School STEM Research Articles

Racial and Ethnic Heterogeneity in the Effect of MESA on AP STEM Coursework and College STEM Major Aspirations

Previous research suggests that racial and ethnic disparities in postsecondary STEM outcomes are rooted much earlier in the educational pipeline. One possible remedy to these disparities is participation in early STEM enrichment programs. We examine the impact of MESA, which is an early program that targets socioeconomically disadvantaged students, on outcomes that may lead students down the path to STEM. We analyze three waves of restricted nationally-representative data from the High School Longitudinal Study that trace the STEM progress of more than 25,000 students throughout high school and into their postsecondary careers. Propensity score matching models reveal that MESA participation increases students’ odds of taking AP STEM courses in high school and their aspirations for declaring a STEM major in college. However, these effects are driven primarily by black and white students, respectively. Latino and Asian students remain largely unaffected. A formal sensitivity analysis concludes that these findings are moderately robust to unobserved confounding. The results are also robust to alternative matching schemes. Collectively, the findings suggest that MESA may improve black students’ high school STEM engagement but may have little impact on black and Latino students’ STEM outcomes in college.

The impact of college‐ and university‐run high school summer programs on students’ end of high school STEM career aspirations

AbstractInsufficient student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers has been identified as a pressing issue by educators and education policy makers. This retrospective cohort study examined one promising approach to reach and inspire students early on: college‐ and university‐ run high school STEM summer programs. Data were collected from 27 colleges and universities participating in the National Science Foundation's STEM Talent Expansion Program. We examined the impact of high school STEM summer program participation on end of high school career aspirations among a sample of 845 program participants and 15,002 controls. The study employed logistic regression modeling with propensity weighting to address differences in group characteristics to model the impact of programs. Results showed that students who participated in a program had 1.4 times the odds of wanting to pursue a STEM career, controlling for background characteristics. A closer look at program design revealed that students experiencing the real‐world relevance of STEM had 1.8 times the odds of aspiring to STEM careers at the end of high school compared with controls. Findings suggest that scaling up STEM summer programs and carefully designing programs to show the real‐life relevance of STEM may be an effective strategy to curtail pipeline attrition and to inspire more students to pursue STEM careers.

An Analysis of Cultural Influences on STEM Schools: Similarities and Differences Across K-12 Contexts

Despite the increasing number of inclusive STEM schools, little is known about the cultural dimensions that influence STEM curriculum and instruction within these schools. This paper describes research conducted at three inclusive STEM schools, one each at the elementary, middle, and high school level. We explored similarities and differences in cultural dimensions across the schools with specific attention to how these differentially influence teachers’ perceptions and enactment of STEM curriculum and instruction across the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Our cross-case analysis revealed structural aspects (school vision, community partnerships, course scheduling, and testing pressures) as well as professional orientations (i.e., instructional practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, and teacher content knowledge) that appear particularly important to student learning experiences at each grade level. Navigating these factors of STEM school culture requires teachers to not only be knowledgeable but also to draw on a professional orientation that encourages collaboration and risk-taking. We discuss implications for teacher education and STEM school development.

Učinci STEM intervencijskoga programa u osnovnim školama na stavove i interese učenika: primjena tehnike uparivanja prema sklonosti

There is a growing number of interventions intended to increase students' STEM school achievement and their interests in STEM careers. Conjointly, various methodological challenges in designing, implementation and evaluation of STEM interventions are recognized. In this paper, we evaluated the effectiveness of one STEM intervention by means of a quasi-experimental research design, on the sample of 1484 elementary school students, age 10 to 12 years. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured by change in attitudes toward scientists and by change in STEM interests. We used the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The results showed that the STEM intervention modestly increased positive attitudes toward scientists in the whole sample, and increased STEM interests of the youngest students. The research has also shown that the PMS technique has its application in evaluation studies of different educational interventions.

