Fostering STEM Identity and STEM Efficacy Through Engagement in Community Service
Location
SU-217
Start Date
2-5-2025 10:30 AM
Department
Other
Abstract
Students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees drop out at a higher rate compared to students in other fields. The number of students who drop out of STEM degrees and transfer to other fields is even higher. Studies show that STEM identity (the ability to see oneself as a STEM professional) can significantly impact individual success in academic and career goals. Limited studies address the impact of STEM volunteering on STEM identity and STEM efficacy (the belief in one’s ability to succeed in the field). Service through volunteering has shown potential to promote an individual’s growth and belonging to STEM professions. We hypothesize that students who engage in STEM-related service activities (SRSAs) increase their STEM identity and STEM efficacy and that the impact is proportional to the length of the service provided. To test our hypothesis, we designed short-term (an hour to a day), medium-term (up to 2 weeks), and long-term (2 weeks to months) SRSAs. We used a Likert scale pre- and post-surveys to assess the impact of SRSAs. Results show a significant increase in both STEM identity (4.36 to 4.55) and STEM efficacy (4.29 to 4.54) (p ≤ 0.05) for medium-term SRSAs and a significant increase (4.08 to 4.58, p ≤ 0.05) in STEM efficacy for long-term. Short-term SRSAs show no impact on STEM efficacy and STEM identity. Our current findings can be enhanced by conducting additional experiments. A longitudinal study to delineate the relationship between STEM volunteering and STEM persistence is crucial.
Faculty Sponsor
Doris Espiritu
Fostering STEM Identity and STEM Efficacy Through Engagement in Community Service
SU-217
Students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees drop out at a higher rate compared to students in other fields. The number of students who drop out of STEM degrees and transfer to other fields is even higher. Studies show that STEM identity (the ability to see oneself as a STEM professional) can significantly impact individual success in academic and career goals. Limited studies address the impact of STEM volunteering on STEM identity and STEM efficacy (the belief in one’s ability to succeed in the field). Service through volunteering has shown potential to promote an individual’s growth and belonging to STEM professions. We hypothesize that students who engage in STEM-related service activities (SRSAs) increase their STEM identity and STEM efficacy and that the impact is proportional to the length of the service provided. To test our hypothesis, we designed short-term (an hour to a day), medium-term (up to 2 weeks), and long-term (2 weeks to months) SRSAs. We used a Likert scale pre- and post-surveys to assess the impact of SRSAs. Results show a significant increase in both STEM identity (4.36 to 4.55) and STEM efficacy (4.29 to 4.54) (p ≤ 0.05) for medium-term SRSAs and a significant increase (4.08 to 4.58, p ≤ 0.05) in STEM efficacy for long-term. Short-term SRSAs show no impact on STEM efficacy and STEM identity. Our current findings can be enhanced by conducting additional experiments. A longitudinal study to delineate the relationship between STEM volunteering and STEM persistence is crucial.