Exploratory Literature Review of Education Theories Guiding Engineering and Physics Outreach

Emmabeth Parrish Vaughn; Steven Warth; Bobette Bouton

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Engineering Physics and Physics Division Technical Session
Tagged Division: Engineering Physics and Physics Division (EP2D)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47395

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Paper Authors

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Emmabeth Parrish Vaughn Austin Peay State University

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Dr. Emmabeth Vaughn is an Assistant Professor in the Physics, Engineering, and Astronomy Department at Austin Peay State University. Before join faculty at Austin Peay, she worked in industry as a Product Development Engineer for a commercial roofing manufacturer. She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Tennessee in Materials Science and Engineering. She earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where her thesis topic was Nanoparticle Diffusion in Polymer Networks. Her research interests include polymer physics, nanoparticle diffusion, and engineering and physics education.

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Steven Warth Austin Peay State University

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Steven Warth is an undergraduate researcher, who attended a STEM program throughout half of his time in high school. Currently pursuing a bachelors degree in engineering physics.

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Bobette Bouton Austin Peay State University

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Dr. Bobette Bouton is an associate professor at Austin Peay State University. Her current area of research is socio-emotional development in the domain of empathy. She is a Deweyan Pragmatist who focuses on student-centered teaching and reflection. She also is working toward making higher education a more socially just and safe space for all and uses writing, speaking, and research to address each of these important aspects of her academic career.

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Abstract

Due to the increasing demand for a diverse, STEM-competent workforce, many universities are participating in engineering and physics outreach activities for K-12 students. Despite the proliferation of these outreach programs, the fundamental learning and social theories that guide development of high-impact outreach experiences can be unclear, hindering their transferability. The purpose of this literature review was to identify, categorize, and compare pedagogical theories and frameworks behind university-driven, K-12 engineering and physics outreach programs. This review can act as a guide to future outreach initiative development, implementation, and assessment, especially for new faculty who may feel overwhelmed by the number and breadth of outreach programs to review. Using our institution’s library discovery service, 216 articles with the subjects containing outreach, AND engineer* OR physics, AND theor* OR framework OR model, were screened. In reviewing these articles, a great number of articles were found that described what was done in an outreach program; fewer described why fundamentally things were done that particular way. Using the screening criteria of university-driven K-12 physics or engineering informal education, we included 37 articles in this review that presented a theoretical basis or framework for developing or assessing engineering or physics outreach programs. The theories were separated into five predominant learning theories: cognitivism, constructivism, contextualism, experientialism, and humanism. In addition to an overarching learning theory, all articles also indicated other frameworks that shaped the lens through which they considered the outreach activities. This review article introduces and compares learning theories that universities are currently using to design, implement, and assess outreach activities, as well as highlights which theories may be most aligned with specific outreach goals. Ultimately, the varied learning, social, and logical models being used to shape engineering and physics outreach which can aid in program transferability are showcased along with how pedagogical theories can advance the goals of engineering and physics outreach programs.

Citation
Format

Vaughn, E. P., & Warth, S., & Bouton, B. (2024, June), Exploratory Literature Review of Education Theories Guiding Engineering and Physics Outreach Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47395

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Due to the increasing demand for a diverse, STEM-competent workforce, many universities are participating in engineering and physics outreach activities for K-12 students. Despite the proliferation of these outreach programs, the fundamental learning and social theories that guide development of high-impact outreach experiences can be unclear, hindering their transferability. The purpose of this literature review was to identify, categorize, and compare pedagogical theories and frameworks behind university-driven, K-12 engineering and physics outreach programs. This review can act as a guide to future outreach initiative development, implementation, and assessment, especially for new faculty who may feel overwhelmed by the number and breadth of outreach programs to review.
Using our institution’s library discovery service, 216 articles with the subjects containing outreach, AND engineer* OR physics, AND theor* OR framework OR model, were screened. In reviewing these articles, a great number of articles were found that described what was done in an outreach program; fewer described why fundamentally things were done that particular way. Using the screening criteria of university-driven K-12 physics or engineering informal education, we included 37 articles in this review that presented a theoretical basis or framework for developing or assessing engineering or physics outreach programs. The theories were separated into five predominant learning theories: cognitivism, constructivism, contextualism, experientialism, and humanism. In addition to an overarching learning theory, all articles also indicated other frameworks that shaped the lens through which they considered the outreach activities. 
This review article introduces and compares learning theories that universities are currently using to design, implement, and assess outreach activities, as well as highlights which theories may be most aligned with specific outreach goals. Ultimately, the varied learning, social, and logical models being used to shape engineering and physics outreach which can aid in program transferability are showcased along with how pedagogical theories can advance the goals of engineering and physics outreach programs. 

AU  - Emmabeth Parrish Vaughn
AU  - Steven Warth
AU  - Bobette Bouton
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Exploratory Literature Review of Education Theories Guiding Engineering and Physics Outreach
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47395
ER  -