This five-year project is a joint effort among the colleges of Education, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering at the University of Kentucky. The goal is to increase middle school students' interest and motivation to learn Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content through providing opportunities to develop identities as STEM learners and future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. The project focuses on examining the effect of informal STEM learning environments on students in grades 5-8, particularly females and students of color, by engaging them in hands-on activities provided through summer STEM camps and academic-year STEM clubs. The model of increasing the STEM engagement and interest in middle school students in the Fayette County can be scaled, replicated, and adapted in other regions of Kentucky and across the nation.
Intellectual Merit The project strengthens two existing programs: the See Blue STEM Camp, run during summer, and the See Blue STEM Club, offered throughout the academic year, by including the development of several hands-on activities. Examples include Crime Scene Investigation involving analysis of chemicals and dusting for fingerprints, model solar car designing and building, and robotics. Pre-service teachers and engineering students at the undergraduate and graduate levels from the University of Kentucky are also involved, contributing to and benefiting from the summer and academic year programs. The project evaluation includes formative and summative aspects and provides useful information on the effectiveness of the middle school student engagement in informal STEM clubs and camps.
Broader Impacts The project provides solid, replicable, well-tested, and evaluated models for recruiting and conducting both a STEM Camp on a University campus and a STEM Club in an urban community that targets diverse middle school students. The project plans to engage over 700 middle school students, with at least 60% being from groups underrepresented in STEM. The summer camps include not only the students but their parents as well through social media (blog, Twitter) and nightly emails. All curricula and instructional materials will be made available online via Kentucky's public STEM education website so that they may be replicated, continually modified, and sustained beyond the life of the project. Research results will be made available through publications and conference presentations.
