Measuring the Influences of a STEM Enrichment Program on Middle School Girls’ Self-efficacy and Career Development

Abstract

The research is an ongoing qualitative study which will explore the influences of a STEAM enrichment program on middle school girls' self-efficacy and early stage of career development. miniGEMS program consists of a summer STEAM camp and a full year program. The summer camp is a free two-week single-sex STEAM and programming camp for middle school girls launched in 2015 at San Antonio, Texas. miniGEMS full-year program is an extension of miniGEMS summer camp. It is an all-girls robotics club sponsored by the UIW and held for middle schoolgirls at Tafolla Middle School. The goal of this STEM enrichment program is to introduce more female students into STEM fields through hands-on project-based learning experiences. In this study, the researcher utilizes miniGEMS (Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science) program as a single case. The researcher will use art-based activity and interviews to collect data.