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Increasing Urban Youths’ Science Interests and Science Career Intentions through a Pre-College Agricultural Discovery Camp
Robbie R. Ortega, M.S. Neil A. Knobloch, Ph.D. Roger L. Tormoehlen, Ph.D. Kathryn S. Orvis, Ph.D. Levon T. Esters, Ph.D. Youth Development & Agricultural EducaEon
Purdue University, West LafayeIe, IN
Introduc)on/Need for Research Ethnic minoriEes remain underrepresented in a number of occupaEons including professional science careers (Lam, Doverspike, & Mawasha, 1997; Landefeld, 2009). STEM related sciences and careers must be more accessible, in order to get minority youth interested in STEM related sciences. Reaching out to underrepresented minoriEes is a great concern when educaEng youth in STEM sciences. TradiEonally STEM workers have been White, non-‐Hispanic men, which according to the Census Bureau is expected to decline by 10% by the middle of this century. This decline in the populaEon is expected to leave an enormous gap in the American workforce that must be filled. The United States however has an untapped reservoir of talent that can be developed and uElized to fill the gap. Underrepresented minoriEes (URM) in STEM should be encouraged to pursue STEM educaEon from high school to doctoral level (George, et al., 2001).
Conceptual & Theore)cal Framework
The framework of this study is grounded in Bandura’s social cogniEve and self-‐efficacy theories (1986; 1997). Bandura explained human funcEoning in which behavior, cogniEve and other personal factors, and environmental events all influence each other interdependently. Self-‐efficacy, also called perceived ability, refers to confidence people have in their abiliEes for success in a given task. It is defined as, “the beliefs in one’s capabiliEes to organize and execute the courses of acEon required to produce give aIainments” (Bandura, 1997).
Purpose and Research Ques)ons
The purpose of this study is to assess short-‐term outcomes of an informal agricultural science camp, known as the Ag Discovery Camp, in regards to parEcipants’ science interests, science self-‐efficacy, and career intenEons. The following quesEons guided this study: 1. What is the interest in science of the students immediately ager
parEcipaEng in the Ag Discovery Camp?
2. What is the perceived self-‐efficacy of the students immediately ager parEcipaEng in the Ag Discovery Camp?
3. What are the career intenEons of the parEcipants immediately ager the Ag Discovery Camp?
Methodology The Middle School Agricultural Discovery Camp was a weeklong event offered through Purdue University’s College of Agriculture. Thirty-‐three youth (90.9% African-‐American, 6.1% MulEracial, & 3.0% Caucasian) were introduced to various topics in agriculture including food science, plant science, engineering science, entomology, and integrated lunar plant sciences. The students come from families with parents of varying educaEon with 66.54% of the mothers have at least a bachelor’s degree and 59.4% of the fathers having at least a bachelors degree. A quesEonnaire was adapted from an exisEng survey and was distributed to the youth ager the weeklong experience.
Descrip)on of Workshops and Results
Conclusions, Implica)ons, & Recommenda)ons
The intent of these programs is to increase the number of students entering into science degree programs by encouraging students’ interest in science careers (Gibson & Chase, 2002; Knox, Moynihan, & Markowitz, 2003; Markowitz, 2004; Nichnadowicz, 2004; Wallace & Pedersen, 2005; Snyder, Knobloch, Brady, Carroll, DoIerer, Esters, Rusk, and Tormoehlen, 2009). Results showed that the parEcipants who were enrolled in the Engineering and Mission to Mars workshops had an interest in science, but that interest was in the STEM related fields. Both workshops were based in the engineering sciences. ParEcipants also had high self-‐efficacy, but these findings could be influenced by the parents’ level of educaEon. Findings also showed that students who parEcipated had a high interest in pursuing a career in science rather than one in agriculture. This could be accounted for the lack of understanding of agriculture as a science-‐based career. Further research needs to focus on the long-‐term effect of the Ag Discovery Camp on increasing science interest and interest in the agricultural sciences. It is also suggested that future research focus creaEng new innovaEve programming which promotes science in an agricultural context.
