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Student Attitude Toward STEM :

Development of an instrument for high school STEM-based programs. Student Attitude Toward STEM :. Mark Patrick Mahoney The Ohio State University ITEA International Conference March 26 th , 2009. Rationale for study.

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Student Attitude Toward STEM :

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  1. Development of an instrument for high school STEM-based programs Student Attitude Toward STEM: Mark Patrick Mahoney The Ohio State University ITEA International Conference March 26th, 2009

  2. Rationale for study • Variety of national and governmental reports suggest a need for greater investment and student enrichment in STEM subjects • Currently, over 97 government funded STEM programs are available nationally • Down from 105 government programs in 2006 • $3.4 billon spent over the 2007 fiscal year • $3.12 billion in 2006 • NSF provides 29% of national STEM funding • Evaluations were reported as either poor or incomplete • NSF has since revised grant procedures

  3. Products of STEM programs • Improved student math ability* • Improved student science ability* • Improved student problem solving ability* * As indicated by individual programs’ published reports • Student college enrollment in STEM • Student workforce preparedness/capability • Student attitude toward STEM Areas of possible research

  4. Why student attitude? • Simple to use evaluation tool for available STEM programs • Allow for early program revisions (as needed) • Aid in the determination of appropriate program funding • Assist schools in selecting programs for implementation • Early indicator for possible university enrollment and/or workforce training • Value of educational investments (if applicable) • Aid in prediction of future market of available students/employees

  5. The Instrument • Item categories (preliminary): • Awareness • Early Interest toward content • Content availability to student • Ability • Perceived capability regarding content • Value • Perceived worth of content to student • Commitment • Anticipated future involvement with content

  6. The Instrument • Inspired by… • Concerns Based Adoption Model • Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook II • Semantic Differential • Item pool • The intended content domains: • Science • Technology • Engineering • Mathematics

  7. The Instrument • InitialInstrument • 34 items created • Panel of experts • 8 experts with varied connections to STEM • Industry • University • Secondary Education • To be utilized throughout instrument development

  8. The Instrument • An example of an item:

  9. The Instrument • An example of item (filled out):

  10. Pilot Study • One local high school • 74 students conveniently sampled • All grade levels represented • College preparatory program • Not an identified STEM program • Response • 33 instruments returned to the researcher • 31 instruments were complete and usable for analysis • Response rate only 42%

  11. Pilot Study • Students sampled • Grade distribution: • 9th = 26% of response • 10th = 19% of response • 11th = 26% of response • 12th = 29% of response • 99% Caucasian • less then 1% minority • 58% Female, 42% Male • All with GPAs above 2.7

  12. Pilot Study • Factor Analysis • Three factors identified • Interest • both initial and career focused • Ability • Value • Orthogonal rotation was utilized to validate items with depicted factors

  13. Pilot Study - Cronbach alpha for response reliability

  14. Pilot Study • Focus group • Content validity and item clarity • Students were collected during designated study hall periods as indicated by their schedules • 10 Students were interviewed • 2 Freshman • 2 Sophomores • 2 Juniors • 4 Seniors • Students were asked to state the questions and possible responses in their own words • Performed in a conversational setting

  15. Pilot Study • Results • Three factors were clearly identified as levels of measurement • The factors and the associated items displayed a high level of reliability • Low-loading or confusing items were either revised or removed completely • A new instrument will be constructed and submitted to IRB before proceeding on to the next portion of the research study

  16. Known Group Comparison • Two local high schools • Varying programs • Traditional college-preparatory • STEM-Based college-preparatory • Only 9th and 11th grades utilized • 100 students expected to be conveniently sampled from each grade level • Total sample approximately 400 students

  17. Known Group Comparison…(continued) • Analysis • Cronbach alpha for response reliability • Reliability coefficient of .7 or higher is desired • One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) • Detect differences between the two sample means • Post Hoc test to indentify the difference in the means • Tukey HSD (honestly significant difference)

  18. Full Pilot Study…(continued) • Anticipated results • The level of student attitude toward STEM will be greater for subjects exposed to a STEM-based college preparatory program. • The level of student attitude toward STEM will be greater for subjects exposed to a STEM-based college preparatory program over a greater duration.

  19. Your time is greatly appreciatedI thank you

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