Nasa Student Launch Initiative And 4-H Stem Engagement, Kelly Dziak

Journal of Extension

In 4-H programs, youth take the lead as scientists and engineers in their project work. NASA's Student Launch Initiative challenges youth to design and launch high-powered rockets carrying scientific payloads. This competition models the work process of real-world NASA contractors. In 2023 and 2024, the Morris County New Jersey ResistoJets Rocketry 4-H Club competed as the only team representing the 4-H youth development program. This experience intentionally placed youth in authentic roles as scientists, researchers, engineers, and educators. The goals of NASA's Student Launch Initiative and 4-H align to provide a rich learning experience for youth interested in STEM.

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Women In Undergraduate Stem Core Expansion Pathways, Lizzie L. Evans Martinez Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of social incongruence in the film Hidden Figures, which juxtaposed with STEM education as the most powerful in contrast with Black women as the least powerful, supported the argument for the specific problem of practice to examine the unmet need for socially and ethnically diverse student populations in U.S. STEM higher education and careers. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological research study was to identify and analyze the lived experiences of Black women regarding barriers they perceive in the STEM educational and career decision-making processes, while exploring transformational pathways to STEM academic success. The study specifically analyzed …

Greater Newark Stem Ecosystem - 2026 Convening - Small Group Outcomes & Action Plan, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

In January 2026, GNSE convened ecosystem partners for a co-design session focused on identifying shared challenges, opportunities, and near-term actions to strengthen STEM education and career-connected learning. Participants engaged in small-group discussions to surface barriers, enablers, and potential areas for coordinated action.

The Hidden Opportunities Within The Stem Workforce Pipeline, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

_{Five Connections in STEM Education That Can Harmonize America's Workforce Pipeline}

The recent changes to our education system have created a state of uncertainty and instability, which presents a unique moment in time to change systemic design failures that can be accomplished within existing budget, people and resource constraints.

This analysis of research, mostly from 2015-2025, identifies five opportunities in the STEM workforce pipeline to create “Moments of Impact” that can change the direction of a student's STEM education pathway.

4-H Stem Ambassador Impact Study: The Lasting Effects Of Informal Stem Service Learning Through 4-H Camp Instruction, Emma Hay Gardner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Although short-term outcomes of service learning are widely documented, far less is known about how these experiences influence participants years after their service concludes. Research on STEM-focused service learning is especially limited. This mixed methods study examined the long-term impacts of a West Virginia University STEM Ambassador program, in which college students served as near-peer STEM educators during summer youth 4-H programs. This study explored the lasting effects on former participants across four domains identified in the Service Learning Benefit (SELEB) scale: practical skills, interpersonal skills, citizenship skills, and personal responsibility skills.

Survey data from former participants (n=75), follow up …

Implementing Stem In Elementary Schools: Teacher Perceptions, Practices, And Supports, Casey Wester

Doctor of Education Dissertations

STEM education is a critical component of maintaining global competitiveness, underscoring the need to begin it in early childhood. Integrating STEM education requires teachers to move beyond traditional teaching methods toward a transdisciplinary approach. Research has shown that there can be a variety of barriers to integrating STEM into the classroom. This explanatory mixed methods research study investigated elementary school educators' perspectives on implementing a STEM initiative, the fidelity of implementation post-initiative, and the current supports and additional support needed to sustain implementation. To carry out this investigation, a survey was deployed to elementary educators in three elementary schools, and …

Content And Consequences: Impact Of Representation In Stem Higher Education Instructional Content On Marginalized Students, Nichole Ventura

Doctorate in Education

This qualitative study examined representation of historically marginalized students in STEM instructional content at the higher education level and its impact on their learning experiences. Despite growing diversity initiatives in STEM enrollment, curricular materials often fail to reflect the identities of underrepresented students. Using critical theory and interpretivist approaches, this research investigated how representation—or its absence—shapes students' sense of belonging, academic identity formation, and persistence. Through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students from historically marginalized backgrounds, and purposeful sampling, this study captured the lived experiences of students engaging with STEM instructional materials. Interview protocols explored how students perceive their representation in …

Navigating Cultural And Professional Identities: A Study Of Hispanic Women's Experiences In Aerospace Internship Programs, Jennifer Becerra

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigated how Hispanic women navigated cultural identity and professional development during National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) internship programs, examining the role of culturally responsive mentoring in supporting retention. The research question was, How do Hispanic women in aerospace-internship programs navigate the intersection of cultural identity and professional development as they transition from academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs to aerospace careers, and what role does culturally responsive mentoring play in supporting their retention?

