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Reciprocal Associations Between Science Efficacy, STEM Identity and Scientist Career Interest Among Adolescent Girls within the Context of Informal Science Learning
Short Summary
Women are underrepresented in STEM fields. This study found that in girls involved in STEM youth programs interest in pursuing a career in STEM was associated with positive beliefs about their abilities to do science. It was also found that girls who want to pursue science careers have more positive beliefs about their abilities to do science and the compatibility of their own identity with STEM over time. These findings suggest that it’s important for STEM youth programs to focus on career development and developing confidence in girls’ ability to do science, potentially through opportunities to apply science skills to solve problems.
Summary
Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Over time, scientist career interest, interest in choosing a career in science, declines for girls. This may relate to declining science efficacy, the belief in one’s own ability to do science, and STEM identity, the belief that one’s own identity aligns with STEM. Understanding the factors that impact scientist career interest is important for improving the likelihood that women will be interested in entering STEM careers. This study measured science efficacy, STEM identity, and scientist career interest in girls who participate in youth programs at a science museum, zoo, or aquarium over a two year period. Over time, a higher level of science efficacy was associated with higher scientist career interest and higher STEM identity was associated with higher science efficacy, suggesting that girls with positive beliefs about their abilities to do science may be more likely to be interested in pursuing a career in science. Higher scientist career interest also led to increased science efficacy and STEM identity, suggesting that having interest in a career in science may influence girls’ beliefs about their abilities to do science. These findings highlight the importance for youth science programs to focus on career development and building confidence in science abilities.
Abstract
Limited research has explored the longitudinal pathway to youth career interests via identity and efficacy together. This study examined the longitudinal associations between science efficacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) identity, and scientist career interest among girls who are historically considered as an underrepresented group among scientists. The sample included 308 girls (M age = 15.22, SD age = 1.66; 42.8% White) from six STEM youth programs, each at a different informal science learning site within the U.K. and the U.S. Longitudinal structural equation modelling demonstrated that science efficacy consistently predicted STEM identity and scientist career interest, and similarly, STEM identity consistently predicted science efficacy over a two-year period. Scientist career interest at 12 months predicted science efficacy at 24 months. The coefficients of efficacy predicting STEM identity and scientist career interest were significantly larger compared to STEM identity and scientist career interest in predicting science efficacy from 12 months to 24 months. Further mediation analysis supported a significant pathway from STEM identity at 3 months to scientist career interest at 24 months via 12-month science efficacy. The findings highlight that science efficacy and STEM identity for girls relate to their scientist career interest and these longitudinal associations are reciprocal. This study suggests that science efficacy and STEM identity mutually influence each other, and enhancing science efficacy and STEM identity is key to promoting adolescents’ interest in being a scientist.
Citation
Zhao, M., Ozturk, E., Law, F., Joy, A., Deutsch, A.R., Marlow, C.S., Mathews, C.J., McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Balkwill, F., Burns, K.P., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G., Smith, H., Winterbottom, Mulvey, K. L., Hartstone-Rose, A. & M., Rutland, A. (2023). Reciprocal associations between science efficacy, STEM identity and scientist career interest among adolescent girls within the context of informal science learning. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01868-6
Children’s and Adolescents’ Evaluations of Wealth-related STEM Inequality
Short Summary
Wealth based inequalities contribute to unequal access to opportunities in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This research investigates (1) how wealth is related to children’s and adolescents’ judgments about inclusion of peers in STEM opportunities, (2) whether there are specific wealth-based stereotypes regarding STEM ability and (3) whether children believed they and their peers would attempt to rectify or perpetuate these inequalities. Older children were more likely to believe that high wealth individuals would have more access to informal STEM sites and were more likely to select a low-wealth individual for the STEM opportunities due to wanting to rectify wealth-based inequalities in STEM access; however, most participants thought their peers would choose the high-wealth individual. Older children were also less likely to believe that high-wealth individuals have stronger STEM abilities than younger children.
