{"title":"The role of narrative in informal programming designed to engage preschool-age children in science explanations","authors":"J. Plummer, Kyungjin Cho","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2180781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2180781","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73056027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Craig O. Stewart, James T. Campbell, Tony Chase, M. Darbeheshti, Katherine Goodman, Seyedehsareh Hashemikamangar, Miriam Howland Cummings, Stephanie Ivey, D. Russomanno, Gregory E. Simon
{"title":"Communicating identity in the Urban STEM Collaboratory: toward a communication theory of STEM identities","authors":"Craig O. Stewart, James T. Campbell, Tony Chase, M. Darbeheshti, Katherine Goodman, Seyedehsareh Hashemikamangar, Miriam Howland Cummings, Stephanie Ivey, D. Russomanno, Gregory E. Simon","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2179380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2179380","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Although jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields are projected to grow at twice the rate of other professions, too many students, especially women and minoritized students, choose not to study or drop out of STEM fields, in part because they do not identify with STEM. With Communication Theory of Identity as a sensitizing framework, this study focused on a group of students who are ‘at risk’ for dropping out of STEM due to unmet financial need who are participating in a scholarship program designed both to close their financial need gap and to build their STEM identities. Based on Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews, the findings show that these students largely, but not exclusively, saw being a ‘STEM person’ as positive, but also expressed varying degrees of certainty and potential ‘identity gaps’ about their STEM identities. Enacted and relational STEM identities were of particular importance to how these students understood and experienced STEM identity. Women and minoritized students spoke of the importance of seeing and interacting with STEM people who share their social identities in developing their own STEM identities. Implications for a communication theory of STEM identities are discussed.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"24 1","pages":"345 - 361"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74779108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Helen Zhang, S. Couch, Leigh B. Estabrooks, Anthony Perry, Melinda Kalainoff
{"title":"Role models’ influence on student interest in and awareness of career opportunities in life sciences","authors":"Helen Zhang, S. Couch, Leigh B. Estabrooks, Anthony Perry, Melinda Kalainoff","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2180333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2180333","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The call to increase student interest in science and related careers continues to receive national attention in the United States. While many current efforts have focused on infrastructure support and innovative pedagogies to better reach and engage students, research suggests that having a career role model can influence adolescents’ interest in and choices of science courses and career pathways. This exploratory study investigated the impact of a week-long online biotechnology program called Biotech in Action (BIA) that featured career role modeling and authentic science learning. Students were engaged in career modeling sessions with multiple professionals working in related STEM fields while learning life sciences within authentic biotechnology research contexts. In total, over 400 high school students participated in BIA. The results showed that students felt they developed a better understanding of the biotechnology field and became more cognizant about steps to achieve their future career goals after BIA. Many students reported that the interactions with career role models and learning about their educational and professional pathways helped demystify science career fields. Overall, this research provides new insights to curriculum designers and researchers on integrating career role modeling and authentic learning to spark and sustain student interest in science.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"1 1","pages":"381 - 399"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83360186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Perspectives on informal STEM teaching and learning during and beyond COVID-19","authors":"H. B. Meisels, Rebecca K. Browne, G. Noam","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2175335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2175335","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study explored STEM program quality prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including differences based on learning setting. Program quality data was drawn from a national database consisting of 1259 program quality observations conducted between 2013 and 2021. Using the Dimensions of Success (DoS), an observation tool focused on informal STEM learning program quality, we analyzed 12 dimensions of quality obtained from 1212 observations gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a subsample of the national dataset (n = 616) including only states who submitted DoS observations before and during the pandemic, and 47 observations gathered throughout the pandemic. National trends in program strengths and challenges were replicated in the pandemic sample. Compared to observations conducted prior to the pandemic, the pandemic sample demonstrated significantly weaker evidence of quality in the dimension of Engagement with STEM, which considers the extent to which activities promote physical and cognitive learning. Findings revealed no significant differences across the 12 dimensions between in-person and virtual observations conducted during the pandemic. Common frameworks to support evidence-based planning relevant to dimensions that are challenging in the context of the pandemic are key to promoting high-quality teaching and learning practices that contribute to equitable, positive youth outcomes in STEM.