Youth Interest in and Motivation Toward Informal STEM Education: Two Case Studies

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Contexts for Learning: A Focus on Media and After-School Programs

Abstract

Case studies of two middle school age youth were constructed to document interest in and motivation toward STEM in an out-of-school environment. Research questions focused on how youth were influenced by the designed elements of [The STEM Club] – using the engineering design process to convey science content, relying on peer interaction to promote understanding, and deploying social media to distribute expertise. Analyses of videotaped episodes, field notes, semi-structured interview responses, and designed artifacts revealed youths’ motivations to engage with STEM. Results suggest that youth interest relies on forming relationships with individual and team-level goals. Participants were motivated by the overarching agenda of the program, which emphasized global issues of sustainability, but not short-term goals established by curriculum and alternative assessments.

Author

• Michael A. Evans, North Carolina State University