Summary
Research has largely focused on inequality and underrepresentation in STEM based on gender and ethnicity; however, wealth inequality also contributes to educational outcomes and access to STEM opportunities. Young children (6 to 8 years old) have been shown to be aware of this inequality and make attempts to rectify it through inclusion of low wealth peers in theoretical STEM opportunities. This research aims to understand how adolescent visitors to informal STEM sites (e.g., science museums, zoos, and aquariums) make judgements about inclusion of peers in STEM opportunities based on wealth status, whether they believe their peers would make the same judgements about rectifying or perpetuating inequality in STEM opportunities, and whether they hold wealth-based stereotypes regarding STEM abilities. Visitors were presented with two characters without specified gender or ethnicity. Images of each character’s backpack and their family’s house and car were included. One character had newer, larger, and more modern items than the other. Visitors were asked how often they felt each character goes to museums, zoos, and aquariums and which character should be included for the last spot in a school trip to a science museum and why. They were also asked whether they felt their peers would make the same decision. Visitors were also asked about STEM abilities of each character. Older children were more likely to believe that high wealth individuals would have more access to informal STEM sites and were more likely to select a low-wealth individual for the STEM opportunities due to wanting to rectify wealth-based inequalities in STEM access. Ethnic minority status participants rectified this inequality at an earlier age than their majority status peers. Most participants thought that their peers would choose the high-wealth individual. Older children were also less likely to believe that high-wealth individuals have stronger STEM abilities than younger children. These findings demonstrate that children and adolescents are aware of wealth-based inequalities and therefore should be involved, potentially through direct interventions, in helping to rectify individual-level wealth-based disparities.
Abstract
The fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are rife with inequalities and under-representation that have their roots in childhood. While researchers have focused on gender and race/ethnicity as two key dimensions of inequality, less attention has been paid to wealth. To this end, and drawing from the Social Reasoning Development approach, we examined children’s and adolescents’ perceptions of STEM ability and access to opportunities as a function of wealth, as well as their desire to rectify such inequalities. Participants (n = 234: early childhood, n = 70, mean age = 6.33, SD = .79; middle childhood, n = 92, mean age = 8.90, SD = .83 and early adolescence, n = 62, mean age = 12.00; SD = 1.16) in the U.K. (64% White British) and U.S. (40% White/European American) read about two characters, one high-wealth and one low-wealth. In early childhood, participants reported that the high-wealth character would have greater STEM ability and were just as likely to invite either character to take part in a STEM opportunity. By middle childhood, participants were more likely to report equal STEM abilities for both characters and to seek to rectify inequalities by inviting the low-wealth character to take part in a STEM opportunity. However, older participants reported that peers would still prefer to invite the high-wealth character. These findings also varied by ethnic group status, with minority status participants rectifying inequalities at a younger age than majority status participants. Together these findings document that children are aware of STEM inequalities based on wealth and, with age, will increasingly seek to rectify these inequalities.
Citation
McGuire, L., Marlow, C., Hoffman, A. J., Joy, A., Law, F., Hartstone-Rose, A., Rutland, A.,
Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Burns, K.P., Butler, L., Fields, G., & Mulvey, K. L. (2023). Children’s and adolescents’ evaluations of wealth-related STEM inequality. Social Development, online. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12710
Interest, Mindset and Engagement: Longitudinal Relations in Science Orientations for Adolescents in Informal Science Programs
Short Summary
This research tracked science growth mindset (belief about one’s ability to learn), science interest, and science engagement in participants of youth educator programs at informal science learning sites over two years. While science engagement, a metric closely related to achievement and aspirations, generally declines throughout adolescence, higher levels of engagement were associated with higher levels of interest and higher growth mindset. This suggests that informal science learning programs should focus on fostering positive science growth mindsets and greater interest in both youth educators and visitors to mitigate the decline in engagement.
Summary
Science engagement shapes academic motivation, achievement, learning, and aspirations; however, engagement and interest tend to decline throughout adolescence. With a need for more people entering STEM careers, it is important to address this decline in engagement. This research examines the relationship between science engagement, science interest, and science growth mindset (belief that science abilities could be improved through hard work rather than it being innate) in participants in youth educator programs at informal science learning sites (ISLS; e.g., museums, zoos, and aquariums) over two years. Participants who had a higher growth mindset maintained higher levels of interest and engagement over time. This may be related to engagement with science in a learning-oriented environment outside of the more grade-oriented school environment or their roles as educators where they get to see visitor learning firsthand. Science interest was also an important indicator of engagement, with participants who reported higher interest also reporting higher engagement over time. By fostering science interest and growth mindset, ISLS keep adolescents engaged in science, ultimately encouraging them to pursue future STEM careers.
