1. STEM Girls Grow Confidence With Science Sue Caley Opsal, Co-PI Illinois Valley Community College 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

2. Grant Team Sue Caley Opsal, Co-PI Dorene Perez, PI Jim Gibson, Co-PI Rose Marie Lynch, Co-PI Kristi Eager, Middle School Science Teacher John Fusinatto, Middle School Science Teacher 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

3. The Challenge Women still underrepresented in engineering technology – Encourage girls to consider science, technology, engineering, and math careers – Prepare for advanced course work in high school – Foster independent thinking 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

4. Middle School Program Began Spring 2010 Two Co-Lead middle school teachers Co-PI Coordinates Focus on girls One full day campus visit per semester All activities hands-on – Assessments – Integration of STEM – Career exploration 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

5. Best Practices for Success Partners Participants Parents Hands-on STEM tasks Long-term program Campus visits College honor students Research and evaluation 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

6. Choosing Partners Passionate teachers Excited about your goals Understand population Administrative buy-in 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

7. Choosing Participants: STEM Girls Not based on grades Based on interest Will follow through 23 girls this year – 48% Hispanic 68% poverty level 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

8. STEM Girls Name Girls christen themselves…. » Smart » Team where » Everyone » Matters 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

9. Parent Participation 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

10. Hands-on STEM Tasks Robots Computer hardware Genetics and DNA Diodes Rockets Forensic science Microscopy Math 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

11. Science 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

12. Lego Mindstorm Robots 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

13. Making Diodes 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

14. Long-term Program Began spring 2010 and continues today Multiple college instructors from many disciplines Most activities are periodic Lego Mindstorm NXT (robots) ongoing One campus visit per semester 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

15. Completed Robot 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

16. Campus Visits 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

17. 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

18. Research and Evaluation Surveys Interviews Random sample studies – Effect of Parent Participation (Diodes) – Boy-girl Behavioral study (March 2011) 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

19. Pre and Post Survey Questions Boys can design and build things Girls can design and build things I like to think about the way things work I like to explore how mechanical gadgets work Girls can be as good as boys in math My parent has suggested I consider a career in STEM – *Likert scale suggestions 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

20. Interviews Evaluate pre and post activity confidence Sample questions: – I prefer to complete hands-on tasks alone – I prefer to complete hands-on tasks with a team Likert scale confidence questions – Programming robots – Building robots – Performing math problems – Taking apart computer/reassembling 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

21. Computer Activity Clip 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

22. Outcomes: Confident in… Working alone: 28% Working with team: 94% Millennium generation characteristics 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

23. Outcomes: Confident in… Building/constructing, using tools, hardware (legos, screwdrivers) BEFORE 33% Building/constructing, using tools, hardware (legos, screwdrivers) AFTER 72% Video interviews 1 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

24. Outcomes: Confident in… Programming a robot: BEFORE 27% Programming a robot: AFTER 76% Computer: BEFORE 28% Computer: AFTER 55% – Video clip: Interviews 2 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

25. Random Sample Studies Build a diode activity – Effect of parent participation – Girls participating with a parent had more positive attitudes towards science, technology, and engineering careers (95% confidence level) – Both groups said the activity increased their confidence in technical skills – Involving parent in activities may be an effective recruiting strategy for girls 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

26. 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

27. Future Research Explore gender roles - have they changed with the millennial generation Behavioral study of STEM girls paired with a boy completing a hands-on task Behavioral study of non-STEM girls paired with a boy completing a hands-on task 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women

28. For More Information Grant website: www.ivcc.edu/nsf Grant Team Phone Numbers: – Sue Caley Opsal: 815-224-0412 – Dorene Perez: 815-224-0221 – Jim Gibson: 815-224-0453 – Rose Marie Lynch: 815-224-0209 – Kristi Eager & John Fusinatto: 815-223-0933 8/19/2015 Building an Engineering Technology Workforce: A Plan for Reaching Young People, Adults, and Women