Desiring to Fit: Fostering the Success of Community College Transfer Students in STEM

The United States is experiencing a dire need for individuals who possess training and expertise in areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). With over half of the nation’s students entering university environments via community colleges coupled with a large portion of this population majoring in STEM areas, the successful transition and adjustment of community college transfer students is essential to the STEM workforce. This article uses an ex post facto survey research design to examine the socialization factors that impact the transition and adjustment experiences of community college transfer students in STEM disciplines. Two hierarchical regression models are employed to examine the factors that impact the academic and social adjustment of community college transfer students in STEM majors. This research was situated using an adaptation of Weidman’s (1987) Socialization Theoretical Framework. Implications, and recommendations for policy and practice will be provided based on the overall results of this study.     

Engineering design in the primary school: applying stem concepts to build an optical instrument

Internationally there is a need for research that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education to equip students with the skills needed for a rapidly changing future. One way to do this is through designing engineering activities that reflect real-world problems and contextualise students’ learning of STEM concepts. As such, this study examined the learning that occurred when fifth-grade students completed an optical engineering activity using an iterative engineering design model. Through a qualitative methodology using a case study design, we analysed multiple data sources including students’ design sketches from eight focus groups. Three key findings emerged: first, the collaborative process of the first design sketch enabled students to apply core STEM concepts to model construction; second, during the construction stage students used experimentation for the positioning of lenses, mirrors and tubes resulting in a simpler ‘working’ model; and third, the redesign process enabled students to apply structural changes to their design. The engineering design model was useful for structuring stages of design, construction and redesign; however, we suggest a more flexible approach for advanced applications of STEM concepts in the future.     

Institutional Change in Higher Education: Innovation and Collaboration

To remain globally competitive and increase the number of young people completing two- and four-year college degrees, America needs to expand access to higher education and focus attention on the success of those who enroll. Expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will be particularly important for maintaining a thriving economy and in developing innovative solutions to global challenges. However, only 6 percent of 24-year-olds in the United States hold first degrees in these fields, placing the country 20th in a comparison group of 24 industrialized countries. Many American students initially interested in STEM areas select other fields after they begin college: only 33 percent of white students, 42 percent of Asian American students, and about 20 percent of black, Latino, and Native American students who aspire to complete a STEM major succeed. This paper examines strategies developed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and elsewhere that have created an atmosphere of inclusive excellence and are allowing more students of all backgrounds to succeed in STEM areas and other disciplines. Culture change at UMBC began 25 years ago with the development of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program for high-achieving minority students interested in STEM research careers. Lessons learned from that program have motivated University-wide changes as faculty, staff, and students have pursued broad initiatives to redesign courses, build community, and support and engage students.     

Urban High School Students’ IT/STEM Learning: Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry- and Design-Based Afterschool Program

This exploratory study examines the impact of a collaborative inquiry- and design-based afterschool program on urban high school students’ IT/STEM learning—using information technology (IT) within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study used a mixed methods design, involving 77 participants within two cohort groups, each participating in an eighteen-month intervention period. Data were collected from the pre- and post-surveys, analysis of the participants’ IT/STEM projects, external evaluation reports, and follow-up interviews. Findings indicate that the program had a significant impact on students’ technology and IT/STEM skills, frequency of technology use, and understanding of IT use in STEM-oriented fields. Some degree of impact on attitude changes toward IT/STEM and career aspirations in these fields was also in evidence. The study demonstrates that IT/STEM experiences supported through technology-enhanced, inquiry- and design-based collaborative learning strategies have significant impact on urban high school students’ IT/STEM learning. Effect of afterschool programs on attitude changes and IT/STEM-related career aspirations of urban high school students are recommended areas of further investigation.     

Students Who Demonstrate Strong Talent and Interest in STEM Are Initially Attracted to STEM through Extracurricular Experiences

What early experiences attract students to pursue an education and career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Does hands-on research influence them to persevere and complete a major course of academic study in STEM? We evaluated survey responses from 149 high school and undergraduate students who gained hands-on research experience in the 2007–2013 Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Programs (ASSIP) at George Mason University. Participants demonstrated their strong interest in STEM by volunteering to participate in ASSIP and completing 300 h of summer research. The survey queried extracurricular experiences, classroom factors, and hands-on projects that first cultivated students’ interest in the STEM fields, and separately evaluated experiences that sustained their interest in pursuing a STEM degree. The majority of students (65.5%, p < 0.0001) reported extracurricular encounters, such as the influence of a relative or family member and childhood experiences, as the most significant factors that initially ignited their interest in STEM, while hands-on lab work was stated as sustaining their interest in STEM (92.6%). Based on these findings collected from a cohort of students who demonstrated a strong talent and interest in STEM, community-based programs that create awareness about STEM for both children and their family members may be key components for igniting long-term academic interest in STEM.     

