Northern Illinois University
STEM Interest and Engagement (STEM IE)

Program Staff

Thirty-two of thirty-three activity leaders in the nine programs participated in the study by completing questionnaires and interviews. The number of participating staff from each program is included in the program descriptions.

Programs

Island Explorers

Youth learned about species found in the local ecosystem in the Island Explorers program. They studied related content for up to two hours per day. They also collected and analyzed data to learn about the local ecosystem. During the program, youth learned how to communicate scientific data, developed vocabulary about the local ecosystem, used art to learn and communicate information, and published a book illustrating important elements of the species being studied. The program was located in both the classroom and local ecosystem. Twenty-seven rising 6^th-graders and four of the five staff members participated in the STEM IE study. Youth spent each morning in academically-oriented sessions in a classroom setting, while afternoon sessions involved STEM-oriented enrichment sessions that took place outside. The afternoon sessions had an emphasis on exploration of the local ecosystem.

The Ecosphere

The focus of the Ecosphere program was exploring the marine life of Narragansett Bay. Youth studied ecosystem preservation, marine biology, and water quality. They learned science-related skills such as questioning, showing initiative, collecting data, measuring, maintaining an ecosystem, and analyzing water samples. The program was located in a local middle school classroom and, on alternating days, in the community at the shoreline, in a local science education center, and on field trips around the bay. Participants in the STEM IE study included 27 youth who were rising sixth to ninth graders and three staff members.  

Zoology Partners

The Zoology Partners program focused on content knowledge related to endangered species (including how species become endangered), processes for monitoring ecosystem viability and population levels, solutions to prevent species from becoming endangered, and approaches to reviving populations that are currently endangered. Program activities took place in a middle school classroom as well as at zoos, parks, and other natural areas on alternating days. Twenty-six youth who were rising sixth to ninth graders and three staff members participated in the STEM IE study. 

Marine Investigators

Youth were provided with opportunities to learn about and experience Narragansett Bay in the Marine Investigators program. They examined human impacts on the local ecosystem (including how the geography of the Bay helped influence human history) and how humans along the shoreline impacted the Bay. The program aimed to cultivate a sense of stewardship of the Bay. Youth attended programming in a classroom at an area middle school and in field-based settings on alternating days. Field-based settings included the local bay shoreline, a voyage on a marine education ship that studied the Bay, and field trips to sites in the community related to the program’s focus. During the program, youth had the opportunity to participate in a water quality research study. Participants included 19 youth who were rising seventh to ninth graders and four staff members.

Comunidad de Aprendizaje (2 programs)

Communidad de Aprendizaje aimed to help youth improve basic skills in mathematics and develop an interest in STEM content and entrepreneurship. Program activities were primarily offered in the classroom setting. Youth were given a choice to participate in either a robotics program or a dance program (which emphasized math and science applications to dance) in the afternoon. Morning sessions were characterized by direct instruction in mathematics. The direct instruction component of the programs was organized around a theme of promoting entrepreneurship with the goal of helping participating youth better see the relevance of mathematics to future career goals. Thirty-three rising fifth to eighth graders and five staff members participated in the STEM IE study.

Jefferson House

The Jefferson House program aimed to support youth’s development of basic math skills and STEM-oriented interests. The morning program, which was located in a classroom or a computer room, was academically oriented and focused on helping youth develop mathematics skills, problem-solving, self-improvement, and critical thinking skills two days per week alternating with days that focused on English/Language Arts skill development. Afternoon sessions involved STEM-oriented enrichment sessions involving media, art, and nutrition. Enrichment offerings varied by day. Eleven rising 7th-graders and four staff members participated in the STEM IE study.

Uptown Architecture

This program had an engineering focus. Youth participated in a process to design and build an outdoor learning space for use at the middle school where the program was housed. A central purpose of Uptown Architecture was to provide youth with the opportunity to use design thinking as a problem-solving tool and to have the experience of affecting their community positively through the design/build process. Activities were located in a classroom at an area middle school half of the days and in a building shop located at a community-based organization and various field trip locations on alternate days. Sixteen rising 6^th- to 9^th-graders and three staff members participated in the STEM IE study.

Building Mania

This engineering-focused program provided youth with the opportunity to experiment with designing and using simple machines. Youth engaged in the engineering design process by determining a need, brainstorming possible designs, selecting a design, planning and drawing out the design, testing and revising a prototype, and producing a final machine. Twenty-four rising 6th- to 9^th-graders and three staff members participated in the STEM IE study. Programming took place in a classroom at an area middle school half of the time and in a community-based organization’s design lab (or other community locations) related to the building theme on alternating days.

Adventures in Mathematics

The Adventures in Mathematics program aimed to prevent summer learning loss among participating youth and to improve their mathematics skills through direct instruction and participation in math-related games. The program took place during the morning in a local college classroom. Youth were often placed in small groups to complete mathematical activities and to play mathematics-related games. Content was aligned with the state’s mathematics standards. Many enrichment activities (~40) were offered at various campus locations in the afternoons. Youth could choose to participate in those activities but research staff was not able to follow them during the afternoon due to logistical complications. Twenty youth who were rising eight to 10^th-graders and three staff members participated in the study.