Evaluating STEM/Engineering Identity of Elementary and High School Students in STEM Outreach Programs

The effectiveness of STEM outreach programs in fostering interest and sense of belonging can be assessed through participants’ STEM Identity (SI) and Engineering Identity (EI). SI/EI involve an internal feeling of belonging in STEM/Engineering and recognition of belonging from others. This paper assesses how attending a one-week STEM/Engineering camp at a Canadian university changes SI/EI and their subscales (Self-Recognition; Self-Efficacy; Interest; Recognition by Others) among elementary (grades 4-7) and high school (HS; grades 8-12) youth who completed quantitative surveys before and after the camp. SI was assessed for elementary and EI for HS students. There was no significant change in SI, but self-recognition and recognition by others increased significantly while interest and self-efficacy decreased. HS students showed a small but significant increase in EI, self-efficacy, and recognition by others. The results suggest that such programs maintain positive perceptions of the field but may not cause a large or immediate shift in SI/EI.