ABSTRACT

Although gender gaps associated with K-12 science achievement have narrowed significantly, gaps in science engagement and efficacy in childhood likely explain why women remain underrepresented in science careers. Early intervention programs may address root causes of gender gaps in science careers. Outdoor science education (OSE) is one understudied but promising strategy, that provides ample opportunity for reform-based instructional practices that may benefit girls, including girls of colour. Using a pre–post, treatment-control quasi-experimental design, we evaluated how an OSE program differentially impacted the science grades, science knowledge, and science self-efficacy of fifth grade girls versus boys (n = 640). We found the OSE treatment increased knowledge and maintained science grades for girls while grades fell for girls in the control group. We also found that science self-efficacy decreased for both boys and girls in the treatment group. We did not detect direct or interaction effects of race on science outcomes. Research suggests OSE may help students associate science learning with challenge, which may help explain the decrease in self-efficacy coupled with the increase in achievement for girls. We suggest future research continue to investigate how OSE can benefit all students, including those who may become disengaged with learning in traditional classroom settings.

摘要

尽管与 K-12 科学成就相关的性别差距已显着缩小，但儿童时期科学参与和功效的差距可能解释了为什么女性在科学职业中的代表性仍然不足。早期干预计划可以解决科学职业中性别差距的根本原因。户外科学教育 (OSE) 是一项未被充分研究但很有前景的战略，它为基于改革的教学实践提供了充足的机会，这些实践可能会使女孩，包括有色人种女孩受益。使用前后治疗控制准实验设计，我们评估了 OSE 计划如何对五年级女生与男生（n = 640）的科学成绩、科学知识和科学自我效能感产生不同的影响。我们发现 OSE 治疗增加了女孩的知识并保持了科学成绩，而对照组女孩的成绩下降。我们还发现，治疗组的男孩和女孩的科学自我效能感都有所下降。我们没有发现种族对科学成果的直接或交互影响。研究表明 OSE 可以帮助学生将科学学习与挑战联系起来，这可能有助于解释自我效能感的下降以及女孩成绩的提高。我们建议未来的研究继续调查 OSE 如何使所有学生受益，包括那些可能在传统课堂环境中脱离学习的学生。研究表明 OSE 可以帮助学生将科学学习与挑战联系起来，这可能有助于解释自我效能感的下降以及女孩成绩的提高。我们建议未来的研究继续调查 OSE 如何使所有学生受益，包括那些可能在传统课堂环境中脱离学习的学生。研究表明 OSE 可以帮助学生将科学学习与挑战联系起来，这可能有助于解释自我效能感的下降以及女孩成绩的提高。我们建议未来的研究继续调查 OSE 如何使所有学生受益，包括那些可能在传统课堂环境中脱离学习的学生。