Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program

Dagmar M. Heeg; Theila Smith; Lucy Avraamidou

doi:10.29333/ejmste/11888

Full Text (PDF)

Dagmar M. Heeg ¹ , Theila Smith ¹ , Lucy Avraamidou ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ Institute for Science Education and Communication, University of Groningen, Groningen, THE NETHERLANDS^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The goal of this case study was to examine how a group of young children in a historically marginalized neighborhood in the northern part of the Netherlands perceived their engagement in an out-of-school, STEM community-based program aiming to enhance young children’s interest and self-identification with science. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with eight purposefully selected children and analyzed those through a constant comparative approach and with the use of open coding strategies. The findings revealed specific aspects of the design of the program that were perceived as motivating and engaging: the integrated multidisciplinary approach to exploring scientific concepts and opportunities for active engagement and personally relevant science experimentation. The findings are offered alongside a set of recommendations for the design of out-of-school, community-based programs that aim to support young children’s engagement with science.

Keywords

out-of-school science
children
self-identification with science

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2022, Volume 18, Issue 4, Article No: em2091

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

Publication date: 09 Mar 2022

Article Views: 1438

Article Downloads: 906

Open Access Disclosures References How to cite this article

Disclosure

Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

References

Avraamidou, L. (2013). Superheroes and supervillains: Reconstructing the mad-scientist stereotype in school science. Research in Science and Technological Education, 31(1), 90-115.
Avraamidou, L. (2014). Developing a reform-minded science teaching identity: The role of informal science environments. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25(7), 823-843.
Avraamidou, L. (2020). Science identity as a landscape of becoming: Rethinking recognition and emotions through an intersectionality lens. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 15, 323-345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-019-09954-7
Avraamidou, L., & Roth, W.-M. (Eds.). (2016). Intersections of formal and informal science. Routledge.
Avraamidou, L., & Schwartz, R. (2021). Who aspires to be a scientist/who is allowed in science? Science identity as a lens to exploring the political dimension of the nature of science. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 16, 337-344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-021-10059-3
Bartley, J. E., Mayhew, L. M., & Finkelstein, N. D. (2009). Promoting children’s understanding and interest in science through informal science education. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1179(1), 93-96. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3266763
Bell, P., Lewenstein, B., Shouse, A. W., & Feder, M. A. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: people, places, and pursuits. National Academies Press.
Bell, R. L., Blair, L. M., Crawford, B. A., & Lederman, N. G. (2003). Just do it? Impact of a science apprenticeship program on high school students’ understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(5), 487-509. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10086
Brandes, A. A. (1996). Elementary school children’s images of science. In M. Resnick (Ed.), Constructionism in practice: Designing, thinking, and learning in a digital world (pp. 37-69). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Braund, M., & Reiss, M. (2006). Towards a more authentic science curriculum: The contribution of out‐of‐school learning. International Journal of Science Education, 28(12), 1373-1388. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690500498419
Cakici, Y., & Bayir, E. (2012). Developing children’s views of the nature of science through role play. International Journal of Science Education, 34(7), 1075-1091. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2011.647109
Chen, C., Tomsovic, K., & Aydeniz, M. (2014). Filling the pipeline: Power system and energy curricula for middle and high school students through summer programs. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 29(4), 1874-1879. https://doi.org/10.1109/TPWRS.2013.2293752
European Commission. (2015). Science education for responsible citizenship. Directorate-General for Research and innovation, Science with and for Society.
Kayumova, S., Avraamidou, L., & Adams, J. (2018). Diversity, equity, and the big picture. In L. Bryan, & K. Tobin (Eds.), Critical issues and bold visions for science education: The road ahead (pp. 285-297). Brill Publishers.
Kim, M. (2018). Understanding children’s science identity through classroom interactions. International Journal of Science Education, 40(1), 24-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2017.1395925
Kitchen, J. A., Sonnert, G., & Sadler, P. M. (2018). The impact of college- and university-run high school summer programs on students’ end of high school STEM career aspirations. Science Education, 102(3), 529-547. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21332
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Jossey-Bass.
Moore, T. J., Stohlmann, M. S., Wang, H.-H., Tank, K. M., Glancy, A. W., & Roehrig, G. H. (2014). Implementation and integration of engineering in K-12 STEM education. In S. Purzer, J. Strobel, & M. Cardella (Eds.), Engineering in precollege settings: Synthesizing re-search, policy and practices. Purdue University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt6wq7bh.7
Newton, D. P., & Newton, L. D. (1992). Young children’s perceptions of science and the scientist. International Journal of Science Education, 14(3), 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960069920140309
Noam, G., & Shah, A. (2013). Informal science and youth development: Creating convergence in out-of-school time. National Society for the Study of Education Yearbook 2013.
OECD. (2011). Quality time for students: Learning in and out of school. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264087057-en
OECD. (2016). Education at a glance 2016. https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-2016-en
OECD. (2017). Education at a glance: OECD indicators. https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-2017-en
Smith, T., Avraamidou, L., & Adams, J. (2022). Culturally relevant/responsive and sustaining pedagogies in science education: Theoretical perspectives and curriculum Implications. Cultural Studies of Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-021-10082-4
Suter, L. E. (2016). Outside school time: An examination of science achievement and non-cognitive characteristics of 15-year olds in several countries. International Journal of Science Education, 38(4), 663-687. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2016.1147661
Tai, R. H., Liu, C. Q., Maltese, A. V., & Fan, X. (2006). Planning early for careers in science. Science, 312(5777), 1143-1144. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1128690
van den Hurk, A., Meelissen, M., & van Langen, A. (2019). Interventions in education to prevent stem pipeline leakage. International Journal of Science Education, 41(2), 150-164. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1540897
Wekker, G. (2018). White innocence. Paradoxes of colonialism and race. Duke University Press.
Wieselmann, J. R., Roehrig, G. H., & Kim, J. N. (2019). Who succeeds in STEM? Elementary girls’ attitudes and beliefs about self and STEM. School Science and Mathematics, 120, 297-308. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12407

How to cite this article

APA

Heeg, D. M., Smith, T., & Avraamidou, L. (2022). Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(4), em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

Vancouver

Heeg DM, Smith T, Avraamidou L. Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2022;18(4):em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

AMA

Heeg DM, Smith T, Avraamidou L. Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2022;18(4), em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

Chicago

Heeg, Dagmar M., Theila Smith, and Lucy Avraamidou. "Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2022 18 no. 4 (2022): em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

Harvard

Heeg, D. M., Smith, T., and Avraamidou, L. (2022). Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(4), em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888

MLA

Heeg, Dagmar M. et al. "Children’s Experiences and Self-Identification with Science in the Context of an Out-of-School STEM Program". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 18, no. 4, 2022, em2091. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11888