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55 Brilliant Research Topics For STEM Students

Primarily, STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It’s a study program that weaves all four disciplines for cross-disciplinary knowledge to solve scientific problems. STEM touches across a broad array of subjects as STEM students are required to gain mastery of four disciplines.

As a project-based discipline, STEM has different stages of learning. The program operates like other disciplines, and as such, STEM students embrace knowledge depending on their level. Since it’s a discipline centered around innovation, students undertake projects regularly. As a STEM student, your project could either be to build or write on a subject. Your first plan of action is choosing a topic if it’s written. After selecting a topic, you’ll need to determine how long a thesis statement should be .

Given that topic is essential to writing any project, this article focuses on research topics for STEM students. So, if you’re writing a STEM research paper or write my research paper , below are some of the best research topics for STEM students.

List of Research Topics For STEM Students

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Several research topics can be formulated in this field. They cut across STEM science, engineering, technology, and math. Here is a list of good research topics for STEM students.

The effectiveness of online learning over physical learning
The rise of metabolic diseases and their relationship to increased consumption
How immunotherapy can improve prognosis in Covid-19 progression

For your quantitative research in STEM, you’ll need to learn how to cite a thesis MLA for the topic you’re choosing. Below are some of the best quantitative research topics for STEM students.

A study of the effect of digital technology on millennials
A futuristic study of a world ruled by robotics
A critical evaluation of the future demand in artificial intelligence

There are several practical research topics for STEM students. However, if you’re looking for qualitative research topics for STEM students, here are topics to explore.

An exploration into how microbial factories result in the cause shortage in raw metals
An experimental study on the possibility of older-aged men passing genetic abnormalities to children
A critical evaluation of how genetics could be used to help humans live healthier and longer.

Experimental research in STEM is a scientific research methodology that uses two sets of variables. They are dependent and independent variables that are studied under experimental research. Experimental research topics in STEM look into areas of science that use data to derive results.

Below are easy experimental research topics for STEM students.

A study of nuclear fusion and fission
An evaluation of the major drawbacks of Biotechnology in the pharmaceutical industry
A study of single-cell organisms and how they’re capable of becoming an intermediary host for diseases causing bacteria

Unlike experimental research, non-experimental research lacks the interference of an independent variable. Non-experimental research instead measures variables as they naturally occur. Below are some non-experimental quantitative research topics for STEM students.

Impacts of alcohol addiction on the psychological life of humans
The popularity of depression and schizophrenia amongst the pediatric population
The impact of breastfeeding on the child’s health and development

STEM learning and knowledge grow in stages. The older students get, the more stringent requirements are for their STEM research topic. There are several capstone topics for research for STEM students .

Below are some simple quantitative research topics for stem students.

How population impacts energy-saving strategies
The application of an Excel table processor capabilities for cost calculation
A study of the essence of science as a sphere of human activity

Correlations research is research where the researcher measures two continuous variables. This is done with little or no attempt to control extraneous variables but to assess the relationship. Here are some sample research topics for STEM students to look into bearing in mind how to cite a thesis APA style for your project.

Can pancreatic gland transplantation cure diabetes?
A study of improved living conditions and obesity
An evaluation of the digital currency as a valid form of payment and its impact on banking and economy

There are several science research topics for STEM students. Below are some possible quantitative research topics for STEM students.

A study of protease inhibitor and how it operates
A study of how men’s exercise impacts DNA traits passed to children
A study of the future of commercial space flight

If you’re looking for a simple research topic, below are easy research topics for STEM students.

How can the problem of Space junk be solved?
Can meteorites change our view of the universe?
Can private space flight companies change the future of space exploration?

For your top 10 research topics for STEM students, here are interesting topics for STEM students to consider.

A comparative study of social media addiction and adverse depression
The human effect of the illegal use of formalin in milk and food preservation
An evaluation of the human impact on the biosphere and its results
A study of how fungus affects plant growth
A comparative study of antiviral drugs and vaccine
A study of the ways technology has improved medicine and life science
The effectiveness of Vitamin D among older adults for disease prevention
What is the possibility of life on other planets?
Effects of Hubble Space Telescope on the universe
A study of important trends in medicinal chemistry research

Below are possible research topics for STEM students about plants:

How do magnetic fields impact plant growth?
Do the different colors of light impact the rate of photosynthesis?
How can fertilizer extend plant life during a drought?

Below are some examples of quantitative research topics for STEM students in grade 11.

A study of how plants conduct electricity
How does water salinity affect plant growth?
A study of soil pH levels on plants

Here are some of the best qualitative research topics for STEM students in grade 12.

An evaluation of artificial gravity and how it impacts seed germination
An exploration of the steps taken to develop the Covid-19 vaccine
Personalized medicine and the wave of the future

Here are topics to consider for your STEM-related research topics for high school students.

A study of stem cell treatment
How can molecular biological research of rare genetic disorders help understand cancer?
How Covid-19 affects people with digestive problems

Below are some survey topics for qualitative research for stem students.

How does Covid-19 impact immune-compromised people?
Soil temperature and how it affects root growth
Burned soil and how it affects seed germination

Here are some descriptive research topics for STEM students in senior high.

The scientific information concept and its role in conducting scientific research
The role of mathematical statistics in scientific research
A study of the natural resources contained in oceans

Final Words About Research Topics For STEM Students

STEM topics cover areas in various scientific fields, mathematics, engineering, and technology. While it can be tasking, reducing the task starts with choosing a favorable topic. If you require external assistance in writing your STEM research, you can seek professional help from our experts.

161+ Exciting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Are you doing Qualitative research? Looking for the best qualitative research topics for stem students? It is a most interesting and good field for research. Qualitative research allows STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students to delve deeper into complex issues, explore human behavior, and understand the intricacies of the world around them.

In this article, we’ll provide you with an extensive list of 161+ qualitative research topics tailored to STEM students. We’ll also explore how to find and choose good qualitative research topics, and why these topics are particularly beneficial for students, including those in high school.

Also Like To Read: 171+ Brilliant Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Table of Contents

What Are Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students

Qualitative research topics for stem students are questions or issues that necessitate an in-depth exploration of people’s experiences, beliefs, and behaviors. STEM students can use this approach to investigate societal impacts, ethical dilemmas, and user experiences related to scientific advancements and innovations.

Unlike quantitative research, which focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis, qualitative research delves into the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of a particular phenomenon.

How to Find and Choose Good Qualitative Research Topics

Selecting qualitative research topics for stem students is a crucial step in the research process. Here are some tips to help you find and choose a suitable topic:

Passion and Interest: Start by considering your personal interests and passions. What topics within STEM excite you? Research becomes more engaging when you’re genuinely interested in the subject.
Relevance: Choose qualitative research topics for stem students. Look for gaps in the existing knowledge or unanswered questions.
Literature Review: Conduct a thorough literature review to identify the latest trends and areas where qualitative research is lacking. This can guide you in selecting a topic that contributes to the field.
Feasibility: Ensure that your chosen topic is feasible within the resources and time constraints available to you. Some research topics may require extensive resources and funding.
Ethical Considerations: Be aware of ethical concerns related to your qualitative research topics for stem students, especially when dealing with human subjects or sensitive issues.

Here are the most exciting and very interesting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students, high school students, nursing students, college students, etc.

Biology Qualitative Research Topics

Impact of Ecosystem Restoration on Biodiversity
Ethical Considerations in Human Gene Editing
Public Perceptions of Biotechnology in Agriculture
Coping Mechanisms and Stress Responses in Marine Biologists
Cultural Perspectives on Traditional Herbal Medicine
Community Attitudes Toward Wildlife Conservation Efforts
Ethical Issues in Animal Testing and Research
Indigenous Knowledge and Ethnobotany
Psychological Well-being of Conservation Biologists
Attitudes Toward Endangered Species Protection

Chemistry Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Adoption of Green Chemistry Practices in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Public Perception of Chemical Safety in Household Products
Strategies for Improving Chemistry Education
Art Conservation and Chemical Analysis
Consumer Attitudes Toward Organic Chemistry in Everyday Life
Ethical Considerations in Chemical Waste Disposal
The Role of Chemistry in Sustainable Agriculture
Perceptions of Nanomaterials and Their Applications
Chemistry-Related Career Aspirations in High School Students
Cultural Beliefs and Traditional Chemical Practices

Physics Qualitative Research Topics

Gender Bias in Physics Education and Career Progression
Philosophical Implications of Quantum Mechanics
Public Understanding of Renewable Energy Technologies
Influence of Science Fiction on Scientific Research
Perceptions of Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe
Student Experiences in High School Physics Classes
Physics Outreach Programs and Their Impact on Communities
Cultural Variations in the Perception of Time and Space
Role of Physics in Environmental Conservation
Public Engagement with Science Through Astronomy Events

Engineering Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Human-Centered Design in Engineering
Innovation and Sustainability in Civil Engineering
Public Perception of Self-Driving Cars
Engineering Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation
Experiences of Women in Male-Dominated Engineering Fields
Role of Engineers in Disaster Response and Recovery
Ethical Considerations in Technology Patents
Perceptions of Engineering Education and Career Prospects
Students Views on the Role of Engineers in Society

Computer Science Qualitative Research Topics

Gender Diversity in Tech Companies
Ethical Implications of AI-Powered Decision-Making
User Experience and Interface Design
Cybersecurity Awareness and Behaviors
Digital Privacy Concerns and Practices
Social Media Use and Mental Health in College Students
Gaming Culture and its Impact on Social Interactions
Student Attitudes Toward Coding and Programming
Online Learning Platforms and Student Satisfaction
Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life

