Summer STEM Camp: Pump or Filter for Urban Students?

• In Event: STEM as an Urban Equity Strategy: Memphis as a Microcosm

Abstract

This paper examines a case study example of an out-of-school summer STEM program. Historically, the state-funded program was designed to address a history of educational inequities. According to program documents, the purpose of the program is to “allow underrepresented high school students to explore STEM fields so that they envision studying those subjects in college.” The program is a two-week residential STEM Academy composed of approximately 40 high school students and five teachers. Requirements for admittance to the program include being enrolled in the local public school system, as well as the completion of certain high school courses.
Philip and Azedevo (2017) argue that “out-of-school settings promise to broaden participation in science to groups that are often left out of school-based opportunities” (p. 526). However, in pointing to the role of out-of-school programs in promoting equity, they note that the concept of equity is difficult to pinpoint due to changing definitions in various contexts and research perspectives. According to Philip and Azevedo, this difficulty is exacerbated by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) framework, which uses the concepts in three different ways. “The first definition of equity appeals to ‘socially enlightened self-interest’ and argues that investments must be made in science and engineering education for ‘underrepresented groups’” (p 526). The second conceptualization of equity is as fairness and equal treatment of all, while the third definition of equity is as for social justice.
In order to analyze equity from these three perspectives, we gathered evidence from state documents as well as student and instructors’ views about the STEM Academy. The three main areas of the study are: access to the program by students; students’ previous in-school STEM experiences; and students’ interests in pursuing STEM careers. Our case study approach gives us the opportunity to ask questions of the existing program and explore the answers, not only to understand the current context, but to gain deeper insight into STEM Academy as an urban equity strategy.
The paper describes these areas in greater detail and highlights the intersection of these areas with the definitions of equity. For example, the analysis of state documents revealed an original intent centered around fairness and equal treatment of all. The funding for the academy was initially a provision of a consent degree brought by litigation to eliminate a dual system of education in Tennessee. Yet, an analysis of the wording of the decree suggests a focus on equal treatment: “The parties are committed to maintaining educational institutions that are committed to desegregation and to reaching out to all residents of this State regardless of race” (https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section-cases-1).
Yet, as will be addressed in the larger paper, this focus on fairness and equal treatment is only part of the bigger picture with regard to STEM in this case. In fact, as we will illustrate in the larger paper, the question of the STEM Academy’s impact with regard to equity is complex and dependent on the lens used to define equity.

Authors

• Rachel Diane Askew, The University of Memphis

• Angiline Powell, The University of Memphis