Students’ perceptions of STEM learning after participating in a summer informal learning experience

Abstract

BackgroundInformal learning environments increase students’ interest in STEM (e.g., Mohr‐Schroeder et al. School Sci Math 114: 291–301, 2014) and increase the chances a student will pursue a STEM career (Kitchen et al. Sci Educ 102: 529–547, 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an informal STEM summer learning experience on student participants, to gain in-depth perspectives about how they felt this experience prepared them for their in-school mathematics and science classes as well as how it influenced their perception of STEM learning. Students’ attitudes and perceptions toward STEM are affected by their motivation, experience, and self-efficacy (Brown et al. J STEM Educ Innov Res 17: 27, 2016). The academic and social experiences students’ have are also important. Traditionally, formal learning is taught in a solitary form (Martin Science Education 88: S71–S82, 2004), while, informal learning is brimming with chances to connect and intermingle with peers (Denson et al. J STEM Educ: Innovations and Research 16: 11, 2015).ResultsWe used a naturalistic inquiry, phenomenological approach to examine students’ perceptions of STEM while participating in a summer informal learning experience. Data came from students at the summer informal STEM learning experiences at three diverse institutions across the USA. Data were collected from reflection forms and interviews which were designed to explore students’ “lived experiences” (Van Manen 1990, p. 9) and how those experiences influenced their STEM learning. As we used a situative lens to examine the research question of how participation in an informal learning environment influences students’ perceptions of STEM learning, three prominent themes emerged from the data. The informal learning environment (a) provided context and purpose to formal learning, (b) provided students opportunity and access, and (c) extended STEM content learning and student engagement.ConclusionsBy using authentic STEM workplaces, the STEM summer learning experience fostered a learning environment that extended and deepened STEM content learning while providing opportunity and access to content, settings, and materials that most middle level students otherwise would not have access to. Students also acknowledged the access they received to hands-on activities in authentic STEM settings and the opportunities they received to interact with STEM professionals were important components of the summer informal learning experience.

Students’ Perception of Learning Stem-Related Subjects Through Scientist-Teacher-Student Partnership (Stsp)

“…The partnership enhanced their interests and they became more motivated to learning STEM-related subjects. Moreover, students who have an increased interest in STEM are more likely to pursue that interest resulting in a STEM-related career, as suggested by Roberts et al (2018).…”

“…Previous studies in science education (e.g. Fadzil & Saat, 2017;Newell et al, 2015;Roberts et al, 2018) have shown that one of the other factor that influences students to opt out of science has to do with the fact that some students perceive the subject as being difficult to learn as compared to other subjects. Students get demotivated due to the high failure rate and poor grades.…”

“…Low achievements during secondary school can also hinder students' abilities to pursue STEM-related programs and discourage the pursuit of education pathways aimed toward STEMrelated careers (Newell et al, 2015). Many students have concluded that the STEM subjects are too challenging, yet boring and uninteresting, which limits their participation in STEM subjects and activities (Roberts et al, 2018). Chittum, Jones, Akalin, and Schram (2017) have identified interest and motivation as important components in inspiring students to pursue their study in STEM because it contributes to students' learning and success in retaining STEM content.…”

Factors Related to Students’ Perception of Learning During Outdoor Science Lessons in Schools’ Immediate Surroundings

“…Only a few studies in the last few years have focused on students' perceptions of learning in science. We have identified different data collection strategies in this regard, such as interviews (Roberts et al, 2018), reflection forms completed by students (Roberts et al, 2018), questionnaires (Jones, 2017;Sample McMeeking et al, 2016) and Likert-scale items (Aljaloud et al, 2019;Jeong et al, 2016), which seem to be the most promising strategy. For example, to study students' perceptions of learning in a science classroom, Jeong, González-Gómez, & Cañada-Cañada (2016, p. 751) used five-point Likert-scale items (e.g., "The instruction methodology used in this course helped me to understand easily scientific contents"; "The course as a whole was a valuable learning experience"), and in research aiming to understand how a smartphone clicker app can impact learning performance in a computer science class, Aljaloud et al (2019, p. 91) developed an online survey with Likert-scale items to measure students' perceptions of their learning performance (e.g., "Using the smartphone clicker app helped to improve my ability to comprehend the concepts in this module").…”

Report and Recommendation of Implementation Research-Based Learning in Improving Combinatorial Thinking Skills embedded in STEM Parachute Design Activities Assisted by CCR (Cloud Classroom)

“…This is because there are still many students who have a good scientific foundation but are lacking in applying their knowledge [7]. STEM is a combination of several scientific d isciplines, and on the other side, interacting with STEM is an important component for learning experience [8]. STEM integration is defined as a combination of science, technology, engineering and mathemat ics in the hope that it can (1) depend on students 'understanding of each discipline in a contextual manner, (2) broaden students' understanding of each discipline in the context of STEM that is culturally relevant and (3) increase students' interest in each discipline by presenting several avenues that students can take to explore each STEM field [9].…”