Using STEM Camps to Improve Female Interest in Technology Careers

Authors

  • April H. Reed East Carolina University http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6435-9026
  • Mark G. Angolia East Carolina University
  • Lyubov G. Sluder East Carolina University
  • Leslie R. Pagliari East Carolina University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2022.1233

Keywords:

STEM, technology STEM camp, STEM fields, technology gender gap, management information systems

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields have been traditionally entered by men, often establishing women as underrepresented in many of these fields. This research study focuses on participants at a STEM camp for middle- and high-school girls designed to introduce them to technology. The camp was held 4 times over 3 years, with many of the participants from rural areas, underrepresented by race and economic status. Sixty camp attendees completed pre- and post-camp surveys and are referred to as the intervention group. A control group of 200 middle- and high-school girls who did not attend the camp also took the survey. This paper focuses on a subset of the survey results that sought to determine the impact on camp participants in the areas of technology self-efficacy and technology career interest as it related to management information systems (MIS). Analysis of the data collected found a significant difference in MIS self-efficacy between the intervention group and control group but no significant difference in choices of MIS-related careers. Results also include recommended improvements to STEM camp design.

Author Biographies

April H. Reed, East Carolina University

April H. Reed, PhD, PMP, CSM is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) department, College of Business at East Carolina University

Mark G. Angolia, East Carolina University

Dr. Mark Angolia, PMP is an Associate Professor of Industrial Distribution and Logistics in the Technology Systems department, College of Engineering and Technology at East Carolina University.

Lyubov G. Sluder, East Carolina University

Lyubov Sluder is a graduate student in the Management Information Systems department, College of Business at East Carolina University.

Leslie R. Pagliari, East Carolina University

Leslie Pagliari is a professor in the Technology Systems department, College of Engineering and Technology at East Carolina University.

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Published

2022-09-27

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 3 (2022)

Section

Research & Evaluation Studies

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