Learner Attributes and Technology-Enriched Environments Associated with Positive Climate Change Attitudes and Energy and Environmental Science Knowledge in Middle School Students

Publications

Pre-post data from 764 treatment and 553 comparison middle school students from nine US states were analyzed to examine STEM-related attitudes and dispositions aligning with climate change beliefs and intentions, and acquisition of energy and environmental science content knowledge. Findings were that at least seven non-cognitive variables contribute between eight and fifteen percent of the beliefs, intentions, and knowledge acquisitions of interest in this study, in linear combinations of subsets of the variables. Implications of these findings for promoting interest in STEM are discussed

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Changes in Teacher Dispositions Among Participants in Hands-on Teaching of a STEM Curriculum

Publications

Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World (MSOSW) focuses on students using energy monitoring equipment to assess the amount of standby power consumed by their home entertainment devices and appliances when not performing any useful functions. This program focuses on improving the STEM pipeline by preparing both teachers and students in engaging activities aimed at creating and increasing interest in STEM careers for students. Teachers who participated in this hands-on, real world curriculum project, that included professional development, project tools and resources, gained in their

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