WATERS Careers: Impact of a UDL Enhanced Middle School Watershed Curriculum on Students' Career Interest

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: Designing Socially Just Opportunities for Equitable and Diverse Environmental and Climate Change Education

Abstract

This study investigates a curriculum designed to increase awareness/engagement with water concepts and career pathways using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The study investigates changes in students’ confidence and efficacy in STEM subjects, 21st century learning skills, and interest in STEM careers using the Student Attitudes toward STEM Surveys as a pre/post-assessment with data from nine teachers and 256 middle-school students in 3 states in the spring of 2021 during COVID-19 pandemic. UDL enhancements were added to the curriculum to increase the accessibility of the content with an emphasis on reaching marginalized students. The data show that those with the lowest scores on the pre-test benefited most as statistically significant positive changes were observed in all areas.

Authors

• Nanette I. Marcum-Dietrich, Millersville University of Pennsylvania

• Cindy Stunkard, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

• Carolyn Staudt, The Concord Consortium

• Steve Kerlin, Stroud Water Research Center