Evidence that an informal environmental summer camp can contribute to the construction of the conceptual understanding and situational interest of STEM in middle-school youth

Khanaposhtani, Maryam Ghadiri; Liu, Chang-Chia; Gottesman, Benjamin L.; Shepardson, Daniel P.; Pijanowski, Bryan C.

doi:10.1080/21548455.2018.1451665

Cited by 27 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Furthermore, students found activities beneficial in helping them understand how STEM subjects are part of their lives. The integration of real‐world problems and authentic tools presented in the STEM education program helped create a meaningful and authentic presentation of STEM disciplines (Khanaposhtani et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Providing authentic learning contexts is one of the major tenets of the STEM education programs (NRC, ). Real‐world problems and authentic tools lay a foundation for meaningful integration and authentic presentation of STEM disciplines when different perspectives for STEM education programs are examined (Khanaposhtani, Liu, Gottesman, Shepardson, & Pijanowski, ). Engaging students in the engineering design cycle helps develop student problem‐solving skills.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Baran

Bilici

Mesutoğlu

et al. 2019

School Sci & Mathematics

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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. K E Y W O R D Sattitudes, mixed methods, out-of-school, STEM careers, STEM education 224 | BARAN et Al.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Baran

Bilici

Mesutoğlu

et al. 2019

School Sci & Mathematics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For the purpose of this study, informal learning environments are educational experiences that take place outside of a typical classroom setting. There are several aspects of informal learning environments that foster 21st century skills such as communication, social skills, collaboration, creativity, technology literacy and leadership (Ghadiri Khanaposhtani et al, 2018). When students have the opportunity to informally experience the curriculum in a realworld context, they have applied their academic knowledge in a new way.…”

Section: Informal Learning Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving perceptions of STEM careers through informal learning environments

Vela

Pedersen

Baucum

2020

JRIT

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PurposeThis paper investigated the impact a camp on informal science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) had on students' perceptions of STEM fields and careers.Design/methodology/approachA quasiexperimental design was used to assess students' perceptions toward STEM fields and careers. Secondary students (n = 57) who participated in the STEM summer camp completed STEM projects, went on lab tours and attended panels during the one- or two-week residential camps. Students completed a STEM Semantics survey to assess their perceptions prior to and after attending the camp. Descriptive statistics, Cohen's d effect sizes, paired sample t-tests and Pearson's correlation were conducted to analyze the data.FindingsResults suggested that although there was no significant change in students' dispositions toward each individual STEM field, there was a statistically significant improvement of students' perceptions of STEM careers (p = 0.04; d = 0.25). Furthermore, the results of the Pearson's correlation indicated that there was a statistically significant positive association between perceptions of a STEM career and perceptions in science, mathematics and engineering.Research limitations/implicationsThis suggests that various components of the informal learning environment positively contributed to students' perceptions toward STEM careers. Implications from the study indicate that when students are engaged in hands-on science or STEM PBL activities and have opportunities to be exposed to various STEM careers, their perceptions of STEM pathways will improve.Originality/valueThese results may influence future curriculum and the organization of future STEM camps by encouraging teachers and camp directors to integrate practical hands-on STEM projects and expose students to potential STEM pathways through lab tours and panels of STEM professionals.

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“…Later, other disciplines joined STEM, some examples which are of interest to ESP teachers are: a) Environmental STEM [8] b) STEMS-2 (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Sense of Place); integrates STEM with social sciences [9] c) BTEM (Biology, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) [10] which also requires coordination of knowledge and skills. According to the authors, the interdisciplinary BTEM approach is a good alternative to out-dated methods in teaching when teachers merely convey scientific facts in a rote fashion that have to be memorized to pass examinations d) STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) [11], [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Tasks with Art Elements for Teaching Engineers in English for Specific Purposes Classroom

Saienko

Olizko

Arshad

2019

Int. J. Emerg. Technol. Learn.

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This article defines the modern interdisciplinary trends in engineering and the collaboration of engineering with other sciences. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts (STEAM) approach has been chosen as suitable for teaching engineers in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom. The authors created different tasks with art elements in teaching ESP. The topics of the tasks are: material properties, environmental/global sustainability issues, human factors engineering, employment of engineers, and engineering education. Scaffolding, appropriate time management, cooperation, creative atmosphere, native materials are the conditions for the effective usage of the tasks within STEAM approach. The results of the pedagogical experiment in 2019 at the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” (Igor Sikorsky KPI) amongst 30 chemical engineers proved the improvement of language skills and other skills of the 21 century such as cooperation, digital, problem-solving, creative thinking. An anonymous questionnaire confirmed students’ positive perception of the STEAM approach.

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Evidence that an informal environmental summer camp can contribute to the construction of the conceptual understanding and situational interest of STEM in middle-school youth

Cited by 27 publications

References 57 publications

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

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

Improving perceptions of STEM careers through informal learning environments

Development of Tasks with Art Elements for Teaching Engineers in English for Specific Purposes Classroom

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