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"39 1","pages":"293 - 310"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87724817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Why science education and for whom? The contributions of science capital and Bildung","authors":"L. Nicolaisen, Lars Ulriksen, H. Holmegaard","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2022.2155493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2155493","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Science capital has proved a valuable concept for understanding a person's science-related resources and the inequities linked to participation in science education. The concept was developed in the UK and has since been applied worldwide. In this paper, we investigate the potential of the concept in Denmark. Here science capital meets a concept that is pivotal to the educational tradition: Bildung. We explore these two concepts, illuminate their blind spots, and point to potentials of how they may improve on each other. Our key argument is, that while science capital reveals inequities within participation in science education, the argument for why participation is important is often linked to aspirations, or ‘to become part of science'. Bildung, however enables a focus on the ‘why’ of science participation by adding how engagement with science affects the understanding of who we are and of our relationship with the world. Bildung further helps us reflect on how we may address key problems facing our societies. Based on the concept of science capital we critically reflect on issues of inequities in Bildung, and of who has access to Bildung. In conclusion, we argue for a convergence of these two concepts when understanding science participation.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"444 1","pages":"216 - 229"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82137669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Madeleine Butcher, Elizabeth L. Cohen, Christine E. Kunkle, D. Totzkay
{"title":"Geek girl today, scientist tomorrow? Inclusive experiences and efficacy mediate the link between women's engagement in popular geek culture and STEM career interest","authors":"Madeleine Butcher, Elizabeth L. Cohen, Christine E. Kunkle, D. Totzkay","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2172624","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2172624","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Evidence suggests that participating in geek pop culture (e.g. fandoms, digital gaming, live action role playing, board gaming, etc.) can enhance women's interest in STEM by increasing their STEM-related efficacy. This study proposed that this effect hinges on the type of social experiences that women have in geek culture. Inclusive experiences were expected to enhance STEM-related efficacy, while experiences of hostile sexism in these spaces were expected to diminish STEM-related efficacy. An online survey of both U.S. MTurk users (N = 77) and undergraduate students (N = 172) under the age of 30 demonstrated that inclusive experiences and STEM-related efficacy does serially mediate the effect of geek culture engagement on interest in STEM careers. A second model examining the indirect effect of geek engagement on STEM career interest through hostile sexism and STEM-efficacy was not significant. These findings underscore the broader implications of creating a welcoming environment for women in geek culture. They also suggest that women who experience hostile sexism in geek culture and continue to participate might have a general tolerance of toxic geek masculinity.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"54 1","pages":"276 - 291"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83904885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Macedo-Rouet, G. Trópia, W. Castilhos, L. Massarani, V. Brasil, C. Almeida
{"title":"Adolescents’ evaluation of online scientific information in daily life contexts: when sourcing matters","authors":"M. Macedo-Rouet, G. Trópia, W. Castilhos, L. Massarani, V. Brasil, C. Almeida","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2023.2175625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2175625","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Sourcing is the ability to evaluate information by analysing source parameters such as author’s expertise on a given topic. Past research, mostly based on school-related materials and tasks, shows that adolescents do not pay attention to source parameters when evaluating online scientific information. However, recent research has suggested that such a ‘lack of sourcing’ may depend on the purpose for which information seeking takes place. The present study sought (a) to elicit the contexts in which adolescents seek information in their daily lives (included, but not limited to school-related assignments) and (b) to test the assumption that their attention to information sources depends on the purpose of their search. Focus groups were conducted with small groups of teenagers from contrasted socioeconomic backgrounds in two metropolitan areas (Rio de Janeiro and Paris). Five main contexts were identified, ranging from school assignments to monitoring topics of personal interest. Consistent with our assumption, references to sources were more frequent in personal compared with school information seeking contexts. The results suggest that researchers and science educators who wish to develop sourcing strategies among adolescents should use a variety of tasks, building on students’ experiences of sourcing in daily life.