Perceptions of STEM-based outreach learning activities in secondary education

Abstract

We investigated and compared the learning environment perceptions of students, teachers and guides who participated in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-based outreach activities in secondary education. In outreach activities, schools and teachers work together with companies and other external institutions in learning activities in order to motivate students for the STEM domain. In this study, we identified characteristics of outreach activities that explain variance in perceptions of students. Data were gathered from 729 high-school students as well as 35 teachers and guides in 12 activities both in the US and the Netherlands. A questionnaire was used to asses outreach activities based on subscales from validated questionnaires such as the What Is Happening In this Classroom, Constructivist Learning Environments Survey, Classroom Environment Scale and the Learning Climate Questionnaire. Teachers' perceptions were more positive than students' perceptions for most scales, while guides perceived the outreach learning environment in almost the same way as students. Student perceptions were very positive for outreach activities. Outreach activity characteristics such as teaching method and emphasis were found to be the most important factors in explaining variance in students' perceptions between activities. Long-term problem-based activities and the perspective of new views of science and scientists were perceived as providing the most positive learning environments. Additionally, outreach learning environments can create opportunities to increase students' motivation in STEM.

The role of self-determination in informal and formal science learning contexts

“…Our two main results support the results of two recent meta-studies (Andre et al 2017;Rennie 2014) but also provide new information in relation to contemporary studies (Vennix et al 2017) related to museums and science centres as informal open learning environments.…”

“…These RAI results indicate that basic psychological needs, autonomy (pupils had possibility for choices), competence (pupils felt agency and efficacy) and relatedness (pupils experienced belonging and connectedness, participation) were fulfilled (see Eccles and Wigfield 2002;Elliot et al 2002;Ryan and Deci 2002). The role of autonomy support in the science learning environment is interesting also because it is rarely analysed in learning environment research (Vennix et al 2017).…”

“…Especially in regard to informal science centre education, studies have mainly concentrated on its effects on motivation (Holmes 2011;Osborne and Dillon 2008;Salmi 1993Salmi , 2003Salmi , 2012Tan and Subramaniam 2003;Vainikainen et al 2015;Vennix et al 2017). However, in our study, the goal was to analyse motivation as a multifaceted phenomenon by simultaneously taking into consideration the more stable self-determined autonomous motivation, the situation motivation and the interest in science in different learning contexts.…”

Do outreach activities in secondary STEM education motivate students and improve their attitudes towards STEM?

“…The activities developed with the industry or universities can thus be regarded as outreach activities. In the present study, the outreach activities or processes are developed in cooperation between secondary education and a STEM-based company (either public or private) or a university with information (or service) added that usually is not available for teachers and students (Vennix, den Brok, & Taconis, 2017). In these particular activities employees of STEMbased companies have an active role in supervising or guiding the activity.…”

“…Within this definition a diversity of activities is possible, such as sharing expertise and another perspective in guest-lessons, hands-on activities in workshops, showing workplaces and doing activities at the work environment, initiated and supervised real company based problems conducted at schools or at the company (Vennix et al, 2017). These activities are often additional to the regular curriculum.…”