Education Development Center, Inc. proposes to conduct a two-year pilot study to address critical methodological challenges inherent in doing longitudinal research linking informal STEM experiences and school achievement: first, addressing selection bias through careful selection of a comparison group that is comparable to the intervention group, and second, developing a qualitative design that both complements and extends the quantitative data collected. The pilot study will lay the groundwork for a future longitudinal study looking at the role of informal science education in youth persistence in STEM courses (Project RISE, Role of Informal Science Education in Youth Persistence in STEM Courses).
