BOARD # 418: NSF-ITEST: Evaluating the Impact of a STEM-focused Advanced Manufacturing Program on Rural Middle School Students’ STEM Content Knowledge Development

Tameshia Ballard Baldwin; Latricia Walker Townsend; Aaron Arenas; Micaha Dean Hughes

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session II
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 6
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/55795
Download Count: 1

Paper Authors

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Tameshia Ballard Baldwin North Carolina State University at Raleigh

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Dr. Tameshia Ballard Baldwin is an Assistant Teaching Professor working jointly in the College of Engineering and in the Department of STEM Education within the College of Education at North Carolina State University. She earned a B.S. in Biological Engine

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biography

Latricia Walker Townsend North Carolina State University at Raleigh

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Dr. LaTricia Townsend is an independent research contracted at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University. She has 28 years of experience in the field of education.

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Aaron Arenas North Carolina State University at Raleigh

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Micaha Dean Hughes North Carolina State University at Raleigh

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Micaha Dean Hughes is a doctoral student in the Educational Psychology program in the Teacher Education and Learning Sciences department at North Carolina State University. Her research interests include community-engaged approaches to educational equity and access in STEM education, college recruitment and K-12 outreach practices for women and minoritized students in STEM, mathematical identity development for adolescents and young adults, and culturally sustaining STEM outreach assessment and evaluation.

Micaha received her Master of Science in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education degree from the University of Kentucky College of Education, and her Bachelor of Science in Integrated Strategic Communication (Public Relations) from the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information Studies. She worked as an undergraduate engineering recruiter and outreach director for five years prior to beginning her doctoral program.

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Abstract

It has been well documented that the number of K-12 students with the interest, knowledge and motivation to pursue STEM subjects is declining at an alarming rate. Lack of access to high quality STEM education in rural areas, in particular, remains a significant challenge. This paper will discuss the student outcomes resulting from participation in a STEM-focused middle school (grades 6-8) program centered around engineering and advanced manufacturing. Participants attended one of two partner schools in a rural NC school district. This work is part of a National Science Foundation Innovative Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) project designed to provide community-based engineering design experiences for underserved rural middle school students. The STEM program, referred to as DeSIRE (Developing STEM Identity in Rural Audiences through Community-based Engineering Design), provides an opportunity for students to explore STEM concepts through hands-on, project-based learning within the context of the local advanced manufacturing industry. Over the past four years, the program has engaged students in STEM learning through a 3-part STEM-focused advanced manufacturing elective course, mentoring and guidance from undergraduate engineering students, and participation in informal STEM enrichment activities outside the classroom, including a Saturday Academy and Summer Camp.

The goals of the DeSIRE program are to improve students’ STEM content knowledge and STEM career awareness thus increasing their interest in pursuing STEM careers, particularly engineering. In this study, participants’ science content knowledge was measured using proficiency scores (Not Proficient: Levels 0-2, Proficient: Level 3, College or Career Ready: Levels 4, 5) from end-of grade (EOG) tests taken during the final year of elementary school (5th grade) and the final year of middle school (8th grade). EOG scores of DeSIRE program participants were compared to non-participants within the same school. In addition, the two partner schools were compared to each other to explore potential implementation effects.

Ordinal regression was performed to determine the impact of the program on students’ science content knowledge. It was found that the DeSIRE program improved students’ chances of reaching higher proficiency levels by the 8th grade regardless of their 5th grade EOG score. Additionally, it was shown that the number of years spent in the program had a significant effect on proficiency levels. The probability of students scoring Level 4 or 5 on the 8th grade EOG increased while the probability of scoring Level 3 or Not Proficient decreased as the number of years (0, 1, or 2) in the DeSIRE program increased irrespective of the school attended. Further, students that were deemed Not Proficient in 5th grade showed a significant proficiency increase with just one year in the program and a reduced probability of remaining Not Proficient in 8th grade. Outcomes of this program could have implications for rural school districts seeking to bolster student knowledge and interest in STEM subjects.

Citation
Format

Baldwin, T. B., & Townsend, L. W., & Arenas, A., & Dean Hughes, M. (2025, June), BOARD # 418: NSF-ITEST: Evaluating the Impact of a STEM-focused Advanced Manufacturing Program on Rural Middle School Students’ STEM Content Knowledge Development Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55795

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - It has been well documented that the number of K-12 students with the interest, knowledge and motivation to pursue STEM subjects is declining at an alarming rate. Lack of access to high quality STEM education in rural areas, in particular, remains a significant challenge. This paper will discuss the student outcomes resulting from participation in a STEM-focused middle school (grades 6-8) program centered around engineering and advanced manufacturing. Participants attended one of two partner schools in a rural NC school district. This work is part of a National Science Foundation Innovative Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) project designed to provide community-based engineering design experiences for underserved rural middle school students. The STEM program, referred to as DeSIRE (Developing STEM Identity in Rural Audiences through Community-based Engineering Design), provides an opportunity for students to explore STEM concepts through hands-on, project-based learning within the context of the local advanced manufacturing industry. Over the past four years, the program has engaged students in STEM learning through a 3-part STEM-focused advanced manufacturing elective course, mentoring and guidance from undergraduate engineering students, and participation in informal STEM enrichment activities outside the classroom, including a Saturday Academy and Summer Camp. 

The goals of the DeSIRE program are to improve students’ STEM content knowledge and STEM career awareness thus increasing their interest in pursuing STEM careers, particularly engineering. In this study, participants’ science content knowledge was measured using proficiency scores (Not Proficient: Levels 0-2, Proficient: Level 3, College or Career Ready: Levels 4, 5) from end-of grade (EOG) tests taken during the final year of elementary school (5th grade) and the final year of middle school (8th grade). EOG scores of DeSIRE program participants were compared to non-participants within the same school. In addition, the two partner schools were compared to each other to explore potential implementation effects.   

Ordinal regression was performed to determine the impact of the program on students’ science content knowledge. It was found that the DeSIRE program improved students’ chances of reaching higher proficiency levels by the 8th grade regardless of their 5th grade EOG score. Additionally, it was shown that the number of years spent in the program had a significant effect on proficiency levels. The probability of students scoring Level 4 or 5 on the 8th grade EOG increased while the probability of scoring Level 3 or Not Proficient decreased as the number of years (0, 1, or 2) in the DeSIRE program increased irrespective of the school attended. Further, students that were deemed Not Proficient in 5th grade showed a significant proficiency increase with just one year in the program and a reduced probability of remaining Not Proficient in 8th grade. Outcomes of this program could have implications for rural school districts seeking to bolster student knowledge and interest in STEM subjects.
AU  - Tameshia Ballard Baldwin
AU  - Latricia Walker Townsend
AU  - Aaron Arenas
AU  - Micaha Dean Hughes
CY  - Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
DA  - 2025/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - BOARD # 418: NSF-ITEST: Evaluating the Impact of a STEM-focused Advanced Manufacturing Program on Rural Middle School Students’ STEM Content Knowledge Development
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55795
ER  -