Does continued participation in STEM enrichment and enhancement activities affect school maths attainment?

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills are very valuable for economic growth. However, the number of young people pursuing STEM learning trajectories in the United Kingdom was lower than the predicted demand during the last decade. Several STEM enrichment and enhancement activities were thus funded by the government, private, and charitable organisations to improve understanding of and raise pupil interest in these subjects. One possible way of measuring the impact of these activities in supporting pupil understanding of maths was to track the proportion of young people obtaining a ‘good’ grade in standardised national tests such as the GCSEs. Attainment is of course only one possible outcome of education but certainly a very important one because students are more likely to continue studying subjects in which they score higher. This makes maths attainment even more important as it is a pre-requisite for admission to STEM degree courses. This longitudinal study makes use of the National Pupil Database to assess the impact of these schemes on maths attainment of participating schools. Following up 300 intervention schools for five years the study shows the intervention group did not do any better than the comparator. The paper suggests further directions for research and offers recommendations for practice.     

The Contribution of HBCUS to the Preparation of African American Women for Stem Careers: A Case Study

This study uses case study analysis to explore the ways that Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college, promotes the attainment of African American women in STEM fields. Although limited to one institution, the findings shed light on the ways that institutional characteristics, policies, and practices may mitigate the barriers that limit attainment of African American women in STEM fields. Drawing on the findings, the paper concludes with recommendations for improving policy and practice as well as recommendations for additional fruitful research.     

Black girls speak STEM: Counterstories of informal and formal learning experiences

This study presents the interpretations and perceptions of Black girls who participated in I AM STEM—a community-based informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. Using narrative inquiry, participants generated detailed accounts of their informal and formal STEM learning experiences. Critical race methodology informed this research to portray the dynamic and complex experiences of girls of color, whose stories have historically been silenced and misrepresented. The data sources for this qualitative study included individual interviews, student reflection journals, samples of student work, and researcher memos, which were triangulated to produce six robust counterstories. Excerpts of the counterstories are presented in this article. The major findings of this research revealed that I AM STEM ignited an interest in STEM learning through field trips and direct engagement in scientific phenomena that allowed the girls to become agentic in continuing their engagement in STEM activities throughout the year. This call to awaken the voices of Black girls to speak casts light on their experiences and challenges as STEM learners—from their perspectives. The findings confirm that when credence and counterspaces are given to Black girls, they are poised to reveal their luster toward STEM learning. This study provided a space for Black girls to reflect on their STEM learning experiences, formulate new understandings, and make connections between the informal and formal learning environments within the context of their everyday lives, thus offering a more holistic approach to STEM learning that occurs across settings and over a lifetime.     

Enclothed cognition: putting lab coats to the test

ABSTRACT

Although there has been some success with programmes that aim to increase STEM involvement by women and underserved minorities, science educators continue to seek ways to promote students’ interest in STEM. This study builds on social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and the theory of enclothed cognition to assess the impact of wearing lab coats on 5th-grade students. Students were assigned to a treatment group (that wore lab coats, n = 106) or a control group (that did not wear lab coats, n = 110) for 10 science classes taught by their classroom science teacher. Students were assessed pre and post to the intervention with a survey designed to measure science interest, recognition from others as a science person, science self-efficacy, and STEM career goals. Results showed students’ interest in science was not significantly changed due to wearing the lab coat, but the lab coats did have significant effects on students’ perceived recognition by others as being a science learner. Furthermore, those treatment students with low self-efficacy (compared to those with high self-efficacy) and those with who did not report having access to a parent with a STEM career had significant increases in perceptions of self-efficacy in science.     