References Available upon request
Table 1. DescripEve Data regarding ParEcipant Interests in STEAM AcEviEes
Workshop ProducEon Agriculture
Plant Sciences
Food Science & NutriEon
STEM Sciences
Engineering 2.08 (.41) n=5
1.87 (.65) n=5
2.10 (.96) n=5
2.88 (.61) n=5
Food Science 2.39 (.75) n=7
2.24 (1.13) n=7
2.50 (.58) n=7
2.34 (.65) n=7
Plant Science 2.20 (.82) n=9
2.37 (.86) n=9
2.33 (.71) n=9
2.25 (.64) n=8
Entomology 1.80 (.73) n=5
2.13 (.80) n=5
1.70 (.67) n=5
2.44 (.74) n=5
Mission to Mars 2.49 (.47) n=7
2.23 (1.08) n=7
2.50 (1.04) n=7
2.80 (.89) n=7
Grand Mean 2.22 (.67) n=33
2.20 (.90) n=33
2.27 (.80) n=33
2.51 (.71) n=32
Note. Means were calculated on a 4-‐point scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, and 4=strongly agree). Bold face items represent posiAve outcomes (mean > 2.5). Standard deviaAons are in parentheses following means and n=sample size. AcAviAes were derived through a factor analysis.
Table 2. DescripEve Data regarding Science Self-‐efficacy Workshop Self Efficacy Engineering 3.63 (.45)
n=5 Food Science 3.52 (.37)
n=7 Plant Science 3.28 (.46)
n=9 Entomology 3.80 (.18)
n=5 Mission to Mars 3.50 (.45)
n=7 Grand Mean 3.51 (.42)
n=33 Note. Means were calculated on a 4-‐point scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, and 4=strongly agree). Bold face items represent posiAve outcomes (mean > 2.5). Standard deviaAons are in parentheses following means and n=sample size.
Table 3. DescripEve Data regarding Career Interest Workshop Agricultural Career
Interest Science Career Interest
Engineering 1.60 (.84) n=5
2.86 (.59) n=5
Food Science 2.40 (.62) n=7
3.26 (.28) n=7
Plant Science 2.00 (.70) n=9
2.34 (.86) n=9
Entomology 2.25 (.94) n=5
3.50 (.46) n=5
Mission to Mars 2.14 (.82) n=7
3.26 (.82) n=7
Grand Mean 2.09 (.77) n=33
2.98 (.76) n=33
Note. Means were calculated on a 4-‐point scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, and 4=strongly agree). Bold face items represent posiAve outcomes (mean > 2.5). Standard deviaAons are in parentheses following means and n=sample size.
Engineering Introduces students to the various disciplines of engineering and are given an engineering design project to complete during the workshop.
Food Science Introduces students to the food and nutriEon industry. Students are exposed to current research in food processing, food safety, and food preservaEon.
Plant Science Introduces students to scienEfic concepts in horEculture, forestry, and agronomy. Exposes students to topics such as plant propagaEon, graging, and plan geneEcs.
Entomology Introduces students to the science involved in the field of entomology. Topics vary from insect idenEficaEon to the forensic sciences.
Mission to Mars
Introduces students to the complex issues of traveling to and living on Mars. AcEviEes are based on current research being done at NASA.
References
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-‐efficacy: the exercise of control. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Co.
Gibson, H. L., & Chase, C. (2002). Longitudinal impact of an inquiry-‐based science program on middle school
students attitudes towards science. Science Education, 86(5), 693-‐705.
George, Y. S., Neale, D. S., Van Horne, V., & Malcom, S. M. (2001). In pursuit of a diverse science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics workforce: Recommended research priorities to enhance participation by
underrepresented minorities. Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Knox, K. L., Moynihan, J. A., & Markowitz, D. G. (2003). Evaluation of short-‐term impact of a high school summer
science program on students' perceived knowledge and skills. Journal of Science Education and
Technology, 12(4), 471-‐478.
Lam, P. C., Doverspike, D., & Mawasha, P. R. (1997). Increasing diversity in engineering academics (IDEAs):
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Development, 24(1), 55-‐79.
Landefeld, T. (2009). Mentoring and diversity: Tips for student and professionals for developing and maintaining a
diverse scientific community (Vol. 4). New York, NY: Springer.
Markowitz, D. G. (2004). Evaluation of the long-‐term impact of a university high school summer science program
on students' interess and perceived abilities in science. Journal of Science Education and Technology,
13(3), 395-‐407.
Nichnadowicz, J. (2004). The Union county 4-‐H summer science program: An effective method for increasing low-‐
income youth's interest in science. Journal of Extension, 42(3). Retrieved from
http://www.joe.org/joe/2004june/iw4.php
Snyder, L., Knobloch, N., Brady, C., Carrol, N., Dotterer, A., Esters, L., Rusk, C., & Tormoehlen, T. (2009). 4-‐H school
students’ career intentions and motivation to learn science after participating in science workshops.
Presented at the 2009 Association of Career and Technical Education Annual Research Conference.
Nashville, TN.
Wallace, E., & Pendersen, J. E. (2005). Evaluative case study of a summer academy program. Electronic Journal of
Science Education, 9(4). Retrieved from
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