Abstract
Little is known about the factors that influence engagement for adolescents participating in informal youth science programs. This study examined longitudinal reciprocal associations between adolescents’ science engagement, interest, and growth mindset. Participants were adolescents (M age = 15.06, SD = 1.82 years, 66.8% female) from the UK (n = 168) and the US (n = 299). A cross lagged path analysis indicated that participants’ science growth mindset at baseline was positively related to interest, and engagement at year 1, and science interest at year 1 was positively related to growth mindset at year 2. Additionally, girls had lower science growth mindsets than boys. This evidence suggests that informal programs may encourage positive STEM trajectories by fostering engagement, growth mindset and interest.
Citation
Joy, A., Mathews, C.J., Zhao, M., Law, F., McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Balkwill, F., Burns, K., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G., Smith, H., Ozturk, E., Winterbottom, M., Rutland, A., Hartstone-Rose, A. & Mulvey, K. L. (2023). Mindset and engagement: Longitudinal relations in science orientations for adolescents in informal science programs. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01734-5
Promoting Diverse Youth’s Career Development through Informal Science Learning: The Role of Inclusivity and Belonging
Short Summary
Inclusive informal science learning sites (e.g., zoo, museum) may act as an important space to foster feelings of belonging in STEM for youths and prepare them for future careers by exposing them to potential career paths and real-life experience in STEM youth programs. Based on one-year longitudinal survey data from youths who participated in informal STEM youth programs, over time, a perception of greater site inclusivity of a youth’s own gender and ethnic group relate to increased feelings of program belonging, which in turn relate to a greater sense of being prepared for future STEM careers.
Summary
Too few people are entering the STEM workforce. Previous research suggests that obstacles include the lack of inclusivity in STEM formal education (i.e., school) and the lack of STEM belonging, in particular for teens underrepresented in STEM. Belonging represents a feeling of being welcomed into or connected to a community or concept. Feeling included in and belonging toward STEM have been shown to help students further pursue STEM fields. Informal science learning sites may act as valuable spaces to foster a feeling of being included in STEM. This research examined surveys from three time points in a year from ethnically diverse teens who participated in STEM youth programs at informal science learning sites in the United States and the United Kingdom and found that perceptions of site inclusivity for a youth’s own ethnic and gender groups were related to a sense of belonging within the program, which in turn was associated with perceptions of career preparedness from the program later. Unlike in formal science learning sites (e.g., schools), general inclusivity of sites towards all people within and outside of their ethnic and gender groups was not a good predictor of belonging and career preparation. These findings suggest that social environment is important for the future career preparation of diverse and underrepresented youths. In order to prepare youths from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM for future careers, science learning sites should be actively inclusive towards individual social identity groups (i.e., gender, ethnic/cultural) and help youths develop a sense of belonging within the youth program at the site.
Abstract
Little research has examined the associations between perceived inclusivity within informal science learning sites, youth program belonging and perceptions of program career preparation. This study explored relations between these factors at three timepoints (T1 = start of program, T2 = 3 months and T3 = 12 months after start). Participants were a diverse sample of 209 adolescents participating in STEM youth programs within informal science learning sites situated in the United States and United Kingdom (70% females: M age = 15.27, SD age age = 1.60), with 53.1% British and 64.1% non-White. Path analysis revealed that only perceptions of inclusivity for own social identity group (i.e., gender, ethnicity) at T1 were associated with T2 STEM youth program belonging. There was a significant indirect effect of T1 perceptions of inclusivity for one’s own social identity groups on T3 perceptions of program career preparation via T2 program belonging. This study highlights that, over time, perceptions of inclusivity around youth’s own social identity groups (i.e., gender and ethnicity/culture) are related to a sense of youth program belonging, which in turn is later associated with perceptions of program career preparation.