Research and Teaching: Enriching Undergraduate Experiences With Outreach in School STEM Clubs

Research and Teaching: Enriching Undergraduate Experiences With Outreach in School STEM Clubs

Integrated STEM: Focus on Informal Education and Community Collaboration through Engineering

This article showcases STEM as an interdisciplinary field in which the disciplines strengthen and support each other (not as separate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines). The authors focus on an open-ended, complex problem—water quality—as the primary teaching and learning task. The participants, middle school female students (aged 9–15 years), interacted in an informal educational setting (i.e., Girl Scouts) on a research project investigating river quality following the river’s restoration. The community, including Girl Scout participants, leaders, parents, university faculty, graduate students, and others, utilized an action research (AR) approach when interacting with the participants. Methods such as observational field notes, focus groups, and collected artifacts were commonly employed. The authors describe the history of STEM and AR leading to authentic science research projects through eight engineering skills/practices (incorporating science, technology, and mathematics) and showcase participant interactions, implementation, and community engagement in the STEM water quality river project. Findings indicate that informal engineering based projects can serve as opportunities for participants to connect with integrated STEM. Implications include the need for engaging participants in informal authentic science to support traditional school STEM learning and encouraging community engagement in integrated STEM to support traditional K-12 classroom instruction.

Hispanic students’ mathematics achievement in the context of their high school types as STEM and non-STEM schools

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate Hispanic students’ mathematics achievement growth rate in Inclusive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) high schools compared to Hispanic students’ mathematics achievement growth rate in traditional public schools. Twenty-eight schools, 14 of which were Texas STEM (T-STEM) academies and 14 of which were matched non-STEM schools, were included in this study. A hierarchical linear modelling method was conducted. The result of the present study revealed that there was no difference in Hispanic students’ mathematics achievement growth rate in T-STEM academies compared to Hispanic students’ mathematics achievement growth rate in comparison schools. However, in terms of gender, the results indicated that female Hispanic students in T-STEM academies outperformed female Hispanic students in comparison schools in their mathematics growth rate.

Examining the influence of a STEM certification model on female, minority science outcomes

ABSTRACTThe authors of this exploratory study examine the influence of the Georgia science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) model; gender; race; and other achievement on elementary students’ science outcomes in Title I schools. Results of the study demonstrate that a positive relationship exists between students participating in a STEM-certified school and science achievement at the third-grade level (n = 339), and that race, gender, and mathematics and reading achievement did not significantly explain science achievement. At the Grade 5 level (n = 279), a negative relationship was found between science achievement and type of school, with students participating in STEM schools scoring lower than those students participating in non-STEM schools. Moreover, in Grade 5, the combination of demographic variables, race and gender, did significantly explain science achievement. The practical and empirical implications of the results are discussed.

The Structural Relationship Between Out-of-School Time Enrichment and Black Student Participation in Advanced Science

The researchers tested a model of the structural relationship between Black student engagement in out-of-school time (OST) science enrichment and participation in advanced science courses in high school. The participants in the sample were Black students ( N = 3,173) who participated in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009/2012. The student participants were in the ninth grade and ranged in age from 14 to 16 years. The results suggested that the model adequately fit the data, and that a direct relationship existed between OST enrichment and Black student participation in advanced science. In addition, Black female students participated statistically significantly more in advanced science than their male peers. Socioeconomic status also was a statistically significant indicator of advanced science course participation. Engagement in OST was not statistically significantly influenced by gender or socioeconomic status. This research extends the implications of informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to support the diversification of advanced high school science courses and STEM participation by providing distinct estimates of the effects of OST on Black students.

