Friday, March 22
10:55 AM-11:15 AM
PDT
Sunset 3

Elementary Informal Engineering Experiences and Participation in Later STEM Experiences

Brief Paper ID: 54412
  1. aaa
    Kimberly Brooke Spotts
    Virginia Commonwealth University
  2. aaa
    Katherine Dabney
    Virginia Commonwealth University
  3. Gerhard Sonnert
    Harvard Science Education Department
  4. Philip Sadler
    Harvard University

Abstract: Initiatives and programs that encourage exposure to STEM experiences and enrollment in advanced science and math courses in middle and high school have grown in recent years. Unfortunately, progression to support these programs and trends is much slower in elementary schools. Thus, researchers have begun to study the influence of informal out-of-school-time (OST) STEM experiences. This study examines the association of two informal OST engineering experiences, in grades K-4, and informal OST STEM experiences in grades 5-8 through a logistical regression model and the evaluation of prototypical odds ratios. Our analysis addresses two specific types of experiences: tinkering with mechanical devices and tinkering with mechanical devices. Results indicate that participation in informal OST engineering experiences in grades K-4 significantly correlates with participation in informal OST STEM experiences in grades 5-8. Our findings suggest that early informal OST engineering experiences could result in future STEM involvement.

Presider: Cristina Perez-Guillot, Universitat Politècnica de València Spain

Topics

Conference attendees are able to comment on papers, view the full text and slides, and attend live presentations. If you are an attendee, please login to get full access.
x