Offering Multiple STEM Outreach Touchpoints to Middle School Girls is Associated with Engineering and University Recruitment Outcomes

Suzanne Sontgerath; Chrysanthe Demetry

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Conference: 2019 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity
Location: Crystal City, Virginia
Publication Date: April 14, 2019
Start Date: April 14, 2019
End Date: April 22, 2019
Conference Session: Track: Pre-College - Technical Session 8
Tagged Topics: Diversity and Pre-College
Page Count: 24
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--31779
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/31779
Download Count: 268

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Paper Authors

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Suzanne Sontgerath Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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Sontgerath holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an M.Ed. from Worcester State University. She is currently the Director of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Sontgerath supervises K-12 STEM outreach programs at WPI including Camp Reach and several other summer and academic year programs for students and parents.

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Chrysanthe Demetry Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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Dr. Chrysanthe Demetry is Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her teaching and scholarship focus on materials science education, use of educational technology, K-12 engineering outreach, and intercultural learning in experiential education abroad. As director of the Morgan Center at WPI since 2006, Demetry coordinates programs and services fostering excellence and innovation in teaching at WPI and supports course-based and program-level assessment of student learning outcomes.

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Abstract

Many universities are well positioned to provide out-of-school programs for students of all ages, offering hands-on engagement in authentic engineering practices as well as a range of role models and social supports for interests in STEM. Universities may offer such programming for mission-oriented or altruistic reasons such as broadening participation in STEM fields and offering opportunities to youth in the local community. Pre-collegiate outreach programs may also support self-interests such as generating revenue and attracting diverse students as potential applicants to the university. Scholars agree that the middle school years are a critical time for identity development and career planning for girls, particularly with regard to supporting interests in engineering. However, can a middle school program really contribute to those longer-term recruitment effects? In our experience the answer is yes, particularly if participants are encouraged to return to the university for additional programming.

In this presentation, we will share findings from a longitudinal study of more than 700 girls who applied to a two-week engineering summer camp at a STEM-intensive university as sixth graders. Spots in the program were limited, and a lottery process was used to select participants. Those who were not randomly selected form a natural control group that accounts for self-selection bias. The camp program was designed with research-based principles including embedding engineering practice in valued social contexts, use of collaborative learning, interaction with a wide range of role models in STEM fields, and invitations to return to campus in the years following the summer program.

For each participant in the study we compiled the following outcome variables: whether or not she chose an engineering degree pathway, and whether or not she applied and/or matriculated at the host university. Other variables consisted of group membership (intervention or control), the total number of STEM program “touchpoints” with the university, and race/ethnicity. Statistical tests of association between these variables and outcomes showed that the number of touchpoints was most strongly associated with application and matriculation to the STEM-intensive host university and with choice of an engineering degree pathway. These results support the research emphasizing the importance of identity development and social supports to foster persistence in STEM.

Citation
Format

Sontgerath, S., & Demetry, C. (2019, April), Offering Multiple STEM Outreach Touchpoints to Middle School Girls is Associated with Engineering and University Recruitment Outcomes Paper presented at 2019 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity , Crystal City, Virginia. 10.18260/1-2--31779

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Many universities are well positioned to provide out-of-school programs for students of all ages, offering hands-on engagement in authentic engineering practices as well as a range of role models and social supports for interests in STEM. Universities may offer such programming for mission-oriented or altruistic reasons such as broadening participation in STEM fields and offering opportunities to youth in the local community. Pre-collegiate outreach programs may also support self-interests such as generating revenue and attracting diverse students as potential applicants to the university. Scholars agree that the middle school years are a critical time for identity development and career planning for girls, particularly with regard to supporting interests in engineering. However, can a middle school program really contribute to those longer-term recruitment effects? In our experience the answer is yes, particularly if participants are encouraged to return to the university for additional programming. 

In this presentation, we will share findings from a longitudinal study of more than 700 girls who applied to a two-week engineering summer camp at a STEM-intensive university as sixth graders. Spots in the program were limited, and a lottery process was used to select participants. Those who were not randomly selected form a natural control group that accounts for self-selection bias. The camp program was designed with research-based principles including embedding engineering practice in valued social contexts, use of collaborative learning, interaction with a wide range of role models in STEM fields, and invitations to return to campus in the years following the summer program.

For each participant in the study we compiled the following outcome variables: whether or not she chose an engineering degree pathway, and whether or not she applied and/or matriculated at the host university. Other variables consisted of group membership (intervention or control), the total number of STEM program “touchpoints” with the university, and race/ethnicity. Statistical tests of association between these variables and outcomes showed that the number of touchpoints was most strongly associated with application and matriculation to the STEM-intensive host university and with choice of an engineering degree pathway. These results support the research emphasizing the importance of identity development and social supports to foster persistence in STEM.

AU  - Suzanne Sontgerath
AU  - Chrysanthe Demetry
CY  - Crystal City, Virginia
DA  - 2019/04/14
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Offering Multiple STEM Outreach Touchpoints to Middle School Girls is Associated with Engineering and University Recruitment Outcomes
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/31779
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--31779
ER  -