Citation
Zhao, M., Mathews, C., Mulvey, K. L., Hartstone-Rose, A., McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Winterbottom, M., Joy, A., Law, F., Balkwill, F., Burns, K., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G., Smith, H., & Rutland, A. (2022). Promoting diverse youth’s career development through informal science learning: The Role of inclusivity and belonging. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01694-2
Gender Stereotypes and Peer Selection in STEM Domains Among Children and Adolescents
Short Summary
Gender stereotypes about STEM performance impact interest and performance in STEM fields among youths, leading to fewer girls entering the STEM workforce, which further reinforces these stereotypes. This research explores gender stereotypes and their impacts across individual STEM domains. Children demonstrate fairly egalitarian views about math and science performance, aligning with a closing gap in participation and achievement in these fields. Boys and girls across age groups endorsed male ability stereotypes and peer selection in engineering and technology. This may be because there are fewer opportunities to engage with domains in classrooms and exposure occurs primarily through the male dominated workforce, further reinforcing stereotypes. These stereotypes and achievement gaps could be mitigated by providing more opportunities to engage with these domains.
Summary
Gender stereotypes about STEM abilities have been shown to present barriers to girls’ interest, enrollment, and performance in STEM. STEM includes four domains: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. While gender stereotypes related to science and mathematics have previously been studied, little research has examined impacts related technology and engineering. This research examines domain specific stereotypes and their impacts in classrooms by asking children and adolescents about their ability stereotypes and asking them to select fictional peers to help with STEM tasks. In the domains of math and science, boys in middle childhood endorsed the abilities of boys over girls; however, this in group bias declined in older children, potentially suggesting that exposure to girls’ participation and achievement in these disciplines may reduce stereotypes as gender gaps in these fields are closing. In fact, middle childhood girls also report in-group bias in math ability. For science tasks, children were more likely to select a girl for help despite not endorsing gender stereotypes related to science ability, potentially suggesting that stereotypes about girls being more helpful and focused on community may be driving these decisions. Older girls were more likely to select male peers despite science ability stereotypes decreasing, potentially reflecting a desire to be egalitarian. Boys and girls across age groups endorsed male ability stereotypes and peer selection in engineering and technology. This may be because there are fewer opportunities to engage with domains in classrooms and exposure occurs primarily through the male dominated workforce, further reinforcing stereotypes. Those who reported stronger ability stereotypes in any domain tended to choose boys to help in the classroom within that domain, reinforcing these stereotypes as boys are then more vocally demonstrating STEM ability. Further research should explore additional explanations for these decisions.
Abstract
Gender stereotypes are harmful for girls’ enrollment and performance in science and mathematics. So far, less is known about children’s and adolescents’ stereotypes regarding technology and engineering. In the current study, participants’ (N = 1,206, girls n = 623; 5–17-years-old, M = 8.63, SD = 2.81) gender stereotypes for each of the STEM (science, technol¬ogy, engineering, and mathematics) domains were assessed along with the relation between these stereotypes and a peer selection task in a STEM context. Participants reported beliefs that boys are usually more skilled than are girls in the domains of engineering and technology; however, participants did not report gender differences in ability/performance in science and mathematics. Responses to the stereotype measures in favor of one’s in-group were greater for younger participants than older participants for both boys and girls. Perceptions that boys are usually better than girls at science were related to a greater likelihood of selecting a boy for help with a science question. These findings document the importance of domain specificity, even within STEM, in attempts to measure and challenge gender stereotypes in child¬hood and adolescence.
Citation
McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Mulvey, K. L., Hartstone-Rose, A., Winterbottom, M., Joy, A., Law, F., Balkwill, F., Burns, K.P., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G. E., Smith, H., & Rutland, A. (2022) Gender stereotypes and peer selection in STEM domains among children and adolescents. Sex Roles, 87, 455-470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-01327-9
Preparing the Next Generation for STEM: Adolescent Profiles Encompassing Math and Science Motivation and Interpersonal Skills and Their Associations with Identity and Belonging
Short Summary
This study surveyed adolescents involved in youth informal STEM learning site programs to explore differences in levels of math and science motivation and interpersonal skills amongst adolescents. Those who reported high levels of math and science motivation and high interpersonal competence also reported high levels of identifying with STEM and belonging in their STEM program.
Summary
Both STEM content knowledge and soft skills, such as interpersonal competence, communication, and collaboration skills, are important for success in STEM fields; however, traditional learning largely focuses on content skills. Amongst adolescents participating in informal STEM learning site programs, this paper identifies different groups of adolescents based on their science and math motivation and interpersonal competence. Four distinct groups were identified, with only some students reporting high levels of motivation and interpersonal competence. Adolescents who reported high levels of math and science motivation and interpersonal competencies also had high belonging and STEM identity. This suggests that encouraging participation in youth programs and fostering feelings of belonging and STEM identity in adolescents may be important in developing key skills and motivation for success within STEM careers.
