Middle school is a crucial stage in student development as students prepare for a fast changing future. The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills that students acquire in middle school lay the foundation for a successful career in STEM. Moreover, most STEM occupations require competencies in science, math and logical thinking prior to engagement in problem solving. Therefore, it is vital to prepare and develop interest in middle school students to participate in the future STEM workforce. This study examines the impact of hands-on authentic projects on middle school

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the changes found to occur pre- to post intervention in students' cognitive structures continued to persist two years later. Major findings were: 1) higher-order STEM-related constructs established during the treatment year tended to persist two years later, even as component dispositions varied, and 2) gender differences in level of persistence emerged in only one of the four higher-order constructs identified. For the participants taken as a whole, perceptions of science and STEM as a career became more aligned with interest in being a

Findings included that the residential early admissions students had STEM dispositions more similar to STEM professionals and less similar to traditional high school students. Analyses of disaggregated data characteristics based on attributes such as gender are also presented.

Engaging middle school youth in STEM curricula resulting in desired conceptual changes is challenging. Furthermore, social media are identified as platforms where youth naturally congregate for sustained interaction. Studio STEM was designed as an after school programme to engage learners (ages 11–15) in design-based science inquiry within a studio environment, enhanced by social media and digital tools. In the highlighted curriculum, Save the Penguins, youth performed scientific experiments and engineering practices to design an enclosure to protect penguin-shaped ice cubes from rising

The concept of connected learning proposes that youth leverage individual interest and social media to drive learning with an academic focus. To illustrate, we present in-depth case studies of Ryan and Sam, two middle-school-age youth, to document an out-of-school intervention intended to direct toward intentional learning in STEM that taps interest and motivation. The investigation focused on how Ryan and Sam interacted with the designed elements of Studio STEM and whether they became more engaged to gain deeper learning about science concepts related to energy sustainability. The

An unknown shipwreck waited at the bottom of the Olympic-sized pool for teams to explore and identify in March at Gray’s Reef Southeast Regional MATE ROV Competition. Engaging students and educators with technology and research methods employed by NOAA field scientists is the reason that National Marine Sanctuaries partner with the California based Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center. With annual pool missions that reflect the science of the Sanctuaries, MATE challenges student teams to design and build a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and embark on a flight path to the

2013 was the 12th year the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center at Monterey Peninsula College has held this competition. Their goal in doing so was to increase awareness of marine technical fields and careers. Their efforts connect students and educators with employers and working professionals. The ROV competition is a big event, but it is not all they do. Their workshops provide educators with resources and training to bring the world of marine technology, research, exploration and industry to their classrooms.

Engaging young science learners today requires a plethora of tools that oftentimes leverages technology in novel ways. This paper describes the use of several 21st century technologies to engage science learners in locally relevant climate science research projects and the presentation of these projects in an entirely online virtual student conference. Case studies demonstrating the use of and effectiveness of 21st century technologies and GLOBE protocols are also included. Through technology, students were able to find out more about distant locations and their own environments, talk to

Response-shift bias occurs when participants' initial constructs, such as self-efficacy in teaching science, are incomplete because they do not fully conceptualize something they have yet to experience. This study examines whether elementary pre-service teachers can consistently evaluate constructs such as self-efficacy and attitudes toward science throughout an elementary methods course. After the administration of traditional pre-tests, retrospective pre-tests, and post-tests, this study examined whether a response-shift bias consistently occurred in scales indicating science teaching self

Using consensual qualitative research, the study examines urban high school students’ reactions to a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) enrichment/career development program, their resources and barriers, their perspectives on the impact of race and gender on their career development, and their overall views of work and their futures. The sample included nine students who participated in a semistructured interview at the end of the 2-week summer program and again 12–18 months later. The results indicate that the students continued to explore STEM fields after the summer program