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“Programming is Not That Hard!”. When a Science Center Visit Increases Young Women’s Programming Ability Beliefs

Tellhed, Una LU orcid ; Björklund, Fredrik LU orcid ; Kallio Strand, Kalle and Schöttelndreier, Karolin (2023) In Journal for STEM Education Research 6. p.252-274
Abstract
To increase engagement with science and technology, young people around the world are encouraged to attend activities at science centers. But how effective are these activities? Since women have weaker ability beliefs and interest in technology than men, it is especially important to learn how science center visits affect them. In this study, we tested if programming exercises offered to middle school students by a Swedish science center would increase ability beliefs and interest in programming. Students in grades 8 and 9 (n = 506) completed a survey before and after visiting the science center, and their ratings were compared to a wait-list control group (n = 169). The students participated in block-based, text-based, and robot... (More)
To increase engagement with science and technology, young people around the world are encouraged to attend activities at science centers. But how effective are these activities? Since women have weaker ability beliefs and interest in technology than men, it is especially important to learn how science center visits affect them. In this study, we tested if programming exercises offered to middle school students by a Swedish science center would increase ability beliefs and interest in programming. Students in grades 8 and 9 (n = 506) completed a survey before and after visiting the science center, and their ratings were compared to a wait-list control group (n = 169). The students participated in block-based, text-based, and robot programming exercises developed by the science center. The results showed that programming ability beliefs increased for women, but not men, and that interest in programming decreased for men, but not women. The effects persisted at a follow-up (2–3 months). The young men reported stronger ability beliefs and interest than the young women at all timepoints. The results imply that science center activities can make programming feel less hard, but adaptations may be needed to also increase interest. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal for STEM Education Research
volume
6
pages
23 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85158163818
  • pmid:37359319
DOI
10.1007/s41979-023-00094-w
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
50cf2cd9-af1e-4bbb-ac4a-9fcfa7fbb32d
date added to LUP
2023-02-23 07:59:15
date last changed
2024-06-05 11:50:00
@article{50cf2cd9-af1e-4bbb-ac4a-9fcfa7fbb32d,
  abstract     = {{To increase engagement with science and technology, young people around the world are encouraged to attend activities at science centers. But how effective are these activities? Since women have weaker ability beliefs and interest in technology than men, it is especially important to learn how science center visits affect them. In this study, we tested if programming exercises offered to middle school students by a Swedish science center would increase ability beliefs and interest in programming. Students in grades 8 and 9 (n = 506) completed a survey before and after visiting the science center, and their ratings were compared to a wait-list control group (n = 169). The students participated in block-based, text-based, and robot programming exercises developed by the science center. The results showed that programming ability beliefs increased for women, but not men, and that interest in programming decreased for men, but not women. The effects persisted at a follow-up (2–3 months). The young men reported stronger ability beliefs and interest than the young women at all timepoints. The results imply that science center activities can make programming feel less hard, but adaptations may be needed to also increase interest.}},
  author       = {{Tellhed, Una and Björklund, Fredrik and Kallio Strand, Kalle and Schöttelndreier, Karolin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{252--274}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal for STEM Education Research}},
  title        = {{“Programming is Not That Hard!”. When a Science Center Visit Increases Young Women’s Programming Ability Beliefs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41979-023-00094-w}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s41979-023-00094-w}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}