Abstract
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workers need both motivation and interpersonal skills in STEM disciplines. The aims of the study were to identify clusters of adolescents who vary in math and science motivation and interpersonal skills and to explore what factors are related to membership in a high math and science motivation and interpersonal skills cluster. Participants included 467 adolescents (312 female; Mage = 15.12 to SD = 1.71 year) recruited from out-of-school STEM programs in the US and UK. Findings from latent class analyses revealed four clusters, including a “High Math and Science Motivation and Interpersonal Skills” group, as well as groups that exhibited lower levels of either motivation or interpersonal skills. STEM program belonging, and STEM identity are related to membership in the high motivation and skills cluster. Findings provide insight into factors that may encourage motivation and interpersonal skills in adolescents, preparing them for STEM workforce entry.
Citation
Mulvey, K. L., McGuire, L., Mathews, C., Hoffman, A. J., Law, F., Joy, A., Hartstone-Rose, A., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Fields, G., Butler, L., Burns, K., Drews, M., & Rutland, A. (2022). Preparing the next generation for STEM: Adolescent profiles encompassing math and science motivation and interpersonal skills and their associations with identity and belonging. Youth & Society, 0044118X221085296. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X221085296
The Relations and Role of Social Competencies and Belonging with Math and Science Interest and Efficacy for Adolescents in Informal STEM Programs
Short Summary
This paper documents the important role of social competency in shaping feelings of belonging to informal STEM programs. Additionally, the more participants reported feeling that they belonged to their program, the greater their interest and efficacy were.
Summary
Adolescence is a developmental period in which academic motivation declines. Social-emotional development plays an important role in academic trajectories. This study assesses the relationship between social competencies, or understanding of how to navigate and engage in social relationships with peers, feelings of belonging, and self-assessment of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) abilities and interests in informal science learning sites. The results indicate that youth with greater social competencies experience greater feelings of belonging in their informal STEM program, and youths with greater feelings of belonging demonstrated increased self-assessment of science and math abilities and interests. These findings suggest that youth STEM programs outside of the classroom setting should focus on STEM content in addition to community building and fostering belonging and the development of key relationship skills amongst participants.
Abstract
Adolescence represents a developmental period of waning academic motivation, particularly in STEM domains. To combat this, better understanding the factors that might foster STEM motivation and interest is of importance. Social factors like social competencies and feelings of belonging become increasingly important in adolescence. The current study investigated structural relations between social competencies, feelings of belonging to an informal STEM learning program, math and science efficacy and interest in a sample of 268 adolescents (Mage = 15.25; 66.8% girls; 42.5% White British or European American, 25.7% South Asian British or Asian American, 15.7% Afro-Caribbean Black British or African American 5.6% Bi-racial, and 3.0% other). Adolescents were recruited from six different informal learning sites (e.g., science museums, zoos, or aquariums) in the United States (n = 147) and the United Kingdom (n = 121). The results revealed positive relations between social competencies and belonging, and between belonging and math and science efficacy and interest. Further, the results also indicated a positive indirect effect of social competencies on efficacy and interest, via belonging. These findings have implications for guiding informal STEM programming in ways that can enhance STEM motivation and interest.
Citation
Hoffman, A. J., McGuire, L., Rutland, A., Hartstone-Rose, A., Irvin, M. J., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Fields, G. E., & Mulvey, K. L. (2021). The Relations and role of social competencies and belonging with math and science interest and efficacy for adolescents in informal STEM programs. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(2), 314-323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01302-1
Understanding parents’ roles in children’s learning and engagement in informal science learning sites
Short Summary
This study examines the factors that impact learning for children in informal science learning sites. Interactivity of exhibits and parents’ use of science questions and explanations influenced children’s observational behavior. However, children were less likely to give science explanations when their parents offered science explanations.
Summary
This paper documents the important role that parents play in facilitating learning for children in informal science learning sites. Specifically, we find that parents’ science questions and explanations were positively related to children observing the exhibit. However, children may benefit from parents holding back and not immediately providing explanations as we found that parents’ science explanations were also negatively related to children’s science explanations. Last, we found that children were more likely to provide science explanations when the exhibit was not interactive, and they were more likely to physically engage with the exhibit when it was interactive, suggesting that a balance of interactive and non-interactive exhibits may be most effective.
