Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps
Many rural communities are looking for inexpensive and innovative ways to engage youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). University Extension 4-H programs offer a unique platform to increase rural youth exposure to STEM and build important life skills. This study employed...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Mississippi State University
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Human Sciences and Extension |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss1/3/ |
| _version_ | 1798023966101602304 |
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| author | Rayna Sage Jaymie Vandagriff Janet Schmidt |
| author_facet | Rayna Sage Jaymie Vandagriff Janet Schmidt |
| author_sort | Rayna Sage |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many rural communities are looking for inexpensive and innovative ways to engage youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). University Extension 4-H programs offer a unique platform to increase rural youth exposure to STEM and build important life skills. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine ways in which 47 youth in five rural robotics day camps grew in targeted 4-H life skills and enthusiasm for science. Campers perceived growth in their decision making and ability to use limited resources during these short day camps. Furthermore, participant observations and responses to open-ended prompts in their “science notebooks” provided insight as to potential mechanisms for this growth and behavioral patterns that enhanced the camper experience. We argue that increasing STEM knowledge and skills alone is not sufficient and that future STEM-focused programs should also target life skills such as decision making, teamwork, and communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:54:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec5405b72ce04efeb569290c35148bb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2325-5226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:54:55Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Mississippi State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Human Sciences and Extension |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec5405b72ce04efeb569290c35148bb42022-12-22T04:10:52ZengMississippi State UniversityJournal of Human Sciences and Extension2325-52262018-02-0161135https://doi.org/10.54718/IFFI8241Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics CampsRayna Sage0Jaymie Vandagriff1Janet Schmidt2University of MontanaWashington State UniversityWashington State University Many rural communities are looking for inexpensive and innovative ways to engage youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). University Extension 4-H programs offer a unique platform to increase rural youth exposure to STEM and build important life skills. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine ways in which 47 youth in five rural robotics day camps grew in targeted 4-H life skills and enthusiasm for science. Campers perceived growth in their decision making and ability to use limited resources during these short day camps. Furthermore, participant observations and responses to open-ended prompts in their “science notebooks” provided insight as to potential mechanisms for this growth and behavioral patterns that enhanced the camper experience. We argue that increasing STEM knowledge and skills alone is not sufficient and that future STEM-focused programs should also target life skills such as decision making, teamwork, and communication.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss1/3/youth developmentstemlife skillsroboticsrural4-h |
| spellingShingle | Rayna Sage Jaymie Vandagriff Janet Schmidt Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps Journal of Human Sciences and Extension youth development stem life skills robotics rural 4-h |
| title | Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps |
| title_full | Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps |
| title_fullStr | Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps |
| title_short | Building Life Skills and Interest in STEM Through Rural 4-H Robotics Camps |
| title_sort | building life skills and interest in stem through rural 4 h robotics camps |
| topic | youth development stem life skills robotics rural 4-h |
| url | https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol6/iss1/3/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raynasage buildinglifeskillsandinterestinstemthroughrural4hroboticscamps AT jaymievandagriff buildinglifeskillsandinterestinstemthroughrural4hroboticscamps AT janetschmidt buildinglifeskillsandinterestinstemthroughrural4hroboticscamps |