民族地区信息管理与信息系统人才培养方案设计

阐明了民族地区高校信息管理与信息系统专业的培养目标和培养方向,从实际出发,通过人才培养方案的设计,提出了具有民族地区特色的“信息管理与信息系统”专业人才培养思路。     

基于KH Coder文本数据挖掘的中日STEM教育研究模式对比

STEM教育由于强调跨学科融合和创新人才培养的理念而受到世界各国的广泛关注。我国学者的国际视野主要集中于欧美国家,而对日本的STEM教育研究甚少。造成这一现象的主要原因在于当前主流文献数据库并不支持对日语文献的检索,因此有必要借助KH Coder这一支持日语文献分析的文本数据挖掘软件来探索日本STEM教育研究的特色,以期为我国的STEM教育研究提供借鉴。通过对中日两国STEM教育研究主题高频词表与主题词共现关系网络的分析发现,日本的STEM教育研究更偏向于实践,且注重进行实证研究;实践指向下的开发主要关注教材开发,且非常注重与地方特色产业相结合;同时倡导和重视国际间合作开展STEM实践,不断输出和引进可贵经验。反观我国的STEM教育研究,则偏向于介绍国外特别是美国的STEM教育经验,课程内容偏向于STEM教育的理念及其设计等理论层面问题,非常缺乏融入本地境脉的实践和实证研究。为了更好地推进我国STEM教育的实践发展,我国学者应该借鉴日本STEM教育研究模式的特色,从实践与实证相结合、建立国际合作、融入地方境脉三方面探求STEM教育研究模式的转变。     

加强高校实验室的管理

为了充分地利用有限的实验资源,更好地为高等院校的教学科研服务,也为了给高等院校学生提供第二课堂的服务,在教学经费紧张的情况下,从设备的维护、创建实验管理软件、开展第二课堂等多方面入手,对实验室加强管理.一方面提高实验室的管理水平,另一方面提高了实验设备的利用率.     

Research-based education as a model to change the teaching and learning environment in STEM disciplines

This paper discusses the benefits and threats of promoting and reinforcing a research-based education environment to STEM undergraduate students. The paper explores the rationale for research-based education as a pedagogical driven approach, where undergraduate students learn through enquiry and discovery. Research evidence of a STEM case study conducted in an English university is then presented, which sheds light on how this institution and STEM research-active academics are fostering students’ learning in a research-based education environment, the constraints they face, and the pedagogical solutions they propose to empower students’ learning. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations aimed to raise the research-based education environment of STEM Faculties or Departments.     

略论精密仪器设备的使用与管理

结合高校研究型实验室精密仪器设备的使用情况,探讨了实验室精密仪器设备的管理理念,以期不断提高管理水平和精密仪器设备的使用效率,充分发挥精密仪器设备的作用,使之更好地为教学与科研工作服务。     

Bioinformatics Education in High School: Implications for Promoting Science,Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics Careers

We investigated the effects of our Bio-ITEST teacher professional development model and bioinformatics curricula on cognitive traits (awareness, engagement, self-efficacy, and relevance) in high school teachers and students that are known to accompany a developing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The program included best practices in adult education and diverse resources to empower teachers to integrate STEM career information into their classrooms. The introductory unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, uses bioinformatics to teach basic concepts in genetics and molecular biology, and the advanced unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, utilizes bioinformatics to study evolution and support student research with DNA barcoding. Pre–post surveys demonstrated significant growth (n = 24) among teachers in their preparation to teach the curricula and infuse career awareness into their classes, and these gains were sustained through the end of the academic year. Introductory unit students (n = 289) showed significant gains in awareness, relevance, and self-efficacy. While these students did not show significant gains in engagement, advanced unit students (n = 41) showed gains in all four cognitive areas. Lessons learned during Bio-ITEST are explored in the context of recommendations for other programs that wish to increase student interest in STEM careers.     

#Resilience is not enough for Black women in STEM: Counterstories of two young Black women becoming a STEM person

Both K-12 schools and STEM disciplines are embedded in White supremacy and exclusion, making it that much harder for Black women to maintain an interest and sense of belonging in STEM. Through a Critical Race Feminism methodology, we tell the counterstories of our two co-authors, two Black women, over the course of their lives. Through these counterstories (stories that run counter to normative stories of STEM as male and White), Kelli and Samantha show us how they negotiated and maintained a sense of belonging in STEM even through moments of self-doubt in their STEM trajectory. These negotiations allowed them to carve a space for themselves within STEM. A key finding from these counterstories was the resilience both women developed through their participation in counterspaces and support from family and teachers that helped them develop pride in their STEM identity trajectories. Our study adds to the research on Black women's journeys in STEM by describing resilience strategies that our authors were forced to develop in response to White supremacy and how they were able to maintain their STEM identity by creating a counterstory that allowed them to maintain their sense of belonging within STEM. And yet, we conclude by asking if resilience is enough since both women questioned their authentic and valued place in their respective STEM disciplines because of the dominant storyline of STEM as White and male. Their stories reveal the deeper truth that change is needed in STEM to empower students of color to see themselves as not just tolerated but valued members of the discipline.     

