Igniting the Flame: Technology Interests and Spatial Reasoning and Orientation Skills of Female Middle School Students Through Robotics Coding

This study explored the interest, outcome expectations, choice goals and choice actions in engineering and technology, collaboration value, problem solving attitudes, and spatial reasoning and orientation skills of 63 middle school females in grades six, seven, and eight. The participants were involved in a five full-day coding robotics summer camp. Data was collected through a pre/post survey and pre/post spatial reasoning and orientation instrument and analyzed using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results of the analysis indicated no significant difference in interest, outcome expectations, choice goals and choice actions in engineering and technology, collaboration value, and problem solving attitudes. There was a significant difference in spatial reasoning and orientation skills. Results indicate additional time and/or activities are needed to positively influence middle school female students’ interests and attitudes in technology and engineering. Recommendation for future research include examining how to enhance female interests and attitudes in STEM fields and careers.