Utilizing STEM Camps and STEM Clubs to Increase Interest in STEM Fields among Females and Students of Color

这个为期五年的项目是肯塔基州大学教育学院、文理学院和工程学院的共同努力。 其目标是通过提供机会来发展作为STEM学习者和未来科学家，数学家和工程师的身份，提高中学生学习科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）内容的兴趣和动力。该项目的重点是研究非正式STEM学习环境对5-8年级学生的影响，特别是女性和有色人种学生，让他们参与通过STEM夏令营和学年STEM俱乐部提供的实践活动。 在费耶特县增加中学生的STEM参与和兴趣的模式可以在肯塔基州的其他地区和全国范围内进行扩展、复制和调整。该项目加强了两个现有的计划：看到蓝色干营，在夏季运行，看到蓝色干俱乐部，整个学年提供，包括几个动手活动的发展。 例子包括犯罪现场调查，涉及化学品分析和指纹除尘，模型太阳能汽车设计和建造，以及机器人技术。 来自肯塔基州大学的本科和研究生职前教师和工程专业学生也参与其中，为夏季和学年课程做出贡献并从中受益。 该项目评估包括形成性和总结性方面，并提供有关中学生参与非正式STEM俱乐部和营地的有效性的有用信息。更广泛的影响该项目提供了坚实的，可复制的，经过充分测试和评估的模型，用于招募和举办大学校园的STEM营地和针对不同中学生的城市社区的STEM俱乐部。该项目计划吸引700多名中学生参与，其中至少60%来自STEM代表性不足的群体。夏令营不仅包括学生，还包括他们的父母，以及通过社交媒体（博客，Twitter）和每晚的电子邮件。所有课程和教学材料将通过肯塔基州的公共STEM教育网站在线提供，以便在项目结束后可以复制、不断修改和维持。 研究结果将通过出版物和会议介绍提供。

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 MeritThe 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 ImpactsThe 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.