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Assessing the Impact of a Research‐Based STEM Program on STEM Majors' Attitudes and Beliefs
Author(s) -
HuziakClark Tracy,
Sondergeld Toni,
Staaden Moira,
Knaggs Christine,
Bullerjahn Anne
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/ssm.12118
Subject(s) - psychology , mathematics education , institution , pipeline (software) , community college , medical education , computer science , medicine , sociology , social science , programming language
The S cience, E ngineering, and T echnology G ateway of O hio ( SETGO ) program has a three‐pronged approach to meeting the needs at different levels of students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( STEM ) pipeline. The SETGO program was an extensive collaboration between a two‐year community college and a nearby four‐year institution. Two of these approaches, the STEM S ummer R esearch P rogram and O wens R eady B ridge, have been found to be effective in significantly increasing participants' beliefs and attitudes for both males and females. Participants cite integrative learning activities, mentoring, and small group interactions as some reasons for their growth. This study utilized a mixed‐method approach to better understand the reasons for participant and program success. After five years of evaluation of the SETGO program, findings suggest that students feel more confident not only in their preparation for the rigors of a STEM degree, but also in their decisions to complete the degree.