Program Evaluation of Broadening STEM Participation for Underrepresented Students of Color

Abstract

This chapter provides insightful perspectives on program evaluation related to broadening the participation of underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The term broadening participation refers to rectifying patterns of disproportionate representation of those who are underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized in STEM fields of study, specifically females and underrepresented minorities. The authors address the important role that program evaluation plays in broadening STEM participation. The chapter shows how culturally responsive evaluation must be central to program evaluation that is focused on broadening STEM participation. The authors argue for greater attention to broadening participation theory and more thoughtful approaches to the collection of data on race and ethnicity. Summative evaluation results are presented from a broadening participation project that engaged underrepresented minority elementary and middle school students in computational thinking through robotics and game design.. These results revealed significant teacher gains in culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy and underrepresented minority student gains in computer gaming self-efficacy. Among the racial and ethnic student subgroups, Latinx students made significant gains on most subscales, including computer gaming self-efficacy, problem solving using the computer self-efficacy, and attitudes toward mathematics. The summative results suggest that engaging diverse students in computational thinking through gaming and robotics holds promise for broadening STEM participation.