Mathematics Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Gender Stereotypes in Mathematics Education
Cultural Variations in Problem-Solving Approaches
Perception of Math in Everyday Life
Math Anxiety and Coping Mechanisms
Historical Development of Mathematical Concepts
Attitudes Toward Mathematics Among Elementary School Students
Role of Mathematics in Solving Real-World Problems
Homeschooling Approaches to Teaching Mathematics
Effectiveness of Math Tutoring Programs
Math-Related Stereotypes in Society

Environmental Science Qualitative Research Topics

Local Communities’ Responses to Climate Change
Public Understanding of Conservation Practices
Sustainable Agriculture and Farmer Perspectives
Environmental Education and Behavior Change
Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation
Conservation Awareness and Behavior of Tourists
Climate Change Perceptions Among Youth
Perceptions of Water Scarcity and Resource Management
Environmental Activism and Youth Engagement
Community Responses to Environmental Disasters

Geology and Earth Sciences Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Geologists’ Risk Perception and Decision-Making
Volcano Hazard Preparedness in At-Risk Communities
Public Attitudes Toward Geological Hazards
Environmental Consequences of Extractive Industries
Perceptions of Geological Time and Deep Earth Processes
Use of Geospatial Technology in Environmental Research
Role of Geology in Disaster Preparedness and Response
Geological Factors Influencing Urban Planning
Community Engagement in Geoscience Education
Climate Change Communication and Public Understanding

Astronomy and Space Science Qualitative Research Topics

The Role of Science Communication in Astronomy Education
Perceptions of Space Exploration and Colonization
UFO and Extraterrestrial Life Beliefs
Public Understanding of Black Holes and Neutron Stars
Space Tourism and Future Space Travel
Impact of Space Science Outreach Programs on Student Interest
Cultural Beliefs and Rituals Related to Celestial Events
Space Science in Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Public Engagement with Astronomical Phenomena
Space Exploration in Science Fiction and Popular Culture

Medicine and Health Sciences Qualitative Research Topics

Patient-Physician Communication and Trust
Ethical Considerations in Human Cloning and Genetic Modification
Public Attitudes Toward Vaccination
Coping Strategies for Healthcare Workers in Pandemics
Cultural Beliefs and Health Practices
Health Disparities Among Underserved Communities
Medical Decision-Making and Informed Consent
Mental Health Stigma and Help-Seeking Behavior
Wellness Practices and Health-Related Beliefs
Perceptions of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Psychology Qualitative Research Topics

Perceptions of Body Image in Different Cultures
Workplace Stress and Coping Mechanisms
LGBTQ+ Youth Experiences and Well-Being
Cross-Cultural Differences in Parenting Styles and Outcomes
Perceptions of Psychotherapy and Counseling
Attitudes Toward Medication for Mental Health Conditions
Psychological Well-being of Older Adults
Role of Cultural and Social Factors in Psychological Well-being
Technology Use and Its Impact on Mental Health

Social Sciences Qualitative Research Topics

Political Polarization and Online Echo Chambers
Immigration and Acculturation Experiences
Educational Inequality and School Policy
Youth Engagement in Environmental Activism
Identity and Social Media in the Digital Age
Social Media and Its Influence on Political Beliefs
Family Dynamics and Conflict Resolution
Social Support and Coping Strategies in College Students
Perceptions of Cyberbullying Among Adolescents
Impact of Social Movements on Societal Change

Interesting Sociology Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Perceptions of Racial Inequality and Discrimination
Aging and Quality of Life in Elderly Populations
Gender Roles and Expectations in Relationships
Online Communities and Social Support
Cultural Practices and Beliefs Related to Marriage
Family Dynamics and Coping Mechanisms
Perceptions of Community Safety and Policing
Attitudes Toward Social Welfare Programs
Influence of Media on Perceptions of Social Issues
Youth Perspectives on Education and Career Aspirations

Anthropology Qualitative Research Topics

Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation
Cultural Variation in Parenting Practices
Indigenous Language Revitalization Efforts
Social Impacts of Tourism on Indigenous Communities
Rituals and Ceremonies in Different Cultural Contexts
Food and Identity in Cultural Practices
Traditional Healing and Healthcare Practices
Indigenous Rights and Land Conservation
Ethnographic Studies of Marginalized Communities
Cultural Practices Surrounding Death and Mourning

Economics and Business Qualitative Research Topics

Small Business Resilience in Times of Crisis
Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions
International Trade and Cultural Perceptions
Consumer Behavior and Decision-Making in E-Commerce
Business Ethics and Ethical Decision-Making
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Startups
Perceptions of Economic Inequality and Wealth Distribution
Impact of Economic Policies on Communities
Role of Economic Education in Financial Literacy

Good Education Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Homeschooling Experiences and Outcomes
Teacher Burnout and Coping Strategies
Inclusive Education and Special Needs Integration
Student Perspectives on Online Learning
High-Stakes Testing and Its Impact on Students
Multilingual Education and Bilingualism
Perceptions of Educational Technology in Classrooms
School Climate and Student Well-being
Teacher-Student Relationships and Their Effects on Learning
Cultural Diversity in Education and Inclusion

Environmental Engineering Qualitative Research Topics

Sustainable Transportation and Community Preferences
Ethical Considerations in Waste Reduction and Recycling
Public Attitudes Toward Renewable Energy Projects
Environmental Impact Assessment and Community Engagement
Sustainable Urban Planning and Neighborhood Perceptions
Water Quality and Conservation Practices in Residential Areas
Green Building Practices and User Experiences
Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Change
Role of Environmental Engineers in Disaster Preparedness

Why Qualitative Research Topics Are Good for STEM Students

Deeper Understanding: Qualitative research encourages STEM students to explore complex issues from a human perspective. This deepens their understanding of the broader impact of scientific discoveries and technological advancements.
Critical Thinking: Qualitative research fosters critical thinking skills by requiring students to analyze and interpret data, consider diverse viewpoints, and draw nuanced conclusions.
Real-World Relevance: Many qualitative research topics have real-world applications. Students can address problems, inform policy, and contribute to society by investigating issues that matter.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Qualitative research often transcends traditional STEM boundaries, allowing students to draw on insights from psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other fields.
Preparation for Future Careers: Qualitative research skills are valuable in various STEM careers, as they enable students to communicate complex ideas and understand the human and social aspects of their work.

Qualitative Research Topics for High School STEM Students

High school STEM students can benefit from qualitative research by honing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Here are some qualitative research topics suitable for high school students:

Perceptions of STEM Education: Investigate students’ and teachers’ perceptions of STEM education and its effectiveness.
Environmental Awareness: Examine the factors influencing high school students’ environmental awareness and eco-friendly behaviors.
Digital Learning in the Classroom: Explore the impact of technology on learning experiences and student engagement.
STEM Gender Gap: Analyze the reasons behind the gender gap in STEM fields and potential strategies for closing it.
Science Communication: Study how high school students perceive and engage with popular science communication channels, like YouTube and podcasts.
Impact of Extracurricular STEM Activities: Investigate how participation in STEM clubs and competitions influences students’ interest and performance in science and technology.

In essence, these are the best qualitative research topics for STEM students in the Philippines and are usable for other countries students too. Qualitative research topics offer STEM students a unique opportunity to explore the multifaceted aspects of their fields, develop essential skills, and contribute to meaningful discoveries. With the right topic selection, a strong research design, and ethical considerations, STEM students can easily get the best knowledge on exciting qualitative research that benefits both their career growth. So, choose a topic that resonates with your interests and get best job in your interest field.

200+ Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students In 2023

STEM means Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, which is not the only stuff we learn in school. It is like a treasure chest of skills that help students become great problem solvers, ready to tackle the real world’s challenges.

In this blog, we are here to explore the world of Research Topics for STEM Students. We will break down what STEM really means and why it is so important for students. In addition, we will give you the lowdown on how to pick a fascinating research topic. We will explain a list of 200+ Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students.

And when it comes to writing a research title, we will guide you step by step. So, stay with us as we unlock the exciting world of STEM research – it is not just about grades; it is about growing smarter, more confident, and happier along the way.

What Is STEM?

Table of Contents

STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is a way of talking about things like learning, jobs, and activities related to these four important subjects. Science is about understanding the world around us, technology is about using tools and machines to solve problems, engineering is about designing and building things, and mathematics is about numbers and solving problems with them. STEM helps us explore, discover, and create cool stuff that makes our world better and more exciting.

Why STEM Research Is Important?

STEM research is important because it helps us learn new things about the world and solve problems. When scientists, engineers, and mathematicians study these subjects, they can discover cures for diseases, create new technology that makes life easier, and build things that help us live better. It is like a big puzzle where we put together pieces of knowledge to make our world safer, healthier, and more fun.

STEM research leads to new discoveries and solutions.
It helps find cures for diseases.
STEM technology makes life easier.
Engineers build things that improve our lives.
Mathematics helps us understand and solve complex problems.

How to Choose a Topic for STEM Research Paper

Here are some steps to choose a topic for STEM Research Paper:

Step 1: Identify Your Interests

Think about what you like and what excites you in science, technology, engineering, or math. It could be something you learned in school, saw in the news, or experienced in your daily life. Choosing a topic you’re passionate about makes the research process more enjoyable.

Step 2: Research Existing Topics

Look up different STEM research areas online, in books, or at your library. See what scientists and experts are studying. This can give you ideas and help you understand what’s already known in your chosen field.

Step 3: Consider Real-World Problems

Think about the problems you see around you. Are there issues in your community or the world that STEM can help solve? Choosing a topic that addresses a real-world problem can make your research impactful.

Step 4: Talk to Teachers and Mentors

Discuss your interests with your teachers, professors, or mentors. They can offer guidance and suggest topics that align with your skills and goals. They may also provide resources and support for your research.

