STEM Girls Grow Confidence With Science Sue Caley

STEM Girls Grow Confidence With Science Sue Caley Opsal, Co-PI Illinois Valley Community College 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Grant Team • • • Sue Caley Opsal, Co-PI Dorene Perez, PI Jim Gibson, Co-PI Rose Marie Lynch, Co-PI Kristi Eager, Middle School Science Teacher John Fusinatto, Middle School Science Teacher 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

The Challenge • Women still underrepresented in engineering technology – Encourage girls to consider science, technology, engineering, and math careers – Prepare for advanced course work in high school – Foster independent thinking 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Middle School Program • • • Began Spring 2010 Two Co-Lead middle school teachers Co-PI Coordinates Focus on girls One full day campus visit per semester All activities hands-on – Assessments – Integration of STEM – Career exploration 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Best Practices for Success • • 3/15/2018 Partners Participants Parents Hands-on STEM tasks Long-term program Campus visits College honor students Research and evaluation Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Choosing Partners • Passionate teachers • Excited about your goals • Understand population • Administrative buy-in 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Choosing Participants: STEM Girls • Not based on grades • Based on interest • Will follow through 3/15/2018 • 23 girls this year – 48% Hispanic • 68% poverty level Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

STEM Girls Name • Girls christen themselves…. » Smart » Team where » Everyone » Matters 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Parent Participation 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Hands-on STEM Tasks • • Robots Computer hardware Genetics and DNA Diodes Rockets Forensic science Microscopy Math 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Science 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Lego Mindstorm Robots 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Making Diodes 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Long-term Program • Began spring 2010 and continues today • Multiple college instructors from many disciplines • Most activities are periodic • Lego Mindstorm NXT (robots) ongoing • One campus visit per semester 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Completed Robot 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Campus Visits 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Research and Evaluation • Surveys • Interviews • Random sample studies – Effect of Parent Participation (Diodes) – Boy-girl Behavioral study (March 2011) 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Pre and Post Survey Questions • • • Boys can design and build things Girls can design and build things I like to think about the way things work I like to explore how mechanical gadgets work Girls can be as good as boys in math My parent has suggested I consider a career in STEM – *Likert scale suggestions 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Interviews • Evaluate pre and post activity confidence • Sample questions: – I prefer to complete hands-on tasks alone – I prefer to complete hands-on tasks with a team • Likert scale confidence questions – Programming robots – Building robots – Performing math problems – Taking apart computer/reassembling 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Computer Activity Clip 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Outcomes: Confident in… • Working alone: 28% • Working with team: 94% • Millennium generation characteristics 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Outcomes: Confident in… • Building/constructing, using tools, hardware (legos, screwdrivers) BEFORE 33% • Building/constructing, using tools, hardware (legos, screwdrivers) AFTER 72% • Video interviews 1 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Outcomes: Confident in… • Programming a robot: BEFORE 27% • Programming a robot: AFTER 76% • Computer: BEFORE 28% • Computer: AFTER 55% – Video clip: Interviews 2 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Random Sample Studies • Build a diode activity – Effect of parent participation – Girls participating with a parent had more positive attitudes towards science, technology, and engineering careers (95% confidence level) – Both groups said the activity increased their confidence in technical skills – Involving parent in activities may be an effective recruiting strategy for girls 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

Future Research • Explore gender roles - have they changed with the millennial generation • Behavioral study of STEM girls paired with a boy completing a hands-on task • Behavioral study of non-STEM girls paired with a boy completing a hands-on task 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

For More Information • Grant website: www. ivcc. edu/nsf • Grant Team Phone Numbers: – Sue Caley Opsal: 815 -224 -0412 – Dorene Perez: 815 -224 -0221 – Jim Gibson: 815 -224 -0453 – Rose Marie Lynch: 815 -224 -0209 – Kristi Eager & John Fusinatto: 815 -223 -0933 3/15/2018 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women