Abstract
Informal science learning sites (ISLS) create opportunities for children to learn about science outside of the classroom. This study analyzed children’s learning behaviors in ISLS using video recordings of family visits to a zoo, children’s museum, or aquarium. Furthermore, parent behaviors, features of the exhibits and the presence of an educator were also examined in relation to children’s behaviors. Participants included 63 children (60.3% female) and 44 parents in 31 family groups. Results showed that parents’ science questions and explanations were positively related to children observing the exhibit. Parents’ science explanations were also negatively related to children’s science explanations. Furthermore, children were more likely to provide science explanations when the exhibit was not interactive. Lastly there were no differences in children’s behaviors based on whether an educator was present at the exhibit. This study provides further evidence that children’s interactions with others and their environment are important for children’s learning behaviors.
Citation
Joy, A., Law, F., McGuire, L., Mathews, C., Hartstone-Rose, A., Winterbottom, M., Rutland, A., Fields, G. E., & Mulvey, K. L. (2021). Understanding parents’ roles in children’s learning and engagement in informal science learning sites. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(935). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635839
Assessing adolescents’ critical health literacy: How is trust in government leadership associated with knowledge of covid-19?
Short Summary
This paper assessed the relationship between the choice of COVID-19 news sources, trust in government leaders, and COVID-19 health literacy in teens who are involved in informal STEM learning site programs in the US and UK. Youth who used traditional media sources and had high trust in government leadership had lower COVID-19 health literacy.
Summary
Health literacy is an individual’s ability to seek, analyze, and evaluate credible health information, and use it to inform their health-related behaviors. This paper assesses COVID-19 health literacy in teens who are involved in informal STEM learning site programs in the US and UK and examines the relationship between health literacy, the use of traditional or social media news sources for COVID-19 news, and trust in government leaders. Youth who used traditional media sources and had high trust in government leadership had lower COVID-19 health literacy. This highlights the importance of messaging from government leadership that is in alignment with public health recommendations.
Abstract
This study explored relations between COVID-19 news source, trust in COVID-19 information source, and COVID-19 health literacy in 194 STEM-oriented adolescents and young adults from the US and the UK. Analyses suggest that adolescents use both traditional news (e.g., TV or newspapers) and social media news to acquire information about COVID-19 and have average levels of COVID-19 health literacy. Hierarchical linear regression analyses suggest that the association between traditional news media and COVID-19 health literacy depends on participants’ level of trust in their government leader. For youth in both the US and the UK who used traditional media for information about COVID-19 and who have higher trust in their respective government leader (i.e., former US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson) had lower COVID-19 health literacy. Results highlight how youth are learning about the pandemic and the importance of not only considering their information source, but also their levels of trust in their government leaders.
Citation
Mathews, C. J., McGuire, L., Joy, A., Law, F., Winterbottom, M., Rutland, A., Drews, M., Hoffman, A. J., Mulvey, K. L., & Hartstone-Rose, A. (2021). Assessing adolescents’ critical health literacy: How is trust in government leadership associated with knowledge of covid-19? PLOS ONE, 16(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259523
Impact of youth and adult informal science educators on youth learning at exhibits
Short Summary
This paper examined the impacts of interactions between educators at informal STEM learning sites (ISLS) and youth visitors to ISLS. The effects of the age and gender of educators on youth engagment, interest, and learning were assessed. The age of educators and the age and gender of visitors play an important role in youth visitors’ interest and learning.
Summary
This paper examined visitors own self-reported level of engagement with both youth and adult educators in our ISLS. We also measured their self-reported interest in the subject of the exhibit they were visiting, asked them how much they felt they had learnt, and asked participants to complete three conceptual knowledge questions based on the exhibit topic. Key findings included younger children and adolescents reporting greater engagement with an adult educator, while engagement in middle childhood was equal for interactions with adult and youth educators. In middle childhood, participants answered more conceptual knowledge questions correctly following an interaction with a youth educator compared to an adult educator. Crucially, for participants who reported low interest in an exhibit, higher levels of self-reported engagement with an educator were related to greater self-reported feelings of learning.