过程装备与控制工程专业实验室管理系统开发

按照综合性、设计性实验的要求,把过程装备与控制工程专业实验室建设管理与实验内容等融合到实验室管理系统中,完善和创新了该专业实验管理方法;介绍了利用雅奇MIS编制实验室管理系统的详细方法和过程,在实验室管理系统信息化后的实验室环境中,学生既可以直接学习传统实验、实践的操作,还可以获得实验室中其它实验设备、仪器的操作使用方法;实验室管理上减轻了实验教师的工作量,提高了实验室的利用率和开放性及学生做实验的积极性,促进优良学风养成;同时为教师提供了良好的实验教学研究环境,为更好地培养学生的实践能力和创新精神,培养高素质的应用型人才打下基础。     

我国学前STEM教育的研究综述——基于Citespace5.7软件的可视化分析

随着科技的进步,STEM教育已成为当前教育研究的热点话题,也是基础教育阶段重点关注的教育领域。本文结合中国知网(CNKI)数据库最近六年2015年1月~2021年1月收录的以“学前STEM教育”为关键词的文献作为研究对象,运用citespace5.7软件,采用词频分析和聚类分析的方法分析了解我国学前STEM教育的研究热点和发展趋势。经过分析发现,当前我国学前STEM教育研究大多集中在“对国外学前STEM教育的学习与借鉴”、“我国学前STEM教育的价值”、“STEM教育在幼儿园的教学与实践”和“我国学前STEM教育的人才培养”四个方面,在今后的研究中要注重发挥STEM教育的跨学科性,增加不同学科、不同领域学者之间的交流合作机会;加强实证研究、混合研究方法的使用,实现量化研究与质性研究的有效结合;扩大学前STEM教育研究内容覆盖的范围,深化研究主题。     

Robotic Construction Kits as Computational Manipulatives for Learning in the STEM Disciplines

This article presents a systematic review of research related to the use of robotics construction kits (RCKs) in P–12 learning in the STEM disciplines for typically developing children. The purpose of this review is to configure primarily qualitative and mixed methods findings from studies meeting our selection and quality criterion to answer the review question: How do robotic construction kits function as computational manipulatives in P–12 STEM education? Our synthesis of the literature has resulted in four key insights that are new to the field. First, RCKs have a unique double application: They may be used for direct instruction in robotics (first-order uses) or as analogical tools for learning in other domains (second-order uses). Second, RCKs make possible additional routes to learning through the provision of immediate feedback and the dual modes of representation unique to RCKs. Third, RCKs support a computational thinking learning progression beginning with a lower anchor of sequencing and finishing with a high anchor of systems thinking. And fourth, RCKs support evolving problem-solving abilities along a continuum, ranging from trial and error to heuristic methods associated with robotics study. Furthermore, our synthesis provides insight into the second-order (analogical) uses of RCKs as computational manipulatives in the disciplines of physics and biology. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed. (Keywords: computational manipulatives, constructionism, computational thinking, problem solving, robotics, STEM)     

Integrating School Leadership Knowledge and Practice Using Multimedia Technology: Linking National Standards, Assessment, and Professional Development

This article presents an overview perspective on the potential benefits of applying multimedia technology to redesign and invigorate the career-long performance assessment and professional learning of school leaders. Funded design and development efforts of one multimedia project—the Administrator Case Simulation (ACS) Multimedia Library—focusing on the professional assessment and development of school principals involved in collaborative school leadership are highlighted. Project research teams at the ACS Multimedia Lab have focused in the past seven years on using available multimedia technologies to develop school leadership assessment and organizational learning case simulation resources for school principals and other school leaders. This article provides an overview of the multimedia case simulation concept, describes collaborative R&D project efforts involving regional and state school leaders, highlights multimedia case design features, and discusses implications of technology-integrated case designs for informing personnel assessment and evaluation programs and for enhancing the reflective thinking, decision making, and professional learning of school leaders. Finally, recommendations are offered for engaging in further research and development efforts using the integrated systems professional learning approach presented, and for creatively expanding technology-integrated case simulation designs to develop similar professional assessment and learning resources for all school leaders.