Problem Solving and Creativity and Design: What Influence Do They Have on Girls' Interest in STEM Subject Areas?

Autor/inn/en	Cooper, Robyn; Heaverlo, Carol
Titel	Problem Solving and Creativity and Design: What Influence Do They Have on Girls' Interest in STEM Subject Areas?
Quelle	In: American Journal of Engineering Education, 4 (2013) 1, S.27-38 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2153-2516
Schlagwörter	Problem Solving; Creativity; STEM Education; Females; Student Interests; After School Programs; Career Choice; Correlation; Experiential Learning; Regression (Statistics); Middle School Students; High School Students; Predictor Variables; Computer Science; Engineering; Extracurricular Activities; Self Efficacy + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Problemlösen; Kreativität; STEM; Weibliches Geschlecht; Studieninteresse; After school education; After-school programs; Program; Programs; Programme; Außerschulische Jugendbildung; Programm; Korrelation; Experiental learning; Erfahrungsorientiertes Lernen; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; High school; High schools; Oberschule; Studentin; Prädiktor; Informatik; Maschinenbau; Außerunterrichtliche Aktivität; Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit
Abstract	For girls there is a distinct loss in interest, lack of confidence, and decline in positive attitudes toward STEM subject areas that begins early on in their academic experience and increases with age. According to the National Academy of Engineering, students need to begin associating the possibilities in STEM fields with the need for creativity and real world problem solving skills. Recent research has focused on the necessity of emphasizing the use of creativity and design in attracting girls to STEM academic and career fields. Many extra and after school activities (e.g., State Science Fair, math club, environmental club), provide girls with experiential learning that incorporates problem solving and/or creativity and design skills as well as providing investigative opportunities into academic areas that may not be part of the regular school day. Through hierarchical regression analyses, this study examined the extent to which middle and high school girls' (n = 915) age, and interest and confidence in a) problem solving and b) creativity and design predicted their interest in four STEM subject areas. A follow up analysis identified the extracurricular activities in which girls with higher interests in problem solving and creativity and design were involved. Results revealed that interest in problem solving was a positive predictor for interest in all four STEM subject areas; whereas, interest in creativity and design was a positive predictor for interest in computers and engineering, but a negative predictor for interest in science. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01