Step 5: Narrow Down Your Topic

Once you have some ideas, narrow them down to a specific research question or project. Make sure it’s not too broad or too narrow. You want a topic that you can explore in depth within the scope of your research paper.

Here we will discuss 200+ Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students:

Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students:

Qualitative research focuses on exploring and understanding phenomena through non-numerical data and subjective experiences. Here are 10 qualitative research topics for STEM students:

Exploring the experiences of female STEM students in overcoming gender bias in academia.
Understanding the perceptions of teachers regarding the integration of technology in STEM education.
Investigating the motivations and challenges of STEM educators in underprivileged schools.
Exploring the attitudes and beliefs of parents towards STEM education for their children.
Analyzing the impact of collaborative learning on student engagement in STEM subjects.
Investigating the experiences of STEM professionals in bridging the gap between academia and industry.
Understanding the cultural factors influencing STEM career choices among minority students.
Exploring the role of mentorship in the career development of STEM graduates.
Analyzing the perceptions of students towards the ethics of emerging STEM technologies like AI and CRISPR.
Investigating the emotional well-being and stress levels of STEM students during their academic journey.

Easy Experimental Research Topics for STEM Students:

These experimental research topics are relatively straightforward and suitable for STEM students who are new to research:

Measuring the effect of different light wavelengths on plant growth.
Investigating the relationship between exercise and heart rate in various age groups.
Testing the effectiveness of different insulating materials in conserving heat.
Examining the impact of pH levels on the rate of chemical reactions.
Studying the behavior of magnets in different temperature conditions.
Investigating the effect of different concentrations of a substance on bacterial growth.
Testing the efficiency of various sunscreen brands in blocking UV radiation.
Measuring the impact of music genres on concentration and productivity.
Examining the correlation between the angle of a ramp and the speed of a rolling object.
Investigating the relationship between the number of blades on a wind turbine and energy output.

Research Topics for STEM Students in the Philippines:

These research topics are tailored for STEM students in the Philippines:

Assessing the impact of climate change on the biodiversity of coral reefs in the Philippines.
Studying the potential of indigenous plants in the Philippines for medicinal purposes.
Investigating the feasibility of harnessing renewable energy sources like solar and wind in rural Filipino communities.
Analyzing the water quality and pollution levels in major rivers and lakes in the Philippines.
Exploring sustainable agricultural practices for small-scale farmers in the Philippines.
Assessing the prevalence and impact of dengue fever outbreaks in urban areas of the Philippines.
Investigating the challenges and opportunities of STEM education in remote Filipino islands.
Studying the impact of typhoons and natural disasters on infrastructure resilience in the Philippines.
Analyzing the genetic diversity of endemic species in the Philippine rainforests.
Assessing the effectiveness of disaster preparedness programs in Philippine communities.

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Good Research Topics for STEM Students:

These research topics are considered good because they offer interesting avenues for investigation and learning:

Developing a low-cost and efficient water purification system for rural communities.
Investigating the potential use of CRISPR-Cas9 for gene therapy in genetic disorders.
Studying the applications of blockchain technology in securing medical records.
Analyzing the impact of 3D printing on customized prosthetics for amputees.
Exploring the use of artificial intelligence in predicting and preventing forest fires.
Investigating the effects of microplastic pollution on aquatic ecosystems.
Analyzing the use of drones in monitoring and managing agricultural crops.
Studying the potential of quantum computing in solving complex optimization problems.
Investigating the development of biodegradable materials for sustainable packaging.
Exploring the ethical implications of gene editing in humans.

Unique Research Topics for STEM Students:

Unique research topics can provide STEM students with the opportunity to explore unconventional and innovative ideas. Here are 10 unique research topics for STEM students:

Investigating the use of bioluminescent organisms for sustainable lighting solutions.
Studying the potential of using spider silk proteins for advanced materials in engineering.
Exploring the application of quantum entanglement for secure communication in the field of cryptography.
Analyzing the feasibility of harnessing geothermal energy from underwater volcanoes.
Investigating the use of CRISPR-Cas12 for rapid and cost-effective disease diagnostics.
Studying the interaction between artificial intelligence and human creativity in art and music generation.
Exploring the development of edible packaging materials to reduce plastic waste.
Investigating the impact of microgravity on cellular behavior and tissue regeneration in space.
Analyzing the potential of using sound waves to detect and combat invasive species in aquatic ecosystems.
Studying the use of biotechnology in reviving extinct species, such as the woolly mammoth.

Experimental Research Topics for STEM Students in the Philippines

Research topics for STEM students in the Philippines can address specific regional challenges and opportunities. Here are 10 experimental research topics for STEM students in the Philippines:

Assessing the effectiveness of locally sourced materials for disaster-resilient housing construction in typhoon-prone areas.
Investigating the utilization of indigenous plants for natural remedies in Filipino traditional medicine.
Studying the impact of volcanic soil on crop growth and agriculture in volcanic regions of the Philippines.
Analyzing the water quality and purification methods in remote island communities.
Exploring the feasibility of using bamboo as a sustainable construction material in the Philippines.
Investigating the potential of using solar stills for freshwater production in water-scarce regions.
Studying the effects of climate change on the migration patterns of bird species in the Philippines.
Analyzing the growth and sustainability of coral reefs in marine protected areas.
Investigating the utilization of coconut waste for biofuel production.
Studying the biodiversity and conservation efforts in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Capstone Research Topics for STEM Students in the Philippines:

Capstone research projects are often more comprehensive and can address real-world issues. Here are 10 capstone research topics for STEM students in the Philippines:

Designing a low-cost and sustainable sanitation system for informal settlements in urban Manila.
Developing a mobile app for monitoring and reporting natural disasters in the Philippines.
Assessing the impact of climate change on the availability and quality of drinking water in Philippine cities.
Designing an efficient traffic management system to address congestion in major Filipino cities.
Analyzing the health implications of air pollution in densely populated urban areas of the Philippines.
Developing a renewable energy microgrid for off-grid communities in the archipelago.
Assessing the feasibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for agricultural monitoring in rural Philippines.
Designing a low-cost and sustainable aquaponics system for urban agriculture.
Investigating the potential of vertical farming to address food security in densely populated urban areas.
Developing a disaster-resilient housing prototype suitable for typhoon-prone regions.

Experimental Quantitative Research Topics for STEM Students:

Experimental quantitative research involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to conclude. Here are 10 Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students interested in experimental quantitative research:

Examining the impact of different fertilizers on crop yield in agriculture.
Investigating the relationship between exercise and heart rate among different age groups.
Analyzing the effect of varying light intensities on photosynthesis in plants.
Studying the efficiency of various insulation materials in reducing building heat loss.
Investigating the relationship between pH levels and the rate of corrosion in metals.
Analyzing the impact of different concentrations of pollutants on aquatic ecosystems.
Examining the effectiveness of different antibiotics on bacterial growth.
Trying to figure out how temperature affects how thick liquids are.
Finding out if there is a link between the amount of pollution in the air and lung illnesses in cities.
Analyzing the efficiency of solar panels in converting sunlight into electricity under varying conditions.

Descriptive Research Topics for STEM Students

Descriptive research aims to provide a detailed account or description of a phenomenon. Here are 10 topics for STEM students interested in descriptive research:

Describing the physical characteristics and behavior of a newly discovered species of marine life.
Documenting the geological features and formations of a particular region.
Creating a detailed inventory of plant species in a specific ecosystem.
Describing the properties and behavior of a new synthetic polymer.
Documenting the daily weather patterns and climate trends in a particular area.
Providing a comprehensive analysis of the energy consumption patterns in a city.
Describing the structural components and functions of a newly developed medical device.
Documenting the characteristics and usage of traditional construction materials in a region.
Providing a detailed account of the microbiome in a specific environmental niche.
Describing the life cycle and behavior of a rare insect species.

Research Topics for STEM Students in the Pandemic:

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised many research opportunities for STEM students. Here are 10 research topics related to pandemics:

Analyzing the effectiveness of various personal protective equipment (PPE) in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses.
Studying the impact of lockdown measures on air quality and pollution levels in urban areas.
Investigating the psychological effects of quarantine and social isolation on mental health.
Analyzing the genomic variation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its implications for vaccine development.
Studying the efficacy of different disinfection methods on various surfaces.
Investigating the role of contact tracing apps in tracking & controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
Analyzing the economic impact of the pandemic on different industries and sectors.
Studying the effectiveness of remote learning in STEM education during lockdowns.
Investigating the social disparities in healthcare access during a pandemic.
Analyzing the ethical considerations surrounding vaccine distribution and prioritization.

Research Topics for STEM Students Middle School

Research topics for middle school STEM students should be engaging and suitable for their age group. Here are 10 research topics:

Investigating the growth patterns of different types of mold on various food items.
Studying the negative effects of music on plant growth and development.
Analyzing the relationship between the shape of a paper airplane and its flight distance.
Investigating the properties of different materials in making effective insulators for hot and cold beverages.
Studying the effect of salt on the buoyancy of different objects in water.
Analyzing the behavior of magnets when exposed to different temperatures.
Investigating the factors that affect the rate of ice melting in different environments.
Studying the impact of color on the absorption of heat by various surfaces.
Analyzing the growth of crystals in different types of solutions.
Investigating the effectiveness of different natural repellents against common pests like mosquitoes.

