ABSTRACT

Background: Middle school students elected to participate in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) extracurricular programs (EPs). Researchers examined and compared science motivation, STEM career identity, and STEM college confidence among participants and non-participants.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate differences in STEM EP participants and non-participants in their STEM motivation and identity at the beginning of participation, at the end of participation, and changes over time.

Programme description: The STEM EPs in which students participated were Girls in STEM, Science Olympiad, and Math Counts. Girls in STEM focuses on exposing girls to STEM experiences and career. Science Olympiad complements classroom science through school-wide events, Science Fun Days or Science Fun Nights, and members have the option of competing in a tournament. Math Counts is a competitive mathematics program where students participate in spelling-bee-style competitions after receiving targeted math coaching.

Sample: This study was conducted at a STEM-focused middle school (grades 6–8); 733 students (59% female) completed both the fall and spring surveys, with 71 students in STEM EPs (41% female) taking both surveys.

Design and methods: Students completed surveys aimed at assessing science motivation, STEM career identity, and STEM college confidence in the fall and spring. Researchers analyzed data using logistic regression and linear mixed modeling.

Results: Girls who participate in STEM EPs have a stronger STEM career identity and greater science motivation than non-participant girls. STEM EP participation is associated with greater spring science motivation and STEM career identity and less decline in STEM motivation and career identity from fall to spring.

Conclusions: There are gender differences in characteristics of students who participate in STEM EPs. STEM EPs have the power to reduce declines in STEM career identity and science motivation typically experienced in middle school.

摘要

背景：中学生被选为参加科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）课外计划（EPs）的学生。研究人员检查并比较了参与者和非参与者的科学动机，STEM职业身份和STEM大学信心。

目的：该研究的目的是调查参加STEM EP的参与者和未参加STEM的参与者在开始，结束时以及随着时间变化的动机和身份方面的差异。

程序说明：学生参加的STEM EP是STEM中的女孩，科学奥林匹克和数学计数。STEM中的女孩致力于使女孩接触STEM的经历和职业。科学奥林匹克通过学校范围内的活动，科学趣味日或科学趣味之夜来补充课堂科学知识，会员可以选择参加比赛。Math Counts是一项竞争性数学计划，学生在接受有针对性的数学指导后即可参加拼字比赛。

样本：这项研究是在以STEM为重点的中学（6-8年级）中进行的；733名学生（59％的女性）完成了秋季和春季调查，其中71名STEM EP学生（41％的女性）参加了两项调查。

设计与方法：学生们完成了旨在评估科学动机，STEM职业身份以及STEM大学在秋季和春季的信心的调查。研究人员使用逻辑回归和线性混合模型分析了数据。

结果：参加STEM EP的女孩比未参加的女孩具有更强的STEM职业身份和更大的科学动力。STEM EP的参与与春季科学动机和STEM职业身份的增强以及秋天到春季STEM动机和职业身份的减少程度降低相关。

结论：参加STEM EPs的学生在性格上存在性别差异。STEM EP可以减少通常在中学时期经历的STEM职业认同和科学动机的下降。