Engaging the Community through Science Nights: An Elementary School Case Study

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Parental Involvement
• Science Communication

Background:

• Parental engagement in STEM is crucial for student interest but often hindered by confidence, language, or cultural barriers.
• Teacher Enrichment Initiatives (TEI) gather teacher feedback on parental involvement during science nights.
• This feedback informs the development of science night training programs for educators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the implementation of a Science Night program in a majority-minority elementary school.
• To assess the impact of teacher-developed, TEI-supported science nights on parental engagement.
• To identify factors contributing to the success of school-based STEM outreach events.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, single-case study approach was used.
• Data collection occurred during the inaugural and third year of the Science Night program.
• Teacher feedback and program attendance/engagement metrics were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Science Night attendance increased from 700 (2016) to 800 (2018).
• Parental engagement in hands-on STEM activities rose from 46% (2016) to 62% (2018).
• Teachers utilized program data to secure grants for sustaining the annual event.

Conclusions:

• Science Nights serve as an effective mechanism for promoting parental engagement in hands-on STEM activities.
• Teacher input and involvement in designing the science night model are critical for program success.
• This model can be replicated in diverse elementary school settings to foster STEM interest.