Short- and long-term impacts of an informal STEM program

Abstract

During the middle school years, interest in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) falls off, especially among Black and Latinx students and women. In underserved districts, a small percentage of students graduate prepared for college and even less are prepared for undergraduate STEM coursework. Beginning in the 2009-10 academic year, we implemented an informal STEM program for upper elementary and middle school students from a nearby underserved district. Students chose from STEM offerings including hands-on engineering and computer technology courses, coding courses, and physics courses taught through hands-on activities and video games. We found that participants are similar in ethnicity, poverty, and residency, but outperform non-participants in a variety of New York State standardized measures of achievement while participating in the program and years after leaving. For example, program participants outperform non-participants in high school assessments in physics, chemistry, and math. They are also over-represented in advanced science classes, and in receiving diplomas with advanced designation-a key indicator of preparedness to pursue a STEM major in college.

IPER programs: a narrative framework for program development

“…We used scientific processes to gather data, analyze it, and generate conclusions in an objective manner such that others can either replicate the process, or replicate the investigations. As a result we have documented several surprising and encouraging effects [1]. After approximately 20 sessions, participants differ from nonparticipants in several ways:…”

“…We began to think about this framework as we reflected on our efforts, and decided that our success did not derive from our effort as investigators -in formulating a research-based model, in designing protocols, in creating valid and reliable surveys, in collecting and analyzing data, etc. Indeed, scientific studies of the program have emerged only recently [1][2][3]. We're only now designing research studies to delve into the reasons our program is successful.…”

“…For several years, we have been exploring strategies to design and evaluate a STEM based urban education program for middle school students called the Saturday Urban Scholars Program [1][2][3]. Narrative and propositional frameworks are important to design programs, describe their effects, and make sound judgments about them.…”