Abstract
The number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs available in the United States will soon outnumber those qualified to fill them. Equally concerning is the decreasing number of students pursuing STEM careers. Standards-based virtual field trips (VFTs) are a promising strategy to support student interest in science and STEM fields, as well as meet the educational needs of teachers and students. VFTs provide students opportunities to connect with academic content in contextualized ways regardless of location and logistical restrictions. This convergent parallel mixed methods study investigated the impact of VFT programs on elementary students' interest in specific science domains and STEM fields. Findings showed a non-statistically significant increase in participants' interest in science domains and STEM. Further, findings suggest that prior interest and role-based scenarios promote an increase in science and STEM interest. Implications for research and practice are discussed in this chapter.
TopBackground: Theoretical Framework
The United States government has identified STEM as a high-priority area to support in schools (CoSTEM & National Science and Technology Council, 2013; Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2021). The 2021 Progress Report on the Implementation of the Federal STEM Educational Strategic Plan lists increasing learners’ interest in STEM education as a primary objective in their STEM educational investment strategy (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2021). The likelihood that students will pursue a STEM career depends largely on their interest in STEM fields and professions (Unfried et al., 2015) as well as their exposure to types of careers in STEM. Increasing interest in STEM may also encourage students to pursue a career in technical education fields that may not require a college degree.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Scenario-Based Learning: Approach that uses interactive scenarios to support active learning strategies.
Field Trip: A trip taken as a class of students to a location to experience something firsthand.
Interest: A student’s desire or curiosity to learn about something.
Geology: The study of Earth’s physical features and its history.
Active Learning: Students actively partaking in the learning, including movement during lessons.
Meteorology: The study of Earth’s weather, atmosphere, and weather forecasting.
STEM: The integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for educational purposes.
Virtual Field Trip: A synchronous distance learning program that is facilitated by a content professional.
Astronomy: The study of space and planets.
Chemistry: The study of properties of matter and how heat (thermal energy) can impact matter.