To address participation inequities among youth in computer science programs, this study examined how parents evaluate out- of-school time (OST) STEM programs for their children. We facilitated a workshop and conducted interviews with parents in Digital Youth Divas (DYD), an OST STEM program for middle-school girls who are underrepresented in computing. We found that parents prefer programs that are free, at accessible locations, and run by reputable educational institutions. Parents also identified barriers such as the lack of a parent network and conflicting schedules. These challenges must be addressed in order to encourage participation in OST computing science programs.
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“I Have This. I'm Set": Expanding Human and Social Capital Through Out-of-School STEM Programs
This study explores how participation in an out-of-school time (OST) STEM summer program over multiple years improves STEM learning and motivation among a diverse sample of adolescents. In this study, we focus on a qualitative case study of a multi-site OST STEM summer program in the southwest U.S. We discuss how students who participate in OST STEM summer programs enhance their human and social capital, which increases their STEM learning and interest. Specifically, we find that participation leads to advanced STEM learning, expanding one’s social network to include individuals with shared interests in STEM, and access and interaction with real-world STEM knowledge.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2113395
- PAR ID:
- 10290866
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Annual meeting program American Educational Research Association
- ISSN:
- 0163-9676
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields have a well-documented racialized and gendered participation gap between males, particularly white males, and women of color (WOC). Through a Critical Race Feminist lens, this qualitative research study uses life- story narrative analysis to understand the experiences of eleven WOC who participated in an urban STEM-focused out-of-school time (OST) program. Data analysis showed students story their experiences around three overarching themes: (1) Experiencing New Opportunities; (2) Cultivating Supportive Relationships; and (3) Expanding STEM Career Possibilities. Findings indicate that an urban STEM-focused OST program can activate an ecosystem of opportunities and support which can empower WOC to step out of their socialized comfort zones and step up to more advanced academic and career paths. Participant narratives demonstrate how their experiences in a particular urban STEM OST program opened doors and encouraged pathways otherwise historically made inaccessible to WOC in STEM fields.more » « less
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Internationally, out-of-school time (OST) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs abound. However, rigorous evidence of their impacts on student outcomes is scarce. This study evaluated the relationships between OST STEM program participation and student motivational factors in math and science by analyzing survey and administrative data of 1.017 middle school students who participated in the seven-week, STEM-focused Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP) in San Antonio, Texas, from 2015 to 2017. Multiple regression results indicated that the PREP participation was positively associated with students’ attitudes toward math and interests in math-related careers, whereas the effects on students’ attitudes toward science and career interests in science were negligible. No evidence was found to suggest that the associations between PREP participation and student motivational factors in math and science differed by gender, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.more » « less
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This study examined the experiences of near-peer women mentors in an out-ofschool time (OST) STEM program for middle school girls of color. 11 mentors reported and reflected upon their overall experiences in interviews. Key findings include that, for example, training is an essential part of mentors’ work; they wish to have more training on pedagogy and more opportunities to bond with other mentors. This study extends the literature on STEM mentoring in OST environments, deepens the understanding of mentors’ experience in STEM programming, and provides important implications for mentor training and OST STEM program design, such as providing opportunities for reflective practices to understand mentor needs, supporting mentors’ non-STEM skill development, involving mentors in working towards the program goal, and fostering community building among women mentors.more » « less
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Supportive community contexts are critical to positive youth development. Out-of-school time (OST) programs serve as supportive community contexts, and participation in OST programs is associated with a host of positive outcomes for youth. Cultural centers, such as museums, have been identified as potentially supportive community contexts for youth. Still, museums have been mostly absent in the broader research discussion of the role of community-based OST programs in promoting positive youth development. The current article presents a qualitative, single-case study of 37 youth between the ages of 13 and 18, the majority of whom identified with racial/ethnic identity groups traditionally underrepresented in OST program participation, in which we examined youths’ perspectives of the features of a museum-based, science-focused, youth development program that they found to be particularly supportive. Five themes emerged, including (a) the program structure, (b) meaningful opportunities and experiences offered by the program, (c) relationships with staff, (d) a positive peer culture, and (e) sense of belonging. The results provide detailed insight into how cultural centers, such as museums, can serve as supportive community contexts for youth development.
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- The DOI is not currently available.