Investigating the Preservice Primary School, Mathematics and Science Teachers’ STEM Awareness

Today’s life requires individuals to be prepared for complex world environment, to make complex decisions, and to have critical thinking skills related to everyday life issues at hand. STEM education is thought to be the glorious solution to thrive in a global knowledge driven world. Teachers are key elements for successful STEM education. Present study aims to investigate the preservice primary school, mathematics and science teachers STEM awareness. Quantitative research methodology guided the present study. Cross-sectional survey type which collects information from a sample that has been selected from a predetermined population was used. Stem Awareness Scale, a five point Likert type instrument developed by Buyruk and Korkmaz (2016), was used to measure preservice teachers STEM awareness. Data was collected from 558 (371 female, 187 male) preservice teachers enrolled in three different teacher preparation programs. The results of this research demonstrates that there is no significant interaction effect for gender and department variables however there is significant difference among different department students STEM awareness preservice science teachers’ and preservice primary school teachers STEM awareness scores have similar mean values and also outnumbers the preservice mathematics teachers’ STEM awareness.

Gifted Students’ Conceptions of Their High School STEM Education

This qualitative study was conducted to explore gifted students’ conceptions of their high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Participants were seven male and female college freshmen selected from the Honors College of a large research university. In-depth interviews captured students’ retrospective accounts of their conceptualizations of their high school STEM education. Interview transcripts were analyzed inductively using a phenomenographic analysis framework. Findings comprised an outcome space composed of six core categories of meaning representing STEM learning environment, institutional supports, social supports, teacher qualities, active involvement in learning, and students’ self-perceptions of their STEM capability. Findings from this study offer a deep understanding of contemporary STEM education of gifted secondary students and help inform future curriculum design, program evaluation, and educational policy.

Pedro's kitchen tiles

Christine Percy, a district-level mathematics teacher, was excited to facilitate this problem with students from two thirdgrade classrooms and their teachers in Palm Beach County, Florida. Both classes had studied area earlier in the school year. One class was in the accelerated math plan for third grade at Poinciana Elementary STEM School, taught by Ashley Esnes and math lab instructor Debbie Perry. The second class was a general education third-grade class at Elbridge Gale Elementary School, taught by Jamey Ferguson.

Predicting gender-STEM stereotyped beliefs among boys and girls from prior school achievement and interest in STEM school subjects

The aim of the present study was to examine, for the first time, the level of gender-stereotyped beliefs about STEM-related school subjects among Croatian primary school students and to explore how stereotyped beliefs can be predicted from prior achievement in STEM school subjects and students’ STEM interests. Eight hundred and eighty primary school students (442 girls and 438 boys) completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire in their own classrooms (data used in the study are extracted from a larger STEM research project). The measures of interest in this study were stereotype endorsement, interest in STEM-related school subjects, and school marks in these subjects. Results suggest that regardless of prior school achievement, students who have stereotype-consistent interests in school subjects tend to show stronger stereotype endorsement than others. Male gender and prior achievement in STEM-related school subjects were also positively related to stereotype endorsement. These results are discussed in light of the existing literature and some practical implications are considered.

Understanding African American Students' Experiences in STEM Education: An Ecological Systems Approach

Promoting racial and ethnic minority students' interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers remains a primary workforce goal. To advance this goal, this study examined, through an ecological lens, 18 African American high school seniors' perceptions of their experiences related to their aspirations for STEM careers. All students were enrolled in STEM programs. Using a phenomenological approach to analyze the outcomes of focus group interviews, the authors identified themes at the ontogenic, microsystem, and macrosystem levels. Environmental factors, such as counseling, family expectations, and available resources, played a substantial role in influencing the students' interests, experiences, and perceptions in their pursuits of STEM careers. Implications highlight the importance of counselors in encouraging students of diverse backgrounds to pursue STEM courses and for policy makers to provide resources that support students' STEM goals. Future research is needed to examine the longitudinal effects of high school STEM programs on diverse populations.