Technology Research Topics for STEM Students

Technology is at the forefront of STEM fields. Here are 10 research topics for STEM students interested in technology:

Developing and optimizing algorithms for autonomous drone navigation in complex environments.
Exploring the use of blockchain technology for enhancing the security and transparency of supply chains.
Investigating the applications of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in medical training and surgery simulations.
Studying the potential of 3D printing for creating personalized prosthetics and orthopedic implants.
Analyzing the ethical and privacy implications of facial recognition technology in public spaces.
Investigating the development of quantum computing algorithms for solving complex optimization problems.
Explaining the use of machine learning and AI in predicting and mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
Studying the advancement of brain-computer interfaces for assisting individuals with
disabilities.
Analyzing the role of wearable technology in monitoring and improving personal health and wellness.
Investigating the use of robotics in disaster response and search and rescue operations.

Scientific Research Topics for STEM Students

Scientific research encompasses a wide range of topics. Here are 10 research topics for STEM students focusing on scientific exploration:

Investigating the behavior of subatomic particles in high-energy particle accelerators.
Studying the ecological impact of invasive species on native ecosystems.
Analyzing the genetics of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and its implications for healthcare.
Exploring the physics of gravitational waves and their detection through advanced interferometry.
Investigating the neurobiology of memory formation and retention in the human brain.
Studying the biodiversity and adaptation of extremophiles in harsh environments.
Analyzing the chemistry of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and their potential for life beyond Earth.
Exploring the properties of superconductors and their applications in technology.
Investigating the mechanisms of stem cell differentiation for regenerative medicine.
Studying the dynamics of climate change and its impact on global ecosystems.

Interesting Research Topics for STEM Students:

Engaging and intriguing research topics can foster a passion for STEM. Here are 10 interesting research topics for STEM students:

Exploring the science behind the formation of auroras and their cultural significance.
Investigating the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy in the universe.
Studying the psychology of decision-making in high-pressure situations, such as sports or
emergencies.
Analyzing the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships and mental health.
Exploring the potential for using genetic modification to create disease-resistant crops.
Investigating the cognitive processes involved in solving complex puzzles and riddles.
Studying the history and evolution of cryptography and encryption methods.
Analyzing the physics of time travel and its theoretical possibilities.
Exploring the role of Artificial Intelligence in creating art and music.
Investigating the science of happiness and well-being, including factors contributing to life satisfaction.

Practical Research Topics for STEM Students

Practical research often leads to real-world solutions. Here are 10 practical research topics for STEM students:

Developing an affordable and sustainable water purification system for rural communities.
Designing a low-cost, energy-efficient home heating and cooling system.
Investigating strategies for reducing food waste in the supply chain and households.
Studying the effectiveness of eco-friendly pest control methods in agriculture.
Analyzing the impact of renewable energy integration on the stability of power grids.
Developing a smartphone app for early detection of common medical conditions.
Investigating the feasibility of vertical farming for urban food production.
Designing a system for recycling and upcycling electronic waste.
Studying the environmental benefits of green roofs and their potential for urban heat island mitigation.
Analyzing the efficiency of alternative transportation methods in reducing carbon emissions.

Experimental Research Topics for STEM Students About Plants

Plants offer a rich field for experimental research. Here are 10 experimental research topics about plants for STEM students:

Investigating the effect of different light wavelengths on plant growth and photosynthesis.
Studying the impact of various fertilizers and nutrient solutions on crop yield.
Analyzing the response of plants to different types and concentrations of plant hormones.
Investigating the role of mycorrhizal in enhancing nutrient uptake in plants.
Studying the effects of drought stress and water scarcity on plant physiology and adaptation mechanisms.
Analyzing the influence of soil pH on plant nutrient availability and growth.
Investigating the chemical signaling and defense mechanisms of plants against herbivores.
Studying the impact of environmental pollutants on plant health and genetic diversity.
Analyzing the role of plant secondary metabolites in pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.
Investigating the interactions between plants and beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere.

Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students in the Philippines

Qualitative research in the Philippines can address local issues and cultural contexts. Here are 10 qualitative research topics for STEM students in the Philippines:

Exploring indigenous knowledge and practices in sustainable agriculture in Filipino communities.
Studying the perceptions and experiences of Filipino fishermen in coping with climate change impacts.
Analyzing the cultural significance and traditional uses of medicinal plants in indigenous Filipino communities.
Investigating the barriers and facilitators of STEM education access in remote Philippine islands.
Exploring the role of traditional Filipino architecture in natural disaster resilience.
Studying the impact of indigenous farming methods on soil conservation and fertility.
Analyzing the cultural and environmental significance of mangroves in coastal Filipino regions.
Investigating the knowledge and practices of Filipino healers in treating common ailments.
Exploring the cultural heritage and conservation efforts of the Ifugao rice terraces.
Studying the perceptions and practices of Filipino communities in preserving marine biodiversity.

Science Research Topics for STEM Students

Science offers a diverse range of research avenues. Here are 10 science research topics for STEM students:

Investigating the potential of gene editing techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 in curing genetic diseases.
Studying the ecological impacts of species reintroduction programs on local ecosystems.
Analyzing the effects of microplastic pollution on aquatic food webs and ecosystems.
Investigating the link between air pollution and respiratory health in urban populations.
Studying the role of epigenetics in the inheritance of acquired traits in organisms.
Analyzing the physiology and adaptations of extremophiles in extreme environments on Earth.
Investigating the genetics of longevity and factors influencing human lifespan.
Studying the behavioral ecology and communication strategies of social insects.
Analyzing the effects of deforestation on global climate patterns and biodiversity loss.
Investigating the potential of synthetic biology in creating bioengineered organisms for beneficial applications.

Correlational Research Topics for STEM Students

Correlational research focuses on relationships between variables. Here are 10 correlational research topics for STEM students:

Analyzing the correlation between dietary habits and the incidence of chronic diseases.
Studying the relationship between exercise frequency and mental health outcomes.
Investigating the correlation between socioeconomic status and access to quality healthcare.
Analyzing the link between social media usage and self-esteem in adolescents.
Studying the correlation between academic performance and sleep duration among students.
Investigating the relationship between environmental factors and the prevalence of allergies.
Analyzing the correlation between technology use and attention span in children.
Studying how environmental factors are related to the frequency of allergies.
Investigating the link between parental involvement in education and student achievement.
Analyzing the correlation between temperature fluctuations and wildlife migration patterns.

Quantitative Research Topics for STEM Students in the Philippines

Quantitative research in the Philippines can address specific regional issues. Here are 10 quantitative research topics for STEM students in the Philippines

Analyzing the impact of typhoons on coastal erosion rates in the Philippines.
Studying the quantitative effects of land use change on watershed hydrology in Filipino regions.
Investigating the quantitative relationship between deforestation and habitat loss for endangered species.
Analyzing the quantitative patterns of marine biodiversity in Philippine coral reef ecosystems.
Studying the quantitative assessment of water quality in major Philippine rivers and lakes.
Investigating the quantitative analysis of renewable energy potential in specific Philippine provinces.
Analyzing the quantitative impacts of agricultural practices on soil health and fertility.
Studying the quantitative effectiveness of mangrove restoration in coastal protection in the Philippines.
Investigating the quantitative evaluation of indigenous agricultural practices for sustainability.
Analyzing the quantitative patterns of air pollution and its health impacts in urban Filipino areas.

Things That Must Keep In Mind While Writing Quantitative Research Title

Here are few things that must be keep in mind while writing quantitative research tile:

1. Be Clear and Precise

Make sure your research title is clear and says exactly what your study is about. People should easily understand the topic and goals of your research by reading the title.

2. Use Important Words

Include words that are crucial to your research, like the main subjects, who you’re studying, and how you’re doing your research. This helps others find your work and understand what it’s about.

3. Avoid Confusing Words

Stay away from words that might confuse people. Your title should be easy to grasp, even if someone isn’t an expert in your field.

4. Show Your Research Approach

Tell readers what kind of research you did, like experiments or surveys. This gives them a hint about how you conducted your study.

5. Match Your Title with Your Research Questions

Make sure your title matches the questions you’re trying to answer in your research. It should give a sneak peek into what your study is all about and keep you on the right track as you work on it.

STEM students, addressing what STEM is and why research matters in this field. It offered an extensive list of research topics , including experimental, qualitative, and regional options, catering to various academic levels and interests. Whether you’re a middle school student or pursuing advanced studies, these topics offer a wealth of ideas. The key takeaway is to choose a topic that resonates with your passion and aligns with your goals, ensuring a successful journey in STEM research. Choose the best Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For Stem Students today!

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Blog Post Top STEM Topic Areas for a Strong Dissertation

What Dissertation Topic Selection Involves

Your dissertation topic selection must be wise to make the subject of your dissertation precise. Topic selection isn’t something you do within two minutes or a day. You have to take your time, research well, question your mastery, and settle on a topic you understand well. Importantly, research winning topics that interest your audience and that have many related sources and materials.

Since your dissertation will have a recommendation, it’s important to understand what’s been done and what you’ve done to recommend what’s to be done in the future to improve the topic. A very broad topic isn’t good. You won’t get the time or resources to research and discuss every aspect of the subject matter. When selecting a dissertation topic, make it current and up to date. This also means you’ll get resources and relevant materials from previous works and use them to improve your work.

