Exploring Divergent Student Perceptions of Importance and Enjoyment in Engineering Summer Camp Activities: Implications for Inclusive and Interest-Driven Program Design

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 1:45 pm
  In Poster Session: Student Engagement and Approaches to Teaching in Engineering

Abstract

Grounded in a social constructivist theoretical framework, this study aims to investigate how a set of cognitive, affective, attitudinal, and demographic variables independently and interactively influence adolescents’ perceptions of importance and enjoyment for nine different engineering summer camp activities. Our ordinal regression analyses applied to 42 middle and high school students’ post-camp survey data revealed a divergence between importance and enjoyment factors, along with significant gender effects. Students’ career interest and commitment, specifically their orientation toward naval science/technology or engineering-related careers, also played a significant role in determining enjoyment ratings. By uncovering the differential effects of these factors, this study offers actionable insights for engineering and other STEM enrichment program design and implementation that can effectively serve diverse student populations.

Authors

• Jae Hoon Lim, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Sohee Kim, University of South Alabama