Using Anzaldúa’s nepantla concept, Duncan-Andrade’s critical-hope theory, and Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy as theoretical frameworks, in this study, I employed semistructured …

"Integrative" Vs "Integration": Stem Skills And Concept Development In 6th Grade Students, Kathryn Chain

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As a whole, interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in schools is on the rise at a national level, and it is widely recognized that the development of skills and concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math are not only beneficial to students, but are in fact necessities for future citizens of an increasingly global world (Kelley & Knowles, 2016.) Despite this increasing acceptance and awareness of the need for STEM literacy, there is a critical lack of guidelines on what STEM education actually entails and how to effectively integrate these concepts and skills into the educational …

“Because That’S What Scientists Do…. They Like To Make Their Own Stuff”: Exploring Perceptions Of Self As Science-Doers Using The Black Love Framework, Rasheda Likely, Ti’Era Worsley

Faculty Articles

This paper critiques traditional science assessments and advocates for reform-based learning that supports culturally diverse students, aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). While NGSS promotes collaborative, inquiry-driven practices, these are often difficult to assess through traditional high-stakes tests, which tend to reinforce systemic biases and marginalize students from non-dominant backgrounds. We examine the Lotions and Potions: Science through Black Hair Care curriculum, which uses a culturally sustaining approach, allowing students to respond flexibly in assessments. This approach enables students to participate fully in science practices without needing to conform to dominant cultural norms. Our findings highlight the benefits …

Enhancing Elementary Students Conceptual Understandings Of Scientific Phenomena: The Impact Of Steam-First And Stem-First Approaches, Michael W. Corrigan, Joseph T. Wong, Doug Grove, Sage Anderson, Bradley S. Hughes

Elementary & Secondary Education Faculty Research

This study delves into the realm of student conceptual change, examining shifting understandings as important steppingstones on the path to sensemaking and canonical understanding in science education. It explores the potential of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum, aiming to provide equitable learning opportunities, especially for emerging bilingual (EB) student populations. To achieve this, elementary school educators from randomly assigned schools received professional development training to implement a novel curriculum encompassing both STEM and STEAM (STEM + Arts) approaches to life science instruction. These approaches comprised: (1) an NGSS-aligned STEM unit employing inquiry-based science instruction; (2) an …

Embodied Cognition And Teaching Stem: Tenets To Explain And Enhance A Middle School Science Project, Jonathan E. Roberts, Joshua L. Williams, Robert A. Hodgdon, Caroline Payne, Gabriela Ruiz Emmanuelli

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

STEM pedagogy is a popular area for research and discussion. The empirical literature on this topic supports a variety of approaches (e.g., inquiry-based) to help instructors spark student interest create an effective learning environment, and foster long-term retention and transfer of information related to STEM topics. One potential approach is to use tenets of embodied cognition, in which behavior and cognition emerge out of real-time sensorimotor behavior of the individual situated within a particular context, to implement strategies to enhance STEM pedagogy. We applied the six lessons of embodied cognition to understand the beneficial aspects of a middle-school project on …

Developing Problem-Solvers: Cultivating A Scientific Way Of Thinking In Early Learners, Sarah Oeltjenbruns, Matthew J. Weyers, Maya Fogarty, Bryan Matera

Essays in Education

Adopting a science mindset in the early education years is critical for supporting critical thinking, curiosity, and systematic inquiry in students, setting a foundation for lifelong learning and problem-solving. This mindset, which values continuous learning and persistence, enables students to approach challenges across disciplines with a scientist’s curiosity. Through approaches like the Socratic method, problem-based learning, and hands-on activities, educators can enhance students' critical thinking and collaborative skills. By creating opportunities for inquiry-based learning, such as entry events, the See Feel Think Wonder protocol, and the Question Formulation Technique, teachers cultivate curiosity and guide students toward self-directed exploration. For example, …

Using Geogebra To Foster Imagination And Creativity To Build Mathematics Confidence In A Stem World, Joseph M. Furner