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Factors Influencing Student STEM Learning: Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy, 21 st Century Skills, and Career Awareness

Research Article
Open access
Published: 04 May 2021
Volume 4 , pages 117–137, ( 2021 )

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Jung Han ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0569-1552 1 ,
Todd Kelley ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6086-1927 1 &
J. Geoff Knowles ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6696-058X 2

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Social, motivational, and instructional factors impact students’ outcomes in STEM learning and their career paths. Based on prior research and expectancy-value theory, the study further explored how multiple factors affect students in the context of integrated STEM learning. High school STEM teachers participated in summer professional development and taught integrated STEM to students during the following school year, where scientific inquiry, biomimicry, 3D printing technology, and engineering design were integrated as instructional strategies. Surveys were conducted to measure teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Student STEM attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs), 21st century skills, STEM career awareness, and STEM knowledge achievement were also measured using a survey and a custom-made knowledge test. Based on expectancy-value theory and literature, a path model was developed and tested to investigate causal relationships between these factors. The results revealed direct and indirect effects of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy on students’ STEM knowledge achievements. Student STEM attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs), 21st century skills, and STEM career awareness also significantly influenced STEM knowledge achievement directly or indirectly.

STEM stereotypes predict students’ STEM career interest via self-efficacy and outcome expectations

Tian Luo, Winnie Wing Mui So, … Wai Chin Li

STEM learning opportunities and career aspirations: the interactive effect of students’ self-concept and perceptions of STEM professionals

Yu Chen, Winnie Wing Mui So, … Stephen Wing Kai Chiu

The role of parents’ beliefs in students’ motivation, achievement, and choices in the STEM domain: a review and directions for future research

Mara Šimunović & Toni Babarović

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

The national efforts for advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is becoming stronger as our society demands a global STEM workforce (Asunda, 2012 ; Keirl, 2006 ; Kelley & Knowles, 2016 ; Li et al., 2019 ). To help students enhance their achievements in STEM learning, teachers and educators should create appropriate instructional and social learning contexts and develop strategies that positively influence student learning. For this purpose, understanding factors that influence student STEM learning is imperative.

Social, motivational, and instructional factors greatly influence students’ achievements in STEM learning and their future careers. (Ketenci et al., 2020 ; Nugent et al., 2015 ; Wilson et al., 2015 ; Zeldin et al., 2008 ). Prior studies found that students’ academic achievements can be impacted by domain-specific self-efficacy, attitudes, and motivation (Pajares & Graham, 1999 ; Simon et al., 2014 ; Wiebe et al., 2018 ; Witt-Rose, 2003 ). However, although many studies have investigated the relationships between students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and learning outcomes, few studies were reported on the multiple factors influencing student learning in STEM. In addition, studies in this area typically have been conducted on a single STEM discipline, especially science and mathematics (Wiebe et al., 2018 ). Furthermore, research on how self-efficacy and outcome expectancy of both teachers and students collectively affect student learning outcomes is limited. Therefore, the current study examined multiple factors influencing student STEM learning, which include teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, student STEM attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs), 21st century skills, and STEM career awareness.

We used expectancy-value theory as a framework to hypothesize the path model. Findings will show the direct and indirect effects of multiple factors on student achievement in the integrated STEM teaching and learning context.

Theoretical framework

The current study is guided by expectancy-value theory (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002 ). Expectancy-value theory has been widely used to explain student performance (Berland & Steingut, 2016 ; Jackson et al., 2019 ; Jones et al., 2010 ). According to Eccles and Wigfield ( 2002 ), “expectancies refer to beliefs about how one will do on different tasks or activities, and values have to do with incentives or reasons for doing the activity” (p. 110). These expectancies and values are related to individual’s achievement, persistence, and choices in academic tasks (Atkinson, 1964 ; Eccles & Wigfield, 2002 ). Therefore, people who have strong beliefs about their competencies of success and efficacy tend to perform better and work on more challenging tasks (Bandura, 1994 ; Eccles & Wigfield, 2002 ).

Wiebe et al. ( 2018 ) stated that “expectancy-value theory helps frame both self-efficacy in terms of expectancies of success in a particular academic domain and outcome expectancy in terms of the value of this academic subject area to future goals” (p. 2). Bandura differentiated between efficacy expectation ( beliefs about what they can do ) and outcome expectation ( beliefs about the likely outcomes of performance ) and noted that both expectations are closely linked to academic outcomes (Trautwein et al., 2012 ). Previous research also revealed a significant relationship between expectancy-value beliefs and academic achievements (Bradley et al., 1999 ; Caraway et al., 2003 ; Nugent et al., 2015; Pajares & Miller, 1994 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ; Wood & Locke, 1987 ; Zimmerman et al., 1992 ). Moreover, many studies found “a dynamic, reciprocal nature of self-efficacy, expectancy outcomes, and academic career goals” (Wiebe et al., 2018 , p. 2). Specifically, Wiebe et al. ( 2018 ) examined the relationships between student attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs) toward all core STEM subjects and their interests in future STEM careers using the S-STEM survey (Unfried et al., 2015) and found that student attitudes (expectancy-value beliefs) and their career interests are positively associated.

Teacher self-efficacy also has been emphasized as a strong predictor of student outcome and academic achievement (Nadelson et al., 2012 ; Ross, 1992 ; Tschannen-Moran & Barr, 2004 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ). Teachers' beliefs in their abilities to teach and motivate influence “the types of learning environments they create and the level of academic progress their students achieve” (Bandura, 1993 , p. 117), which in turn, significantly influence student STEM interests in future STEM careers (Autenrieth et al., 2018 ; Brophy et al., 2008 ; Kelley et al., 2020 ).

Based on expectancy-value theory and previous research findings, the present study created a hypothesized path model that displays the influence of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy on student STEM attitudes, 21 st century skills, STEM career awareness, and STEM knowledge achievement. The results will show the relationship between these factors and the effects of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy on student learning in integrated STEM.

Literature review

Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy.

Teachers’ self-efficacy can be defined as “teachers’ personal beliefs in their abilities to positively affect students for educational attainments” (Yoon et al., 2012 , p. 26). Prior studies provided empirical evidence that teachers’ beliefs in their teaching efficacy and successful outcome influence students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and performance (Cannon & Scharmann, 1996 ; Ross et al., 2001 ; Rutherford et al., 2017 ). Specifically, research on the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student outcome in science learning (Bal-Taştan et al., 2018 ; Salgado et al., 2018 ) and mathematics learning (Borko & Whitcomb, 2008 ; Gulistan & Hussain, 2017 ; Perera & John, 2020 ) revealed that teachers’ self-efficacy and expectations significantly impact students’ academic achievement. According to researchers, teacher self-efficacy for successful teaching relates to content knowledge, quality pedagogy, and teaching strategies considerably (Knowles, 2017 , p. 25; Rutherford et al., 2017 ; Stohlmann et al., 2012 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ).

Students’ confidence in their abilities and perceptions of subjective values are also critical factors that influence their performances (Akey, 2006 ; Wigfield & Eccles, 2000 ). Many studies proved the positive association between student self-efficacy and academic success (Henson, 2001 ; Pajares, 1996 ; Reyes, 2010 ). Studies also found that student self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs significantly impact their career development and career choices (Ketenci et al., 2020 ; Lent et al., 2010 ; Zeldin et al., 2008 ). Unfried et al. ( 2015 ) used the term attitudes to indicate both self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs. They noted that students’ attitudes toward STEM content, as well as their interests in STEM careers and their 21 st century skills, can predict student participation in STEM-related careers. The present study also uses the term attitudes to indicate student self-efficacy in learning STEM content and their expectancy-value beliefs (Unfried et al., 2015 ; Wiebe et al., 2018 ).

21 st century skills

Increasing 21 st century skills through STEM education has been focused among educators (Bybee, 2010 ; Jang, 2016 ; Li et al., 2019 ). 21 st century skills, which include critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication, are necessary skills in the future (International Technology and Engineering Educators Association [ITEEA], 2020 ; Partnership for 21st Century Skills [P21] n.d.). Li et al. ( 2019 ) posited that students can develop thinking skills in a new way in STEM education and that these new thinking skills are connected to 21 st century skills.

21 st century skills range from individual skills to workforce and social skills, which include skills in life and career, media and information, technology, and so on. (Kelley et al., 2019 ). Specifically, National Academy of Engineering (NAE and NRC, 2009 ) proposed engineering habits of mind as essential skills in the 21 st century, which include systems thinking, creativity, optimism, collaboration, communication, and attention to ethical considerations. Similarly, ITEEA ( 2020 ) proposed eight technology and engineering practices adopted from 21st century skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills [P21], n.d. ) and engineering habits of mind, which include: 1) Systems thinking; 2) Creativity; 3) Making and Doing; 4) Critical thinking; 5) Optimism; 6) Collaboration; 7) Communication; 8) Attention to Ethics.

Contemporary educational standards indicate that students can enhance 21 st century skills and develop confidence through the integration of STEM subjects in project-based instruction. Accordingly, teachers are required to integrate science and engineering practices in their classrooms explicitly for the students to practice real-world problem-solving and increase 21 st century skills (Kelley et al., 2020 ; NGSS Lead States, 2013 ; NRC, 2012 ).

STEM career awareness

The term career awareness implies “one's own talents and interests or understanding the opportunities and requirements of various career fields” (Braverman et al., 2002 , p. 55). There have been growing efforts to advance STEM education to increase students’ awareness of STEM careers as our society demands a competent STEM workforce (Kier et al., 2014 ; NGSS Lead States, 2013 ). Researchers claim that experiences of STEM practice through STEM education increase students’ interests in STEM-related careers and prepare them for future STEM job opportunities (Li et al., 2019 ; Zuo et al., 2020 ). Especially, as secondary school years are a critical period for students to decide their future careers, high school STEM teachers need to foster students’ STEM career awareness and job interest (Cohen et al., 2013 ).

