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Effects of Participation in a STEM Camp on STEM Attitudes and Anticipated Career Choices of Middle School Girls: A Mixed Methods Study

Kager, Elisabeth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427812431

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Curriculum and Instruction (Education).
Middle school is a critical time for the development of girls’ attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Existing research has indicated declining positive attitudes toward these fields among girls throughout adolescence. This study investigated how, to what extent, and for whom participation in a summer STEM Camp at a Midwestern college in the United States affected the STEM attitudes and career aspirations of 23 female participants, ages 10–14 years. Using a concurrent triangulation design, the researcher collected pre- and post-questionnaire data (N = 20), interviewed participants (N = 9), read journal entries (N = 22), and wrote field notes. The researcher adapted the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales (FSAS) to measure five of the original nine attitude scales concerning STEM: Male Domain, Confidence, Usefulness, Success, and Motivation. In addition to these standardized, Likert-type scale questions, the questionnaire included demographic items to gauge participants’ anticipated career choices and the level of STEM motivation (e.g., extracurricular activities and guardians’ STEM involvement). The interview questions elicited information about the participants’ Camp experiences and the Camp’s influence on participants’ attitudes and career aspirations. The journal prompts provoked participants to think about their perceptions of, and relationship with, science and mathematics as well as how supportive their parents and peers had been regarding these two fields. Participants’ incoming STEM attitudes were positive. Accordingly, there was no statistically significant difference between pre- and post-scores of attitudes toward STEM. Nevertheless, qualitative results showed that the Camp did strengthen participants’ positive attitudes through enthusiastic instructors, STEM-motivated peers, and hands-on activities that allowed for creative freedom. Participating in the STEM Camp challenged participants’ prior career aspirations by introducing them to new STEM fields and careers to be considered. Meta-inference showed that participating in the Camp had a positive effect on the participants’ attitude toward, motivation in, and awareness of STEM. The results suggest that camp instructors should collaboratively plan inquiry-based activities to maximize interrelatedness of STEM fields and to ensure cognitively challenging tasks for participants and that classroom teachers should adopt interactive, hands-on, and collaborative teaching strategies to boost the positive STEM attitudes of girls.
Gregory Foley, Dr. (Advisor)
456 p.
Gender; Mathematics Education; Middle School Education; Science Education
STEM camp; summer camp; middle school girls; Grades 6 through 9; STEM attitudes; attitude change; anticipated STEM careers; career choices; mixed methods; Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scale; semi-structured interviews; journal activites;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kager, E. (2015). Effects of Participation in a STEM Camp on STEM Attitudes and Anticipated Career Choices of Middle School Girls: A Mixed Methods Study [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427812431

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kager, Elisabeth. Effects of Participation in a STEM Camp on STEM Attitudes and Anticipated Career Choices of Middle School Girls: A Mixed Methods Study. 2015. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427812431.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kager, Elisabeth. "Effects of Participation in a STEM Camp on STEM Attitudes and Anticipated Career Choices of Middle School Girls: A Mixed Methods Study." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427812431

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.