Transformations

Math teachers can better prepare all student for a STEM world using computer software like GeoGebra to better prepare our youth for such high-tech careers like that of which Einstein was part of while also emphasizing and fostering creativity in the learning of mathematics. It is critical we have young learners who are confident in their ability to do math and be creative. Teachers today need to check dispositions toward mathematics and address math anxiety while building math confidence in their students. In an ever-advancing world of technology, math teachers need to incorporate such emerging technologies like GeoGebra into the …

Rachel’S Saga: Using Adolescent Literature In The Mathematics Classroom As A Form Of Bibliotherapy To Help Students Overcome Math Apprehension, Joseph M. Furner

Transformations

Math anxiety is prevalent and an understanding of mathematics is critical in an increasingly technological/STEM society, teachers must play a role in reducing the levels of math anxiety of learners. More recently, children's and adolescent literature has been recognized now as a means to teaching mathematics to students through the use of stories to make the math concepts relevant and meaningful. Literature may be used as a therapy to reach students who may be frustrated with math and/or who experience math anxiety. Story and picture books such as Math Curse (Scieszka & Smith, 1995) and A Gebra Named Al (Isdell, …

Aviateok: A Stem App To Increase K-12 Student Engagement In The Aviation And Aerospace Industry, Irene Miller, Amy Rutledge, Timm Bliss

Journal of Extension

STEM industries are driving technological and economic growth across the globe. To remain competitive, the U.S. needs to focus on the advancement of STEM education and develop a sustainable pipeline to provide a well-qualified workforce to STEM-related industries. The Department of Aviation and Space Education (AVED) at Oklahoma State University (OSU) has developed aviateOK, which is a STEM application, to provide aviation/aerospace content to students, parents, and extension educators. The aviateOK STEM application promotes extension education by providing access to free activities and resources for grades K-12. AviateOK equips 4-H youth programs with the resources needed for extension educators to …

The Integration Of Mathematical Concepts In Physics Curriculum, Paige Poindexter

Masters Projects

Research has shown that students are struggling to grasp mathematical concepts and skills, which carries over to other subjects, such as science. As the need for an improved STEM education approach continues to grow, the use of integration to guide curriculum development has proven to be effective. This project dives into the available research surrounding the overlap of subjects taught in a secondary setting, focusing on the techniques proven to improve student academic success. This project addresses the need to draw clear connections between mathematics and physics courses, with the goal of improving student scores in both areas. The result …

Blazing New Pathways For Digital Engagement In Mathematics Using Geogebra, Math Manipulatives, And Picture Books In A Stem World To Nurture Confident Young People In Mathematics, Joseph M. Furner

FDLA Journal

Using best practices for teaching mathematics like GeoGebra, math manipulatives, and children’s literature picture books can all be connected to each other and better help to prepare students for a STEM world to develop confident young people in doing mathematics in a world of AI and emerging technologies. This paper will highlight all the above best practiced and share how they can be connected and taught in a way that is make math meaningful and help students to be confident with technology and mathematics in a way that helps them see math in a hands-on, visual, and abstract way. Learners …

A Content Analysis: Girls And Young Women In Computer Science, Wilma Ann Anderson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The national conversation about STEM education continues. While math and science have been a constant in K–12 and higher education, curriculum in technology and engineering have not been consistently part of the tapestry of American education. As such, there is a dearth of qualified candidates for the ever-growing number of computer science and engineering career opportunities. Prevailing stereotypes that depict the typical workforce in these industries as White and male contribute to the lack of representation of other groups. This study focused on the representation of girls and young women in computer science between the years of 2005–2018. Data tracking …

The Elephant In The Classroom: Understanding Teachers’ Implicit Biases In Grading Student Work In A Mathematics Classroom, Tina Marie Medina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on automaticity or the choices we make without conscious thought. Specifically, the study examined how math teachers improved their understanding of the practice and evolution of culturally responsive teaching by analyzing the lived experiences and metacognition of practicing middle school teachers as they assess student work in mathematics. The potential impact of implicit stereotypes, instructor expectations, assessment design, cultural considerations, and other variables on the grading process was investigated. The purpose of this case study was to uncover teachers’ implicit biases as it relates to grading student work in a middle school math class.