STEM career-related instruction facilitates students’ interests in STEM learning and helps them be engaged in their learning activities (Salonen et al., 2018 ). To increase STEM career awareness, teachers are recommended to incorporate teaching strategies that students can research and solve real-world problems as scientists and engineers do. In doing so, students can enhance their understanding of the role of STEM in our society (Cohen et al., 2013 ; NGSS Lead States, 2013 ). Particularly, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) present eight science and engineering practices, where students can experience what professional scientists and engineers do. The major practices of science and engineering suggested by the NGSS include: (1) Asking questions and defining problems; (2) Developing and using models; (3) Planning and carrying out investigations; (4) Analyzing and interpreting data; (5) Using mathematics and computational thinking; (6) Constructing explanations and designing solutions; (7) Engaging in argument from evidence; (8) Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (NGSS Lead States, 2013 ). By engaging in these science and engineering practices, students can acquire skills and knowledge needed for postsecondary careers, including the STEM field (NGSS Lead States, 2013 ).

The present study

The primary goal of the present study is to identify the factors influencing student STEM learning and determine if teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs affect student attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs) and academic achievements in integrated STEM. A hypothesized path model was developed based on expectancy-value theory and previous research findings (see Fig. 1 ). The study was guided by two research questions:

Are teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, student STEM attitudes, 21 st century skills, and STEM career awareness positively associated with student STEM knowledge achievement?

Are there any direct and indirect effects of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy on students’ STEM attitudes, 21 st century skills, and STEM career awareness?

Conceptual model representing the influence of teacher self-efficacy and outcome-expectancy on students’ learning in STEM

Context of the study

The present study was conducted within an integrated STEM project named Teachers and Researchers Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM (TRAILS) . TRAILS was a three-year-long project funded by the National Science Foundation (Award #DRL-1513248). Researchers, educators, and industry partners cooperated to develop an integrated STEM project and supported high school STEM teachers and their students through a community of practice during the 2016–2019 school years.

The TRAILS project consisted of three cohorts: Cohort 1 was the 2016–2017 school year, Cohort 2 was the 2017–2018 school year, and Cohort 3 was the 2018–2019 school year. Cohort 1–3 high school science teachers and engineering and technology education (ETE) teachers experienced the process of integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into authentic contexts through TRAILS professional development. The participating teachers were selected among the applicants following the criteria: (1) The teachers are required to be high school biology or physics teachers or engineering and technology education (ETE) teachers; (2) The teachers are required to be able to participate in the summer professional development (PD).

A total of 30 STEM teachers (15 science teachers, 15 ETE teachers) were participated in the summer professional development (PD) for two weeks during summer vacation. During the PD, teachers were introduced to an exemplar lesson developed by the research team and learned the lesson from the student’s standpoint. The exemplar lesson, which was named Designing Bugs and Innovative Technology (D-BAIT) , employed biomimicry concepts for designing the fishing lure that mimics the functions of aquatic insects. The teachers also cogenerated their own integrated lessons as a science and engineering technology teacher pair. During the following year, the teachers taught both exemplar lesson D-BAIT and the custom lesson each teacher pair developed in their classrooms.

The D-BAIT unit consists of 10–12 sessions including: (1) entomology introductory lesson; (2) entomology field observation and collection of aquatic insects specimens; (3) analysis of the observed data using scientific inquiry and research on aquatic entomology taxonomy and food webs; (4) introduction to design and engineering design process; (5) introduction to CAD software and 3D printing; (6) design of a fishing lure using the biomimicry concept and mathematical modeling of a prototype (buoyancy concept); (7) testing and redesigning the prototype; and 8) evaluation of prototype lures (Han et al., 2020 , p. 27).

Data collection

The teachers completed the T-STEM survey, which consists of seven subscales including teaching self-efficacy toward educating STEM content and outcome expectancy , before and after the summer professional development. The survey scores of teachers increased after the summer PD (Kelley et al., 2020 ), and with the increased teaching efficacy and expectancy beliefs, they taught students during the following school year. Therefore, to see how teacher efficacy and expectancy affect student learning, we used the posttest scores (teacher scores at the point in time of teaching their students) from the T-STEM survey.

Student data were collected from high school science and ETE (engineering and technology education) students in the state of Indiana, who were enrolled in the 2016–2019 school years and experienced integrated STEM lessons from the TRAILS teachers. Students also took the S-STEM survey, which was developed to measure students’ attitudes toward STEM, 21 st century skills, and STEM career interest, and the D-BAIT STEM knowledge test two times respectively before and after they experienced integrated STEM lessons. As the S-STEM post-survey scores and the D-BAIT STEM knowledge posttest scores reflect student scores after they learned the D-BAIT lesson, these scores were used as student scores for the analysis.

All the surveys were done through the Qualtrics online survey system, and the Institutional Research Board (IRB) approval was obtained in advance.

Final data from the students, who submitted the IRB consent forms from both parents and themselves, are shown in Table 1 .

For the current study, a total of 507 data, which do not include missing data, were used for the analysis.

S-STEM survey

Friday Institute for Educational Innovation ( 2012b ) developed Student Attitudes toward STEM (S-STEM) survey for Elementary level and Middle/High School level. The present study used the S-STEM survey for Middle/High School Student level to measure high school students’ STEM attitudes. The S-STEM survey contains six survey sections. The first three sections ask the students about their attitudes toward math, science, engineering and technology, respectively. The fourth section measures students’ 21st century skills (21 st century learning confidence). The items in the next section ask students about their interests in STEM jobs and their attitudes toward 12 different STEM career areas. The survey items in the first four subscales ask respondents to report their levels of agreement on a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. For the items in the fifth subscale, students are asked to rate on a four-point Likert-type scale with 1 being “Not at all interested,” 2 “Not so interested,” 3 “Interested,” and 4 being “Very interested”. While developing the S-STEM survey, Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure internal-consistency reliability for each of the subconstructs. The first four constructs (math attitudes, science attitudes, engineering and technology attitudes, and 21 st century skills) satisfied sufficient levels of reliability, 0.83–0.92, for both Elementary level and secondary level surveys (Unfried et al., 2015 ). Cronbach’s alpha for the fifth subscale, interests in STEM jobs, was not reported (Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, 2012b ). The items in the sixth survey section were not used for the present study. Table 2 summarizes the S-STEM survey.

STEM knowledge test

To measure the STEM knowledge of the students, the D-BAIT knowledge assessment was used. The D-BAIT knowledge test was developed by the TRAILS research team to evaluate students’ STEM knowledge before and after D-BAIT . The D-BAIT knowledge test consists of 20 items within three subject domains: engineering design, physics, and biology. The full score of the STEM knowledge test was 20.

The initial D-BAIT STEM knowledge test was drafted by a panel of six members including an entomology professor, a biology education professor, an engineering technology teacher educator, a two-year technical college faculty, an entomology major graduate student, and a technology major graduate student. The content and face validity of the instrument were checked by two high school biology and engineering technology teachers, who had more than 15 years of teaching experience. Then the instrument was pilot tested with 429 high school students from 18 STEM classrooms. With the results, item analysis was conducted, and the final version of the D-BAIT knowledge test with 20 items was obtained after four items were removed (see Appendix ). After removing four items, the overall Cronbach’s Alpha score of the final version of D-BAIT STEM knowledge test was over .70. The reliability score was also calculated using the adjusted Spearman-Brown prophecy formula (Brown, 1910 ; Spearman, 1910 ), and the score was 0.876.

T-STEM survey

For the measures of teacher self-efficacy and teaching outcome expectancy, the T-STEM Survey for technology (ETE) and science teachers was used (The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, 2012a ). According to the survey developer, they adopted the existing survey, Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) (Enochs & Riggs, 1990 ), for the Personal Teaching Efficacy and Beliefs (PTEB) construct and the Teaching Outcome Expectancy Beliefs (TOEB) construct. The T-STEM Survey consists of 7 subscales including: (1) teaching self-efficacy toward teaching STEM content (PTEB); (2) teacher’s expectancy on student learning outcome through effective teaching (TOEB); (3) technology use by students; (4) use of STEM instructional practices, (5) teacher attitudes toward 21 st century skills; (6) Teacher leadership attitudes; and (7) STEM career awareness (see Table 3 ).

For the construct reliability, developers calculated Cronbach’s alpha. For the science domain, Cronbach’s alpha for teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy were reported to be .908 and .814, respectively. However, the technology domain Cronbach alpha scores for both self-efficacy and outcome expectancy were not reported (Friday Institute for Educational Innovation T-STEM Survey, 2012a ). Therefore, we calculated Cronbach’s alpha for technology domains with our data, and the results were the following: technology teacher teaching efficacy = .915, technology teacher outcome expectancy = .800.

The survey items used a Likert-type scale with 1 being “Strongly Disagree,” 2 “Disagree,” 3 “Neither Agree Nor Disagree,” 4 “Disagree,” and 5 being “Strong Agree” (The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, 2012a ). Table 3 demonstrates the summary of the T-STEM Survey.

Data analysis process

The first subscale, Teacher Self-efficacy , in the T-STEM survey consists of 11 Likert-style items, and the second subscale, Teaching Outcome Expectancy Beliefs , consists of 9 Likert-style items. All items ranged from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree) points. The S-STEM survey for students consists of 49 Likert-style items with five subconstructs: math attitudes, science attitudes, engineering and technology attitudes, 21 st century skills, and STEM career awareness of their future. Each item’s score in the first four subconstructs ranged from 1(Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). The items in the fifth subconstruct (career awareness) ranged from 1 (Not at all Interest) to 4 (Very Interest) points (The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, 2012b ).