Doors labeled as times: Frames of observing and understanding

Doors labeled as times: Frames of observing and understanding

Comparative Analysis of Participation of Teachers of STEM and Non-STEM Subjects in Professional Development

School administrators continuously consider teacher professional development (PD) as one of the key strategies to improving teachers’ pedagogical skills. Modern proposals for advancing education by improving student learning outcomes are centered on high quality professional development for teachers. However, teachers face a number of barriers when it comes to participation in PD. Also, students in K-12 levels taking Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM subjects often report different learning experiences, most of which influence their decisions to enroll in STEM or non-STEM career-related programs in higher education. Understanding factors that influence the differential in teacher participation in PD is a critical step towards addressing student interest in STEM careers. Using the cross-sectional survey data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey of 2013, this study compared the participation of middle school STEM and non-STEM teachers in PD activities in the US. A bivariate analysis was used to compare STEM subject teachers versus non-STEM subject teachers’ participation in PD activities, its impact, and challenges. The findings showed that PD participation was higher among teachers of STEM subjects, but not significantly different from those for non-STEM subjects. Out-field teaching (no formal training of subject taught) accounted for 10.3% of the survey participants. Further, conflict with one’s work schedule was one of the major barriers to PD participation for teachers.

Integration of STEM Education in Malaysia and Why to STEAM

STEM education and political priorities in the US and is rated as one way to ensure global competitiveness. Integrated approach to STEM school level gaining popularity in developed countries like the United States, South Korea, China and Australia. However, much of the debate and suggested that the study of art combined with appropriate discipline of science, technology, engineering and mathematics change STEM to STEAM. STEAM paradigm also emphasizes the importance of STEM education, but also stressed that the art has the ability to open up new ways of seeing, thinking and learning. Whereas current developments in Malaysia has started to show a deep interest and efforts on behalf of the Malaysian government to implement the STEM approach. This article discusses the development of STEM to STEAM education in the United States and the efforts made in Malaysia have begun to use this approach. This study is a qualitative study using literature review. This article proposes combining elements of art into the disciplines in STEM to STEAM in order to strengthen the STEM education, also suggest that the main thing to keep in mind to implement STEM education is to increase the interest of students and teachers' awareness of STEM education. This step involves a new approach to learning and strengthen the curriculum, teacher training and discussions with all interested parties (stakeholders) in order to make STEM education comprehensive and inclusive.

The relationships among high school STEM learning experiences, expectations, and mathematics and science efficacy and the likelihood of majoring in STEM in college

ABSTRACTThis study examines college students’ science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) choices as they relate to high school experiences, parent, teacher, and self-expectations, and mathematics and science efficacy. Participants were 2246 graduates of a STEM-focused public Harmony Public Schools in Texas, Harmony Public Schools (HPS). Descriptive analyses indicated that the overall percentage of HPS graduates who chose a STEM major in college was greater than Texas state and national averages. Logistic regression analyses revealed that males and Asian students are more likely to choose a STEM major in college than females and non-Asian students, respectively. Moreover, students whose parents had a college degree in the U.S. are more likely to major in STEM fields than those who did not. Furthermore, males with higher mathematics efficacy and females with higher science efficacy are more likely to choose a STEM major than their counterparts with lower mathematics and science efficacy.

A synthetic biology approach to integrative high school STEM training.

Synthetic biology–based group activities provide opportunities for integrative STEM training and literacy, while lowering barriers for high school students to become interested in science careers.

Threading mathematics through symbols, sketches, software, silicon, and wood: Teachers produce and maintain cohesion to support STEM integration

ABSTRACTThis classroom-based investigation sought to document how, in real time, STEM teachers and students attempt to locate the invariant mathematical relations that are threaded through the range of activities and representations in these classes, and how highlighting this common thread influences student participation and learning. The authors conducted multimodal discourse analyses of teacher–student interactions during multiday observations in 3 urban high school STEM classes. The focal lessons were in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering (within Project Lead the Way), and precollege geometry. Across 3 cases, teachers and students actively built and maintained cohesion of invariant mathematical relations across activities and representations. Pre- and postlesson interviews revealed that teachers intentionally managed cohesion to provide the continuity across the curricular activities that teachers believed would promote student understanding. The findings contribute to ways of fostering STEM integration and ways of grounding abstractions to promote meaning making and transfer.