Student learning outside the formal classroom is inextricably linked to informal learning environments. In many countries, most activities that employ informal learning prioritize the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and have shown a positive impact on increasing students' interest, self-efficacy,…

Amid growing concerns about students' declining interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] subjects, this study underscores the urgent need for innovative educational interventions. It does so by investigating the impact of week-long residential STEM summer camps on the career interests of middle and high…

The STEM-based sports sectors supply vital careers in clinical, athletic, and educational settings. Long-term planning is necessary to foster student interest in STEM based sports disciplines and for this purpose, educational institutions must provide learners with information about STEM careers before starting high school and encourage them to…

This study explores the effects of participation in short-term summer study abroad (SA) programmes in Spain on second language (L2) learners' attitudes towards Spanish. Both quantitative and qualitative findings indicate that participants' international experience improved their attitudes with regard to L2 learning. More importantly, participant…

This multi-methods study explores changes in engineering interest and identity of middle and high school students (n = 79) attending introductory-level engineering summer camps at a large western land grant university. Middle school is a critical time when student interest, identity, and subsequently career choice begin to emerge and hence it is…

While quantitative research has revealed that undergraduate research experiences are closing graduate school matriculation gaps for underrepresented students, little is known about how they are doing this. This study explores this through two in-depth interviews with 12 students who attended a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the impact of informal STEM education on underrepresented middle school girls. The study took place within the context of the EUREKA! summer program, a collaboration between Drexel University's Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering and Girls Inc. of Philadelphia and…

Background/purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of a learning intervention comprising integrated career-based scenarios on students' interest in mathematics and their understanding of STEM careers. The intervention was created by the Muhibbah Summer Programme (MSP) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was a residential summer…

Current research has not fully explored how summer programming camps can help students increase motivation and interest to pursue computing career, and their programming knowledge. Informal CS education through summer programming camps provides K-12 students the opportunity to learn how to code through fun and interactive activities outside of…

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the UCSF Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) in enhancing research-related skills, academic outcomes, and post-baccalaureate aspirations of underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM undergraduate students in biomedical sciences and STEM fields. The SSRP, spanning 9 weeks, provides immersive research…

Women and racially and ethnically minoritized populations are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Out-of-school time programs like summer camps can provide positive science experiences that may increase self-efficacy and awareness of STEM opportunities. Such programs often use the same high-impact…

Health professions outreach programs are important avenues to increase interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). One aspect of many of these programs is anatomy, which can be challenging to teach due to its scope. Creative teaching methods, such as the incorporation of examples from pop culture, can help…

To promote health equity, it is crucial to educate the next generation of healthcare workers about disparities early on during their education. We developed a virtual research program at a medical school in the United States of America with the goal of increasing the awareness of youth about the complexities of health inequities. The program was…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine any correlations between an increase in knowledge from activities which utilize self-paced learning, inquiry-guided learning, and collaborative learning pedagogical strategies and students' intentions to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and computer science…

Higher education officials have recently begun to focus their attention on summer enrollment as an alternative means by which to improve recruitment and retention. Utilizing business analytics and forecasting, Elon University has seen significant growth in its summer college enrollment and revenue. The current study seeks to address how students…