For each teacher’s T-STEM score and student’s S-STEM survey subscale scores, the researchers added the values across the questions for each respondent and treated the summed score as each individual’s score. As the context of the present study was integrated STEM, and the students experienced integrated STEM teaching and learning, score sums of math attitudes, science attitudes, and technology attitudes in the S-STEM survey were combined to be used as student STEM attitudes score. Each student’s ratings on the 21 st century skills items and career awareness items - subscales in the S-STEM survey- were summed to be used as student 21 st century skills score and STEM career awareness score, respectively. Each teacher’s ratings on the self-efficacy questionnaire, the first subconstruct in the T-STEM survey, and Teaching Outcome Expectancy Beliefs, the second subconstruct in the T-STEM survey, were also summed to be used as teacher scores (Teacher Self-efficacy & Outcome Expectancy).

Some scores (responses to the negative statements) were reversed in advance, and teacher scores were matched to their students. Table 4 shows all the variables and the full scores.

Data analysis method

Path analysis is known to be a useful method for identifying relationships among a set of variables as the structural model (path diagram) depicts a visual representation of relationships among variables. The procedure produces direct, indirect, and total effects represented by standardized coefficients. (Callaghan et al., 2018 ; Stage et al., 2004 ). We used the SPSS AMOS 26 software to test the hypothesized path model to investigate causal relationships between factors that could affect student learning in STEM. The path model was developed based on expectancy-value theory and previous research.

Table 5 shows the descriptive statistics of the data, and Table 6 displays correlations between the variables. Fig. 2 depicts the relationships among the factors that affect student knowledge achievement directly and indirectly in integrated STEM learning.

Path model of integrated STEM learning.

The test of the path model showed that the model was overall acceptable: χ2 (1) = 23.225, p < .001 ; Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .940; Incremental Fit Index (IFI) = .942 ; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .70; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = .115.

As Fig. 2 illustrates, teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy directly and indirectly affects student STEM knowledge achievement. The standardized direct effect of teacher self-efficacy on student STEM knowledge was .159 ( p < .001). The standardized indirect effect of teacher self-efficacy and teacher outcome expectancy on student STEM knowledge achievement was .035 ( p = .009) and .044 ( p = .002), respectively. Additionally, student STEM attitudes showed direct effects on student knowledge achievement ( B = .279, p < .001) while student 21 st century skills ( B = .093, p = .002) and STEM career awareness ( B = .125, p = .003) influenced STEM knowledge achievement indirectly when mediated by STEM attitudes. All significant direct and indirect effects were indicated in Table 7 .

Note: Standardized estimates. Solid line path coefficients are significant at p < .05 while the dotted line path coefficients are nonsignificant

The study investigated how multiple factors of both students and teachers influence students’ STEM learning with the two guiding questions as the following.

Are teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, student STEM attitudes, 21st century skills, and STEM career awareness positively associated with student STEM knowledge achievement?

Are there any direct and indirect effects of teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy on students’ STEM attitudes, 21st century skills, and STEM career awareness?

For the first research question, the results reveal significant direct effects of teacher self-efficacy on students’ STEM knowledge achievement ( B = .159, p < .001). Student STEM attitudes also significantly influenced student STEM knowledge achievement ( B = .279, p < .001). Even though no significant direct effects of teacher outcome expectancy on student STEM knowledge achievement were found, it indirectly influenced student achievement by affecting their STEM attitudes. Additionally, indirect effects of 21st century skills (.093) and STEM career awareness (.125) on STEM knowledge achievement were found to be significant when mediated by STEM attitudes.

For the second research question, teacher outcome expectancy show significant direct effect on student STEM attitudes ( B = .145, p < .001). Teacher self-efficacy show significant direct effect on student STEM career awareness ( B = .128, p < .001) and indirect effect on STEM attitudes (.056). Both teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy did not show significant effects on student 21 st century skills.

The findings of this study indicate that self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs are critical for both teachers and students in teaching and learning integrated STEM. The standardized path diagram depicts the collective effects of teacher factors and student factors on student STEM attitudes and knowledge achievement (See Fig. 2 and Table 7 ).

Aiming to identity the factors that influence students’ learning in STEM, the current study investigated the relationships among teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, student STEM attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs), 21 st century skills, and STEM career awareness in an integrated STEM education context. According to the findings, the current study reinforces previous literature that teachers’ self-efficacy and expectancy beliefs are critical factors for enhancing students’ attitudes and performance, which sheds light on the importance of the teachers’ roles in student learning.

Integrating different subjects into one project is a relatively new way of teaching and learning. Consequently, the effect of teachers self-efficacy and student attitudes (self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs) on students’ achievement in an integrated STEM context was not researched as much as that of in general classrooms. The findings of the current study are consistent with the previous literature, which found that teachers’ beliefs in their teaching efficacy and success are strong predictors of students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and academic performance (Cannon & Scharmann, 1996 ; Muijs & Reynolds, 2015 ; Podell & Soodak, 1993 ; Ross, 1992 ; Ross et al., 2001 ; Rutherford et al., 2017 ; Shahzad & Naureen, 2017 ; Tschannen-Moran & Barr, 2004 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ). This result indicates the significance of educating teachers since teacher self-efficacy for successful teaching relates to content knowledge, quality pedagogy, and teaching strategies considerably (Knowles, 2017 , p. 25; Rutherford et al., 2017 ; Stohlmann et al., 2012 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ). Through professional development, teachers can construct a community of practice, where they could enhance knowledge, instructional skills, and pedagogical approaches (Kelley et al., 2020 ; Knowles et al., 2018 ).

Additionally, the present study draws attention to the importance of affective domains in STEM education (ITEEA, 2020 ; NGSS Lead States, 2013 ). Affective domain includes attitudes, interest, motivation, social skills, and so on, and researchers and instructional developers have been claimed to include affective domain in curriculum and instruction. However, the way of placing an affective domain within a curriculum can be different depending on the context, and many teachers lack attention to an affective domain (Hansen, 2009 ; Reigeluth, 1999 ). Therefore, teacher training programs that prepare teachers to teach students affective skills are recommended. For example, project-based instructions help students develop social and interpersonal skills (Hansen, 2009 ; Li et al., 2019 ). By learning how to incorporate project-based instruction in their teaching, teachers can enhance students’ attitudes, self-efficacy beliefs, and motivation to learn (Abdullah et al., 2010 ; Markham, 2011 ; Mataka & Kowalske, 2015 ),

To teach integrated STEM, further research is needed to develop instructional strategies which are “focusing teaching and learning across all three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor” (ITEEA, 2020 , p. 4; Griffith & Nguyen, 2006 ). Since integrated STEM education involves complex teaching strategies and requires insights into students’ educational and psychological needs, which are different from general education, further discussions based on more empirical research are required.

Implication

The current study provides some theoretical and practical implications. First, the present study contributes to the research in expectancy-value theory framework with empirical evidence. Consistent with previous studies, the current study demonstrates that self-efficacy and outcome expectancy of both teachers and students are significant predictors of student STEM knowledge achievement as a direct factor or a mediator (Bradley et al., 1999 ; Caraway et al., 2003 ; Nadelson et al., 2012 ; Nugentet et al., 2015; Ross, 1992 ; Tschannen-Moran & Barr, 2004 ; Pajares & Miller, 1994 ; Yoon et al., 2012 ; Wood & Locke, 1987 ; Zimmerman et al., 1992 ). As noted earlier, teachers’ self-efficacy and beliefs can influence the successful outcome of students’ performance (Bal-Taştan et al., 2018 ; Borko & Whitcomb, 2008 ; Gulistan & Hussain, 2017 ; Perera & John, 2020 ; Salgado et al., 2018 ), and students with strong competencies of success and efficacy beliefs tend to perform more challenging tasks and succeed more frequently (Bandura, 1994 ; Eccles & Wigfield, 2002 ). This finding confirms expectancy-value theory that expectations and task-value beliefs are linked to the achievement-related choice and performance of individuals (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002 ).

Second, this study indicates that students’ STEM knowledge achievement is influenced not only by a single factor but also by multiple factors of both teachers and students. Although many studies have investigated the relationships between students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and learning outcomes, few studies were reported on the multiple factors influencing student learning in STEM (Wiebe et al., 2018 ). Therefore, this study may provide implications by adding empirical evidence to the prior research. Specifically, as the path model illustrates, teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy are linked to student achievement directly or indirectly through student career interests and attitudes. Moreover, students’ 21 st century learning confidence and interests in future STEM careers significantly influenced their attitudes toward STEM, which in turn affected their academic achievement in STEM. Even though no significant direct effects of students’ STEM career awareness and 21 st century skills on their STEM knowledge achievement were found, indirect effects of STEM career awareness and 21 st century skills mediated by STEM attitudes (student self-efficacy and outcome expectancy) were detected. These results imply that multiple factors interplay and finally affect student STEM knowledge achievement collectively.

Finally, the present study focused on all core STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As prior studies of the relationship between motivation and achievement have been conducted mostly on science or mathematics alone, the present study addresses the gap in this area by using the S-STEM survey focusing on student attitudes (expectancy-value beliefs) toward all STEM subjects (Wiebe et al., 2018 ).

This study has some limitations. Although construct validities of the instruments were confirmed, the respondents’ honesty, which is required for self-report surveys, cannot be verified. Additionally, as the current study investigated the relationships between the factors of both teachers and students, teacher career awareness and 21 st confidence may also need to be considered to draw conclusions that better discuss the findings. Finally, the variables of student STEM attitudes include both self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs while teacher variables include teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy separately. Following the instrument developers and previous studies, we used STEM attitudes , which indicate “a composite of both self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs” (Unfried et al., 2015 , p. 23; Wiebe et al., 2018). This may not fully explain the effect of each specific factor, self-efficacy and expectancy-value beliefs.

