Board 162: Engineering for Accessibility: Impacts of a High School Engineering Internship Model Across Different Settings (Work in Progress, DEI)

Stacey Forsyth; Tim Ogino; Angelina Ong; Jessica Sickler

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Poster Session
Tagged Division: Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46724

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Paper Authors

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Stacey Forsyth University of Colorado Boulder

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Dr. Stacey Forsyth is the director of CU Science Discovery, a K-12 STEM education outreach organization at the University of Colorado Boulder. In her role, she collaborates with campus and community partners to develop, implement and evaluate innovative STEM education programs for K-12 students and teachers, including summer and after-school STEM classes, teen internships, teacher workshops and community outreach programs. She also serves as Co-PI of the NSF ITEST-funded Build a Better Book Teen Internships project, which engages youth from underrepresented backgrounds in the design and fabrication of accessible books, toys and games for children with visual impairments. Stacey is passionate about inspiring and supporting kids and teens to ask questions and find creative solutions for real world problems, and in diversifying the future STEM workforce by expanding opportunities for youth to explore STEM fields. Prior to joining CU Boulder, Stacey taught biology at a small liberal arts college in New Hampshire and led science outreach efforts at the University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute. She received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona in 2002.

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Tim Ogino University of Colorado Boulder

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Currently the Manager of School & Teacher Programs at CU Science Discovery, a K-12 STEM Outreach organization based at the University of Colorado Boulder, Tim Ogino (M.S., M.Ed.) brings over 10 years of professional experience as an educator in formal and informal spaces. He holds a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.Ed. in Secondary Education and teacher licensure for secondary mathematics and physics. He currently specializes in managing educational STEM outreach programs and community partnerships for CU Science Discovery across the State of Colorado.

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Angelina Ong M.A. J. Sickler Consulting

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Angie Ong is an Evaluation and Research Associate at J. Sickler Consulting where she collaborates on evaluation, research, and capacity-building projects in the informal learning sector. She has over 15 years of experience in the audience research field as an independent consultant and museum-based evaluator. Angie has also taught graduate-level courses in Museum Evaluation at the University of Washington and University of Toronto. As an advocate for culturally competent and inclusive research practice, her approach centers on building meaningful and productive relationships among stakeholders and audiences. Angie holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from The George Washington University and an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada.

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Jessica Sickler J. Sickler Consulting

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Jessica Sickler is Principal of J. Sickler Consulting, an evaluation and research firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is an evaluator and researcher who specializes in helping organizations understand what works and why in their informal education efforts. In her work, she explores the variety of ways learning happens within museums, gardens, zoos, and public engagement programs, centered on giving educators the data they need to spark insights for improvement and innovation. She holds an M.S.Ed. from Bank Street College of Education in museum education and K-6 teaching.

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Abstract

This paper describes a collaborative effort to develop, implement and research an empathy-driven, accessibility-focused engineering internship program for teens underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The program builds on a foundation developed by the Build a Better Book (BBB) project over several years and addresses a significant need to motivate, prepare and support a more diverse engineering workforce. Centered around principles of universal design, designing for accessibility, and engineering with empathy, this NSF-funded project examines how high school interns’ perceptions of engineering and self-identities as engineers are formed, nurtured, and cultivated as they design and create more accessible products for authentic community clients who are blind or visually impaired. Across sites, the project emphasizes building an inclusive and diverse community of interns, including many who may not initially view themselves as engineers. Underpinning this work is the People Part of Engineering framework, which emphasizes that engineering with people, as people and for people influences teens’ motivation and persistence of interest in engineering. To assess the effectiveness of the BBB teen internship model, the project team implemented and researched different formats of the program in two educational settings: an intensive 4-week summer program at a public university and an out-of-school-time, semester-long program at a public library makerspace. Combined, these programs engaged 59 youth in an iterative engineering design process focused on the design and fabrication of accessible products (e.g., games, toys and STEM learning models) for children and youth who are blind or have low vision. (An additional year-long, in-school program is currently in process.) Each program incorporates several key internship design principles, including authentic, client-based projects; a student-directed, collaborative work environment; and individual and team mentorship. The current project aims to impact teens’ perceptions of engineering, their engineering identity, and their confidence and competence in engineering and 21st century workplace skills. These outcomes were measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including pre-/post- surveys and audio reflections by students, interviews with site leaders, and culminating focus group discussions. Early findings suggest positive changes in the intended outcomes, across sites, including broader perceptions about engineering and a growing overlap in identity between participants and engineers, increased confidence and competency in engineering and technical skills, and gains related to interpersonal skills and other 21st century skills such as communication, critical-thinking and collaboration. The project’s ongoing and future work will test the internship model at additional sites, including a school and science center, and continue to assess the effects of variation in program format, projects, work environment, and support and training on interns’ engineering identities, their persistence of interest in engineering and how they engage as young engineers with, as, and for people.

Citation
Format

Forsyth, S., & Ogino, T., & Ong, A., & Sickler, J. (2024, June), Board 162: Engineering for Accessibility: Impacts of a High School Engineering Internship Model Across Different Settings (Work in Progress, DEI) Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46724

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper describes a collaborative effort to develop, implement and research an empathy-driven, accessibility-focused engineering internship program for teens underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The program builds on a foundation developed by the Build a Better Book (BBB) project over several years and addresses a significant need to motivate, prepare and support a more diverse engineering workforce. Centered around principles of universal design, designing for accessibility, and engineering with empathy, this NSF-funded project examines how high school interns’ perceptions of engineering and self-identities as engineers are formed, nurtured, and cultivated as they design and create more accessible products for authentic community clients who are blind or visually impaired. Across sites, the project emphasizes building an inclusive and diverse community of interns, including many who may not initially view themselves as engineers. Underpinning this work is the People Part of Engineering framework, which emphasizes that engineering with people, as people and for people influences teens’ motivation and persistence of interest in engineering. To assess the effectiveness of the BBB teen internship model, the project team implemented and researched different formats of the program in two educational settings: an intensive 4-week summer program at a public university and an out-of-school-time, semester-long program at a public library makerspace. Combined, these programs engaged 59 youth in an iterative engineering design process focused on the design and fabrication of accessible products (e.g., games, toys and STEM learning models) for children and youth who are blind or have low vision. (An additional year-long, in-school program is currently in process.) Each program incorporates several key internship design principles, including authentic, client-based projects; a student-directed, collaborative work environment; and individual and team mentorship. The current project aims to impact teens’ perceptions of engineering, their engineering identity, and their confidence and competence in engineering and 21st century workplace skills. These outcomes were measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including pre-/post- surveys and audio reflections by students, interviews with site leaders, and culminating focus group discussions. Early findings suggest positive changes in the intended outcomes, across sites, including broader perceptions about engineering and a growing overlap in identity between participants and engineers, increased confidence and competency in engineering and technical skills, and gains related to interpersonal skills and other 21st century skills such as communication, critical-thinking and collaboration. The project’s ongoing and future work will test the internship model at additional sites, including a school and science center, and continue to assess the effects of variation in program format, projects, work environment, and support and training on interns’ engineering identities, their persistence of interest in engineering and how they engage as young engineers with, as, and for people.  
AU  - Stacey Forsyth
AU  - Tim Ogino
AU  - Angelina Ong M.A.
AU  - Jessica Sickler
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 162: Engineering for Accessibility: Impacts of a High School Engineering Internship Model Across Different Settings (Work in Progress, DEI)
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/46724
ER  -