Abstract
The impact of educators in informal science learning sites (ISLS) remains understudied from the perspective of youth visitors. Less is known about whether engagement with educators differs based on the age and gender of both visitor and educator. Here, visitors (5–17 years old) to six ISLS in the United States and United Kingdom (n = 488, female n = 244) were surveyed following an interaction with either a youth (14–18 -years old) or adult educator (19+ years old). For participants who reported lower interest in the exhibit, more educator engagement was related to greater self-reported learning. Younger children and adolescents reported more engagement with an adult educator, whereas engagement in middle childhood did not differ based on educator age. Participants in middle childhood showed a trend toward answering more conceptual knowledge questions correctly following an interaction with a youth educator. Together, these findings emphasize the promise of tailoring educator experiences to visitor demographics.
Citation
McGuire, L., Hoffman, A.J., Mulvey, K. L., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Burns, K.P., Chatton, M., Eaves, N., Fields, G. E., Joy, A., Law, F., Rutland, A., & Hartstone-Rose, A. (2021). Impact of youth and adult informal science educators on youth learning at exhibits. Visitor Studies, 25(1), 41-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2021.1930467
Science and math interest and gender stereotypes: The role of educator gender in informal science learning sites
Short Summary
In this paper, we surveyed visitors to informal STEM learning sites and assessed their interest in math and science, as well as their math and science gender stereotypes, following an interaction with an educator. Gender of both the visitor and the educator impacted math interests and stereotypes but not science interests and stereotypes.
Summary
Youth visitors to informal STEM learning sites were surveyed following an interaction with an educator about math and science interests and gender stereotypes. Interactions in which the gender of the of the visitor and the educator were matched or mismatched were assessed. Science interest and gender stereotypes were unimpacted by educator gender. Girls reported greater interest in math following an interaction with a female educator, and their gender stereotypes were less biased toward male ability. For boys, neither science and math interest, nor stereotypes, differed based on the gender of the educator they interacted with. These findings suggest the potential importance of tailoring educators to visitor demographics.
Abstract
Interest in science and math plays an important role in encouraging STEM motivation and career aspirations. This interest decreases for girls between late childhood and adolescence. Relatedly, positive mentoring experiences with female teachers can protect girls against losing interest. The present study examines whether visitors to informal science learning sites (ISLS; science centers, zoos, and aquariums) differ in their expressed science and math interest, as well as their science and math stereotypes following an interaction with either a male or female educator. Participants (n = 364; early childhood, n = 151, Mage = 6.73; late childhood, n = 136, Mage = 10.01; adolescence, n = 59, Mage = 13.92) were visitors to one of four ISLS in the United States and United Kingdom. Following an interaction with a male or female educator, they reported their math and science interest and responded to math and science gender stereotype measures. Female participants reported greater interest in math following an interaction with a female educator, compared to when they interacted with a male educator. In turn, female participants who interacted with a female educator were less likely to report male-biased math gender stereotypes. Self-reported science interest did not differ as a function of educator gender. Together these findings suggest that, when aiming to encourage STEM interest and challenge gender stereotypes in informal settings, we must consider the importance of the gender of educators and learners.
Citation
McGuire, L., Monzavi, T., Hoffman, A. J., Law, F., Irvin, M. J., Winterbottom, M., Hartstone-Rose, A., Rutland, A., Burns, K. P., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G. E., & Mulvey, K. L. (2021). Science and math interest and gender stereotypes: The role of educator gender in informal science learning sites. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(904). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.503237
STEM gender stereotypes from early childhood through adolescence at informal science centers
Short Summary
This paper assesses gender stereotypes about STEM in youth visitors to informal STEM learning sites. Findings suggest that stereotypes decline from early childhood through adolescence.
Summary
This paper assesses gender stereotypes about STEM in youth visitors to informal STEM learning sites (ISLS). In early childhood, visitors tended to express bias towards their own gender. With age, participants were more likely to report that “both boys and girls” are “usually”, “should” be, and “can” be good at STEM. However, at all ages, male participants reported that their own gender group “should” be good at STEM. Interacting with male and female educators at ISLS was not associated with stereotypes.
Abstract
Stereotypes about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are associated with reduced STEM engagement amongst girls and women. The present study examined these stereotypes from early childhood through adolescence within informal science learning sites (ISLS; science museums, zoos, aquariums). Further, the study explored whether interactions with male or female educators influenced STEM stereotypes. Participants (n = 997, female = 572) were ISLS visitors in the UK and USA who either interacted with an educator, or no educator. With age participants were more likely to report that “both boys and girls” are “usually”, “should” be, and “can” be good at STEM. Independent of age, male participants reported that their own gender group “should” be good at STEM. Educator interactions did not influence stereotype responses. These results highlight early childhood as a key developmental window in which to challenge ideas about who can and should be proficient in STEM.
