontieteellisiin aloihin ja teknologiaan (Eguchi, 2016).…”

“…Tulosten perusteella tulevat opettajat tunnistavat hyvin teknologiakasvatuksen toteuttamisen ja kehittämisen kannalta keskeisiä jo aiemmassa tutkimuksessa esille tulleita elementtejä: opetuksen ja oppimisen ilmiölähtöisyys (Hill, 1998;Hill & Smith, 1998;Parkinson & Hope, 2009;Twyford & Järvinen, 2000) ja toiminnallisuus (Christensen, 2015;Eguchi, 2016;Naizer ym., 2014). Nämä molemmat yhdessä toimivat elementteinä mielekkäille oppimiskokemuksille.…”

Attitudes of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers towards Modelling: A South African Inquiry

“…They detected a strong, positive relationship between a teacher's gender and her/his students' performance and attitudes, with female teachers having more impact in this regard than their male counterparts. Christensen, Knezek and Tyler-Wood (2015) quote from a study (initially reported on by Sadler, Sonnert, Hazari & Tai, 2012) involving 6,000 American high school students, which found that the odds of male students pursuing a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) career are almost three times higher than for females. Almost 40% of the pre-service mathematics teachers, who participated in this inquiry are female, which is a positive notion.…”

Improving High School Math Teachers’ Confidence and Skills in Assessment of Engineering Project-Based Learning

“…A change in current classroom practices is needed if schools are going to attract more students to STEM fields. More hands-on, real-life problem solving can help generate excitement among students and has the potential to attract more students to STEM (Christensen, Knezek, & Tyler-Wood, 2015). One way to provide more meaningful problem solving activities is problem-based learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.…”

“…Active, hands-on learning helps engage students in activities that relate to the real world. Christensen, Knezek, and Tyler-Wood (2015) found involving students in active learning "may be effective in promoting (or retaining) positive interest in STEM content and careers. "…”