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Examining Relationships among Choice, Affect, and Engagement in Summer STEM Programs.
Patrick N Beymer1, Joshua M Rosenberg2, Jennifer A Schmidt2
1Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education, Michigan State University, Erickson Hall, 620 Farm Lane Rm. 447, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA. beymerpa@msu.edu.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|January 23, 2018
Summary
Youth choice in science programs matters for engagement, but positive feelings can help even when choice is limited. This research explores how student autonomy impacts STEM program experiences.
Area of Science:
- STEM Education
- Youth Development
- Psychology of Learning
Background:
- Out-of-school STEM programs are growing, aiming to boost youth interest.
- Student choice in participation is often limited, raising questions about its impact on engagement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between youth's choice to attend STEM programs and their affective and engagement experiences.
- To understand if student autonomy influences engagement in summer STEM programs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized experience sampling, traditional surveys, and video recordings for data collection.
- Employed multilevel analysis on data from 203 diverse youth aged 10-16 in summer STEM programs.
- Measured choice via pre-survey and affect/engagement through experience sampling.
Main Results:
- Both student choice and positive affect were independently linked to higher momentary engagement.
- While choice predicted engagement, positive affective experiences could mitigate lower engagement due to lack of choice.
- Findings suggest affect can compensate for limited student autonomy in STEM programs.
Conclusions:
- Student choice positively influences engagement in out-of-school STEM programs.
- Positive affect is crucial for engagement and can buffer the negative effects of limited choice.
- Implications for program design, parental involvement, and educational administration in STEM.
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