This qualitative study …

Evaluating An Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math/Computational Thinking Professional Development Program For Elementary Level Paraprofessional Educators, Aubrey A. Rogowski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

For my dissertation, I looked at a training program one Utah school district used to teach paraprofessional educators science, technology, engineering, math, and computational thinking. Specifically, the program taught them about what computational thinking is and how they could use it when teaching science, technology, engineering, and math to students from kindergarten to sixth grade. While reviewing this program, I evaluated 1) The experiences the paraprofessionals had with the program, 2) Whether the paraprofessionals understood computational thinking, and 3) Whether the program prepared them to teach computational thinking to K-6 students.

I worked with eight paraprofessionals who participated in this …

Integrated Stem Professional Development: Utilizing Best Practices In An Online Format, Sarah Haines, Sumreen Asim, Jeanna R. Wieselmann, Deepika Menon

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Online professional development (PD) can reach teachers from widespread areas. Here, we describe PD activities that are part of a project focused on integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (iSTEM) teaching self-efficacy and effectiveness among early-career elementary teachers. Toward our objective of building a community of elementary teachers focused on improving their iSTEM teaching, we are conducting online PD institutes over four summers. These PD institutes are designed using Desimone’s five critical features of effective PD: content focus, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation. Our institutes engage teachers in an initial synchronous online session, which is followed by independent …

Stimulating The Interest Of Young Learners In Physics Through Storytelling And Stem Activities, Emmanuel Babalola, Wonjin Yu, Hillary Ongoyo Omoze, Zainab Saka, Favour Ojike, Iyanu Adedeji, Zhu Yue

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The Physics is Fun Project is an initiative funded by Purdue’s Office of Engagement and aims to promote an interest in physics among young learners aged 5 to 12. The project’s unique approach blends instructional design and motivational design to create an engaging and relevant learning experience. Development of the project was guided by the analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) framework and Keller’s attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) theory and utilized storytelling and hands-on learning strategies to bring physics to life through the story of a young physics enthusiast who is passionate about building a dream car. …

Are Elementary Teachers Prepared To Teach A Stem Focused Curriculum: A Needs Assessment Of An Inner-City Elementary School, Erica Willie

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Book Review Rural Education In America: What Works For Our Students, Teachers, And Communities, Sunshine L. Brosi, Marilyn M. Cuch, Spencer Spotted Elk, Julie Stevens, Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

Book review of Marietta, G. & S. Marietta. (2020). Rural Education in America, What works for our students, teachers, and communities, Harvard Education Press. Statewide faculty teaching in rural Utah review this book and focus on actions to meet the specific needs of their demographic of rural students in rural communities. The reviewer’s reflections on the book developed from a Spring 2022 Empowering Teaching Excellence Learning Circle led by the primary author.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 2, Fall 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to educational adaptation. The first article by C. Farrell describes an adaptation of the interteaching method to the hybrid delivery method. The second article by C. C. Loose and R. Jagielo-Manion describes a study of modules on personalized learning to preservice teachers and its impact on their comfort level and preparation to implement personalized learning in their classrooms. The third article by B. …

The Value Of Stem As An Educational Tool For Enhancing Cognitive Development, Leaders 20/20, Alessandra Olmedo Robles

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The focus of STEM education is to provide a holistic approach through hands-on, problem-based learning where students are able to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real world problems.

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the impact of elementary school mathematical identities and mathematics tracking on the identities of women and girls. “Tracking” is an institutionalized education method developed in the 1960s and 1970s in which schools sort their students into smaller class-sized groups based on their observed achievement (Domina et al., 2016). Too often, when students test onto the lower track, they are confronted with a sense of futility and a lack of self-efficacy (Domina, Hanselman, Hwang & McEachin, 2016; Houtte & Stevens, 2015). Further, in STEM disciplines, students who identify as female report lower self-efficacy rates than those …

The Impact Of Collaboration, Problem Solving, And Creativity On Computer Programming Education For Middle School Girls, Amanda Meek

Dissertations

Despite high scores and abilities, girls lose interest in science and math throughout middle school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the computer science research field will grow 19% by 2026; however, only 18% of the bachelor’s degrees in computer science are earned by women in the United States (ComputerScience.org, 2021). New technology and inventions are being created without the benefit of more diverse perspectives and input from females. There is a need to engage girls and maintain their interest throughout middle school and beyond. Additional research needs to be conducted about the impact and best practices …