ERIC Number: EJ1038289
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Feb
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1059-0145
EISSN: N/A
Urban High School Students' IT/STEM Learning: Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry- and Design-Based Afterschool Program
Duran, Mesut; Höft, Margret; Lawson, Dan B.; Medjahed, Brahim; Orady, Elsayed A.
Journal of Science Education and Technology, v23 n1 p116-137 Feb 2014
This exploratory study examines the impact of a collaborative inquiry- and design-based afterschool program on urban high school students' IT/STEM learning--using information technology (IT) within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study used a mixed methods design, involving 77 participants within two cohort groups, each participating in an eighteen-month intervention period. Data were collected from the pre- and post-surveys, analysis of the participants' IT/STEM projects, external evaluation reports, and follow-up interviews. Findings indicate that the program had a significant impact on students' technology and IT/STEM skills, frequency of technology use, and understanding of IT use in STEM-oriented fields. Some degree of impact on attitude changes toward IT/STEM and career aspirations in these fields was also in evidence. The study demonstrates that IT/STEM experiences supported through technology-enhanced, inquiry- and design-based collaborative learning strategies have significant impact on urban high school students' IT/STEM learning. Effect of afterschool programs on attitude changes and IT/STEM-related career aspirations of urban high school students are recommended areas of further investigation.
Descriptors: High School Students, Urban Schools, STEM Education, Information Technology, Inquiry, After School Programs, Mixed Methods Research, Cohort Analysis, Intervention, Pretests Posttests, Student Surveys, Student Projects, Research Reports, Followup Studies, Interviews, Technology Uses in Education, Incidence, Technological Literacy, Attitude Change, Occupational Aspiration, Cooperative Learning, Learning Strategies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A