Poster #45 - Leveraging “Frugal Science” in an Experimental Intervention to Build Rural Children’s STEM Interest and Identification

• In Event: Poster Session 17

Abstract

U.S. jobs in science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are growing (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020), yet the gender gap in many STEM disciplines persists (e.g., engineering, computer science; National Science Foundation, 2017). The STEM gender gap is particularly evident in rural communities, where parents have more negative ideas about science (Carnegie Science Center, 2014; Howley et al., 2005) and more gender-traditional attitudes. Rural children are less likely to have early science experiences (CSC, 2014) and less likely to aspire to scientific careers (Farrigan, 2018). Thus rural girls are especially vulnerable to the leaky pipeline (Johnson et al., 2005).

Addressing the STEM equity gap begins in early childhood when social group membership stereotypes are being forged, before negative beliefs about one’s own group’s STEM performance emerge (Cheryan et al., 2015; Lei et al., 2019). Research shows even short interventions can build STEM interest and knowledge (Coyle & Liben, 2016). We know less about what processes foster identification and belonging that effectively lead to STEM persistence. Master and Metlzoff’s (2020) STEreotypes, Motivation, & outcomes (STEMO) model posits stereotype formation and social identity are key influences on self-representation as a scientist and therefore later STEM outcomes.

How does highlighting correspondence between a STEM skill (microscopy) and everyday (home) life affect children’s interest in or self-identification with STEM? How does language used to present science to rural children, particularly girls, influence interest in science or self-representation as a scientist, and in rural STEM jobs?

We tested a brief intervention among children attending a rural county fair in July 2022. Children (N=87, M age=8.5 years, 50% female, 48% male) completed a matching task between macroscopic items in jars and their microscopic samples on slides viewed through a Foldscope. Foldscopes are powerful (140x magnification, 2-micron resolution; Foldscope, 2019) yet low-cost ($1 to manufacture) origami paper microscopes. Children were randomly assigned to view samples stereotypically associated with science (e.g., leaf) or originating from everyday domestic space (e.g., dryer lint). Children were also randomly assigned to receive information about rural science careers using either “do science” or “be a scientist” language to describe occupations. Children’s slide matching was scored; they were queried about interest in Foldscopes, STEM and rural science jobs, STEM self-efficacy, and self-representation as a scientist. Preliminary results show a trend for younger children to perform better on the domestic slides and older children on the stereotypic-science slides (p=.08). Boys and girls reported gender-stereotyped interest in jobs regardless of slide/language conditions (p’s=.005, .031). Regardless of slide condition, children who heard about rural science jobs using “do science” language were more likely to want to be scientists as adults (p<.001), more interested in science (p=.002), and had greater science self-efficacy (p<.001) than those who heard about the same jobs with “be a scientist.”

Data analysis is ongoing, including coding the relative masculinity, femininity, and suitability for microscopy of children’s selection of a specimen to examine with a Foldscope in the future. Preliminary findings suggest the importance of language in shaping children’s interest in future STEM.

Authors

• Emily F Coyle, Saint Martin's University
  Presenting Author

• Megan Fulcher, washing

• James H Watson