Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is more important than ever since the Pandemic ravaged our nation's medical resources and personnel. This exploratory study, intended to establish and characterize potential identifiers and markers of student interest development in an inquiry-driven learning…

All university faculty pursuing scholarly goals tackle complex tasks over long periods, yet some must overcome additional adversity and challenges to succeed. Recent studies have measured faculty research success according to their self-reported accomplishments in research activities, publications, and grant writing, and motivation was a predictor…

Arts-integrated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education has long debated the role of the arts within this interdisciplinary approach: does arts-integration solely serve STEM outcomes, or can it also benefit the arts? This study explored one approach -- "photography-integrated STEM" -- that equally balances art…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) instruction in the United States has been a major focus of educational reform since the release of the PISA rankings in 2000, which showed that the U.S. was behind many other countries on the international stage in the areas of Science and Math. Students are also leaving the "STEM…

The WIRE Youth Development Programs, housed within the Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, foster two enrichment programs geared towards strengthening the gap in academic knowledge through STEM/STEAM activities. Since its inception, WIRE has impacted over 1,000 youth…

Citywide initiatives to promote educational opportunities are levers for social change (Appio et al., 2019) that also risk reproducing social inequalities (Godec et al., 2021). Out-of-school time networks have developed in many cities to promote access to youth programs and activities that foster development, bolster academic outcomes, and open…

There is a significant body of literature showing improved student outcomes in higher education STEM courses when evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) are used. Despite this, traditional, lecture-style instruction remains the primary means of instruction in these courses. However, given the situation of the sudden shift to online…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) created unprecedented changes for teachers and students worldwide. K-12 institution were forced into action, requiring a shift in their respective teaching, and learning modalities. The global pandemic caused all institutions to re-imagine educational opportunities, equity, and access relative to middle-skills options,…

This research addressed increasing understanding of how players make meaning during play of a complex STEM game and explores to what extent player mental models of STEM concepts shift as a result of interacting with the game simulation. Game based learning is attracting increased attention and interest as a novel platform for experiential…

The COVID-19 pandemic that emerged in China and spread globally in early 2020 caused schools to shut down and forced educators to adapt their curricula to an online format. For many students, especially English language learners (ELs), this disruption exposed vast disparities to access and equitable instruction. For science, technology,…

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, students were required to transition into a broken online educational experience. However, this unfortunate shift, proved to be an opportune escape route to distance Black girls from traditional anti-Black STEM experiences. This was an opportunity to create educational STEM experiences and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the emergency transition to online instruction due to COVID-19 on faculty self-efficacy for online teaching. A survey was constructed by adapting items from multiple previously vetted instruments into a retrospective pre-test/post-test design. Data were collected in January 2022 from 83…

This qualitative phenomenological study looked at how female faculty in higher education who teach high-stakes courses may experience a role of academic momism (AM) and how they negotiate their roles and responses within a patriarchal system. Gender bias and prescriptive stereotyping of women as communal may lead female STEM instructors to be…

Participation in Informal STEM education (ISE) programs is becoming increasingly common among pre-college students. These programs often state improving broadening participation in STEM as part of their mission. ISE programs are known to foster heightened student engagement due to flattened student-teacher hierarchy, free choice, self-directed…

The Coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted various aspects of life, including education. This mixed-method study examines the effects of the pandemic on general interest in STEM lessons, the development and application of STEM soft skills, and observations of signs of trauma in urban classrooms. The foundation of this study is the…