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"1 1","pages":"311 - 327"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77585205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does endorsement rhetoric matter in citizen science?","authors":"Wei Wang, Y. Zhao, Y. Wu, Mark Goh","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2022.2152295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2152295","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study analyzed the influence of rhetoric in the endorsement text on the willingness of the crowd to participate in citizen science projects. Four categories of endorsers were studied: professors, students, industrial researchers, and amateur researchers. Using 1243 endorsement texts from 543 citizen science projects as the corpus, the effects of the standalone techniques (ethos, pathos, and logos) and mixed-rhetoric techniques of persuasion were examined empirically. The results informed that pathos and logos had significant advantages over ethos. Taking a mixed-rhetoric approach to the endorsement text with a mix of pathos (55%) and logos (45%) maximized the appeal of citizen science projects, and the influence of this approach had an inverted U-shaped effect. On the identity of the endorsers, the professors, students, and amateur researchers shared a similar rhetorical approach, while the industrial researchers shared another. However, from the influence of endorsement rhetorical strategies, the impact of amateur researchers was consistent with that of the industrial researchers (both pathos and logos were positive); and professors (only logos was positive) and students (only pathos was positive) reveal some differences. Finally, endorsement rhetoric strategies exerted a greater influence on the humanities and social science projects than on the natural science projects.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"105 19 1","pages":"170 - 193"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86528980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Disciplinary cultures and participation in international research networks: how science communication practices and motivation relate to contextual factors","authors":"E. Silva, Sandra Pinto","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2022.2162831","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2162831","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In recent years, there has been an increasing call for more public engagement of scientists, and this happens in parallel with a rising internationalization of research. Willingness to communicate is explained by attitudes (ideas and perceptions about science communication), but is also the result of a combination of personal and contextual factors. Disciplinary cultures have been pointed out as important factors in explaining communication practices. Our hypothesis is that the way scientists view and engage in science communication is related to their scientific discipline, but also to a participation in international networks. The internationalization of scientists has been found to impact their human capital, which is constituted also by ideas and beliefs, which are also related to science communication. A survey was responded by 524 researchers from nine Portuguese scientific institutions and research groups. We found that disciplinary cultures are relevant factors to explain differences in the perceptions about science communication and reasons to communicate, namely those related to extrinsic motivations. Disciplinary cultures were also found to mediate the impact of internationalization on ideas about science communication. Internationalization in the whole group of researchers was found to be positively associated with communication practices targeting different audiences.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"7 1","pages":"245 - 260"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82356700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Empowering women in STEM: a scoping review of interventions with role models","authors":"Elena De Gioannis, Gian Luca Pasin, F. Squazzoni","doi":"10.1080/21548455.2022.2162832","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2162832","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Exposing women and girls to female role models is considered essential to break down gender-stereotypical beliefs on STEM interest and engagement. However, evidence remains controversial regarding the efficacy of these interventions. Here, we provide a scoping review of fifty-seven empirical studies that considers information about: (1) research type, (2) target, (3) type of intervention, (4) role models’ characteristics, (5) variables of interest and (6) effects of the study. Our findings show that research is considerably heterogeneous in terms of role models, interventions, variables of interest and effects. Role models are frequently female STEM professionals or a mixed-gender group of STEM workers. Interventions mainly consist of asking participants to read a brief article about the role model and the effect of being exposed to a role model is mostly tested on participants’ characteristics, e.g. attitudes toward STEM and performance. This heterogeneity comes at a price, i.e. it is difficult to understand the effectiveness of role models’ exposure. Future research should focus on whether and how the heterogeneous characteristics of role models influence the efficacy of these interventions.","PeriodicalId":45375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Science Education Part B-Communication and Public Engagement","volume":"19 1","pages":"261 - 275"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2023-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89487944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}