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.

References

Accenture & Girls Who Code. (2016). Cracking the gender code. Accenture.

ACT, Inc. (2013). ACT: The condition of college & career readiness 2013. National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2014a). The condition of STEM 2013—National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2014b). The condition of STEM 2014—National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2015). The condition of STEM 2015—National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2016). The condition of STEM 2016—National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2017). The condition of STEM 2016: North Carolina. www.act.org/stemcondition

ACT, Inc. (2018a). The condition of college & career readiness 2018—National. ACT, Inc.

ACT, Inc. (2018b, March 1). STEM Education in the U.S.: Where we are and what we can do 2017. ACT, Inc. www.act.org/STEM

ACT, Inc. (2019). The condition of college & career readiness 2019—National. ACT, Inc.

Binns, I. C., Conrad, J., Polly, D., & Algozzine, B. (2016). Student perceptions of a summer ventures in science and mathematics camp experience. School Science & Mathematics, 116(8), 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12196

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Alice 3: Tell stories, build games, learn to program. https://www.alice.org/

DeNisco, A. (2016, October 16). Tech's gender gap is getting worse, not better, report says. Retrieved June 15, 2017, from http://www.techrepublic.com/article/techs-gender-gap-is-getting-worse-not-better-report-says/

Dillivan, K. D., & Dillivan, M. N. (2014). Student interest in stem disciplines: Results from a summer day camp. Journal of Extension, 52(1), 12.

Dubriwny, N., Pritchett, N., Hardesty, M., & Hellman, C. (2016). Impact of fab lab tulsa on student self-efficacy toward STEM education. Journal of STEM Education : Innovations and Research, 17(2), 21.

Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. (2010). 1:1 Classroom teacher survey. https://www.fi.ncsu.edu/resources/1-1-classroom-teacher-survey/

Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. (2012). Student attitudes toward STEM (S-STEM) survey instrument & codebook – middle/high school (6-12th). https://www.fi.ncsu.edu/resources/student-attitudes-toward-stem-s-stem-survey-instrument-codebook-middle-high-school-6-12th/

Fry, R., Kennedy, B., & Funk, C. (2021). STEM jobs see uneven progress in increasing gender, racial and ethnic diversity. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/04/01/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-racial-and-ethnic-diversity/

He, J., & Freeman, L.A. (2010). Are men more technology-oriented than women? The role of gender on the development of general computer self-efficacy of college students. Journal of Information Systems Education, (21(2), 203-212.

Naizer, G., Hawthorne, M. J., & Henley, T. B. (2014). Narrowing the gender gap: Enduring changes in middle school students' attitude toward math, science and technology. Journal of STEM Education : Innovations and Research, 15(3), 29.

North Carolina Department of Commerce. (2019). 2019 North Carolina development tier designations. Retrieved from LEAD@nccommerce.com

President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. (2012). Report to the president, engage to excel: Producing one million additional college graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Executive Office of the President, Author. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-engage-to-excel-final_2-25-12.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). United States Census Bureau 2010 (County Information). Retrieved October 20, 2010 from https://www.census.gov/support/USACdata.html

Ucgul, M., & Cagiltay, K. (2014). Design and development issues for educational robotics training camps. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 24(2), 203–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-013-9253-9

WebStarts. (n.d.). WebStarts website builder software. https://www.webstarts.com/

Whittington, A., & Garst, B. A. (2018). The role of camp in shaping college readiness and building a pathway to the future for camp alumni. Journal of Youth Development, 13(1-2), 105–125. https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2018.519

Xia, R. (2017, January 4). Cracking the gender code; college's strategy shift attracts women to computing. Los Angeles Times, p. A.1.

Downloads

Published

2022-09-27

Issue

Section

Research & Evaluation Studies