Citation
McGuire, L., Mulvey, K. L., Goff, E., Irvin, M. J., Winterbottom, M., Fields, G. E., Hartstone-Rose, A., & Rutland, A. (2020). STEM gender stereotypes from early childhood through adolescence at informal science centers. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 67, 101109. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101109
Interest and Learning in Informal Science Learning Sites: Differences in Experiences with Different Types of Educators
Short Summary
This study involved surveying visitors at informal STEM learning sites following their exploration of an exhibit. Learning and interest were assessed after visitors interacted with the exhibit with no educator, a youth educator, or an adult educator. Visitors reported higher levels of learning and interest after interacting with an educator compared to no educator, and visitors who interacted with youth educators reported even higher levels of learning and interest compared to those who interacted with adult educators.
Summary
This study examined the impacts of educators on visitors to informal STEM learning sites. Visitors were surveyed about content knowledge, perceived learning, and science interest after exploring an exhibit in one of three conditions (no educator, youth educator, or adult educator). Educators were trained to educate visitors on the same topic. Both adult and youth visitors who interacted with an educator at the exhibit self-reported that they learned more and were more interested than did those who interacted with the exhibit when no educator was present. Additional benefits were seen for adult and middle childhood visitors who interacted with youth educators as opposed to adult educators.
Abstract
This study explored topic interest, perceived learning and actual recall of exhibit content in 979 children and adolescents and 1,184 adults who visited informal science learning sites and interacted with an adult or youth educator or just the exhibit itself as part of family visits to the sites. Children in early childhood reported greater topic interest and perceived learning, but actually recalled less content, than participants in middle childhood or adolescence. Youth visitors reported greater interest after interacting with a youth educator than just the exhibit, and perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult). Participants in middle childhood recall more when they encounter a youth educator. Adult visitors reported greater interest after interaction with a youth educator than with the exhibit alone or an adult educator. They also perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult) than just the exhibit and perceived that they learned more if they interacted with a youth educator than an adult educator. Results highlight the benefits of educators in informal science learning sites and document the importance of attention to developmental needs.
Citation
Mulvey, K. L., McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Goff, E., Rutland, A., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Irvin, M. J., Fields, G. E., Burns, K., Drews, M., Law, F., Joy, A., & Hartstone-Rose, A. (2020). Interest and Learning in Informal Science Learning Sites: Differences in Experiences with Different Types of Educators. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236279
Learning hand in hand: Engaging in research-practice partnerships to advance developmental science
Short Summary
This paper advocates for partnerships in developmental science research between academic scholars and community members to focus research efforts in critical directions and answer mutually beneficial questions. The STEM Teens project is presented as a case study.
Summary
We advocate for partnerships in developmental science research between academic scholars and community members, including practitioners, providers, children, and adolescents. These partnerships can help to develop relevant and mutually beneficial research questions and focus research efforts in critical directions. The knowledge gained from these research-practitioner partnerships should be made accessible both for advancing developmental science and applying it directly in practice. The STEM Teens project is presented as a case study. The STEM Teens project is a collaboration between researchers and practice-based educational partners at six informal science learning sites (ISLS) in the United States and the United Kingdom, which all have formal, extracurricular programs for adolescents, called youth educator programs. Research aims have been shaped by academic, practitioner, and youth partners.
Abstract
Developmental science research often involves research questions developed by academic teams, which are tested within community or educational settings. In this piece, we outline the importance of research–practice partnerships, which involve both research and practice-based partners collaborating at each stage of the research process. We articulate challenges and benefits of these partnerships for developmental science research, identify relevant research frameworks that may inform these partnerships, and provide an example of an ongoing research–practice partnership.
Citation
Mulvey, K. L., McGuire, L., Hoffman, A. J., Hartstone-Rose, A., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F., Fields, G. E., Burns, K., Drews, M., Chatton, M., Eaves, N., Law, F., Joy, A., & Rutland, A. (2020). Learning hand in hand: Engaging in research-practice partnerships to advance developmental science. New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20364
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