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Han, J., Kelley, T. & Knowles, J.G. Factors Influencing Student STEM Learning: Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy, 21 st Century Skills, and Career Awareness. Journal for STEM Educ Res 4 , 117–137 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41979-021-00053-3

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Students’ perceptions of STEM learning after participating in a summer informal learning experience

Thomas Roberts ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9521-5877 1 ,
Christa Jackson 2 ,
Margaret J. Mohr-Schroeder 3 ,
Sarah B. Bush 4 ,
Cathrine Maiorca 5 ,
Maureen Cavalcanti 6 ,
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Informal learning environments increase students’ interest in STEM (e.g., Mohr‐Schroeder et al. School Sci Math 114: 291–301, 2014) and increase the chances a student will pursue a STEM career (Kitchen et al. Sci Educ 102: 529–547, 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an informal STEM summer learning experience on student participants, to gain in-depth perspectives about how they felt this experience prepared them for their in-school mathematics and science classes as well as how it influenced their perception of STEM learning. Students’ attitudes and perceptions toward STEM are affected by their motivation, experience, and self-efficacy (Brown et al. J STEM Educ Innov Res 17: 27, 2016). The academic and social experiences students’ have are also important. Traditionally, formal learning is taught in a solitary form (Martin Science Education 88: S71–S82, 2004), while, informal learning is brimming with chances to connect and intermingle with peers (Denson et al. J STEM Educ: Innovations and Research 16: 11, 2015).

We used a naturalistic inquiry, phenomenological approach to examine students’ perceptions of STEM while participating in a summer informal learning experience. Data came from students at the summer informal STEM learning experiences at three diverse institutions across the USA. Data were collected from reflection forms and interviews which were designed to explore students’ “lived experiences” (Van Manen 1990 , p. 9) and how those experiences influenced their STEM learning. As we used a situative lens to examine the research question of how participation in an informal learning environment influences students’ perceptions of STEM learning, three prominent themes emerged from the data. The informal learning environment (a) provided context and purpose to formal learning, (b) provided students opportunity and access, and (c) extended STEM content learning and student engagement.

Conclusions

By using authentic STEM workplaces, the STEM summer learning experience fostered a learning environment that extended and deepened STEM content learning while providing opportunity and access to content, settings, and materials that most middle level students otherwise would not have access to. Students also acknowledged the access they received to hands-on activities in authentic STEM settings and the opportunities they received to interact with STEM professionals were important components of the summer informal learning experience.

In the United States, we currently face a shortage of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and graduates (National Science Board 2016 ; The Committee on STEM Education National Science and Technology Council 2013 ) while at the same time STEM occupations are expected to grow (Langdon et al. 2011 ; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018 ). This two-fold issue necessitates STEM education in the U.S. becomes and remains a priority. According to the National Research Council ( 2011 ), this priority must include broadening women’s and minorities’ participation in STEM and increasing STEM literacy for all students, regardless of whether they plan to pursue a STEM major or career. Informal learning environments have been shown to increase students’ interest in STEM (e.g., Mohr-Schroeder et al. 2014 ) and have been shown to increase the chances a student will pursue a STEM career (Kitchen et al. 2018 ; Kong et al. 2014 ).

Researchers identify interest and motivation as important components in inspiring students to pursue STEM learning because it contributes to students’ learning and success in retaining STEM content (Bell et al. 2009 ). In response to President Barack Obama’s Call to Action (The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST 2010 ), states, school districts, and individual schools, as well as researchers in the United States (U.S.) have increased their focus on improving students’ motivation and interest in STEM, particularly at the middle school level. According to Brown et al. ( 2016 ), the educational deficit in STEM areas has led to a workforce gap in many STEM professions. Informal learning environments can support student STEM knowledge and skills (e.g., Denson et al. 2015 ), positively impact student interest in STEM (e.g., Denson et al. 2015 ; Mohr-Schroeder et al. 2014 ), and increase the likelihood to pursue a STEM career while attending college (Kitchen et al. 2018 ; Kong et al. 2014 ).

Targeting elementary and middle school students for STEM

Studies have shown that students who have an increased interest in science, mathematics, and engineering in the early years of their education are more likely to pursue that interest resulting in a STEM-related career (After-School Alliance 2015 ). Unfortunately, before the eighth grade, many students have concluded that the STEM subjects are too challenging, boring, and/or uninteresting (PCAST 2010 ), which limits their participation in STEM subjects and activities. Research has shown the importance of motivating students to learn STEM content in the elementary and middle grades. “Students who express interest in STEM in eighth grade are up to three times more likely to ultimately pursue STEM degrees later in life than students who do not express such an interest” (PCAST 2010 , p. 19). Research has shown that students’ learning is delayed during summer breaks (McCombs et al. 2011 ), and students from low-socioeconomic households have more knowledge loss during summer months due to their lack of access to summer learning. Furthermore, summer learning deficits are accumulated and by ninth grade, two-thirds of the receivement gap (Chambers 2009 ) among low socioeconomic students can be attributed to unequal access to summer learning experiences (Alexander et al. 2007 ; McCombs et al. 2011 ). Therefore, it is imperative to prepare and inspire each and every student, specifically students of color, females, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, to learn STEM (PCAST 2010 ).

Informal learning experiences

Informal STEM learning experiences have the potential to support students’ learning and engagement in a formal STEM learning environment. Informal STEM learning experiences address the limitations of the formal school experience by providing opportunities (Bell et al. 2009 ; Meyers et al. 2013 , Popovic and Lederman 2015 ) that build students’ awareness of and interest in the STEM fields. Students who struggle in the formal and more traditional STEM courses tend to be more interested and motivated in STEM when it is presented in a more engaging, hands-on way. Informal STEM learning environments are naturally composed in a way to promote learning through real-world modeling and examples (Martin 2004 ; Meredith 2010 ; Popovic and Lederman 2015 ). Informal STEM learning environments also help students understand concepts and their ability to recall information (Allsopp et al. 2007 ; Popovic and Lederman 2015 ). Participation in short-term STEM summer experiences (Bell et al. 2009 ; Kitchen et al. 2018 ; King 2017 ; Mohr-Schroeder et al. 2014 ) or other long-term informal STEM programs (After-School Alliance 2011 ; Baran et al. 2016 ; Barker et al. 2014 ; Klanderman et al. 2013 ; Massey and Lewis 2011 ) have been shown to increase students’ interest in STEM.

Factors that influence students’ perceptions of STEM

Students’ attitudes and perceptions toward STEM are affected by their motivation, experience, and self-efficacy (Brown et al. 2016 ; Turner and Patrick 2004 ; Weinberg et al. 2011 ). Brown et al. ( 2016 ) studied the relationships between STEM curriculum and students’ attitudes and found student interest played a more important role in intention to persist in STEM when compared with self-efficacy. These discrepancies may be remedied by exposing students to a greater longevity of experience with activities which foster self-determination and interest-led, inquiry-based projects (Boekaerts 1997 ; Honey et al. 2014 ; Moote et al. 2013 ).

The academic and social experiences students’ have are also important. More specifically, middle level students are especially impacted by peers because:

During adolescence, students are often reluctant to do anything that causes them to stand out from the group, and many middle-grades students are self-conscious and hesitant to expose their thinking to others. Peer pressure is powerful, and a desire to fit in is paramount. (NCTM, 2000 , p. 268)

Traditionally, formal learning is taught in a solitary form (Martin 2004 ), while informal learning is brimming with chances to connect and intermingle with peers (Barker et al. 2014 ; Denson et al. 2015 ; Klanderman et al. 2013 ).

Many educators approach work with students through a problem-solving framework to develop positive STEM perceptions. The STEM Task Force Report ( 2014 ) argued for the use of problem-solving and project-based frameworks because of their use of “real-world issues [which] can enhance motivation for learning and improve student interest, achievement, and persistence” (p. 9). Important to the positive STEM perception development of underrepresented students in STEM are opportunities to participate in authentic STEM learning experiences. For these reasons, a need exists for informal learning environments, such as the See Blue See STEM model , to provide students with meaningful exposure to a STEM community in which to participate, practice, and belong (O'Connell et al. 2017 ).

Our work directly aligns to the priorities outlined by the National Research Council as we provide informal STEM learning opportunities to elementary and middle school students—focusing on students from underrepresented populations in STEM (i.e., Black, Latinx, Native American, and females). We believe in STEM literacy for each and every student is feasible and can be supported by access and opportunities to authentic learning experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of an informal STEM summer learning experience on student participants, to gain in-depth perspectives about how students perceived this experience prepared them for their in-school mathematics and science classes as well as how it influenced their perception of STEM learning. The research question for this study was: How does participating in an informal learning environment influence middle level students’ perceptions of STEM learning?

Theoretical framework

To examine how participation in an informal learning environment influences students’ perceptions of STEM learning, we used situated learning theory. Situated learning and related theoretical perspectives (i.e., cognitive apprenticeship) have been utilized in investigating the connections between informal learning and STEM education (e.g., Larkins et al. 2013 ). More generally, situated learning has been used to study learning and attitudes toward STEM (e.g., Guzey et al. 2016 ). Applied to perceptions of STEM learning, such a theoretical lens allows the experiences of students to be explored in the context of the authentic activity where students experience STEM learning.

Central to the situated perspective is how interactions between learner and environment (Brown et al. 1989 ; Kirshner and Whitson 1997 ; Lave 1991 ; Lave and Wenger 1991 ), mediated by social interactions create opportunities for learners to acquire knowledge. The learning that occurs arises from legitimate peripheral participation (Lave 1991 ; Lave and Wenger 1991 ) in authentic activity (Brown et al. 1989 ). Through opportunities to acquire and apply knowledge and practice skills, learners develop deeper understandings (Brown et al. 1989 ) from the meaningful context in which those opportunities exist (Luehmann 2009 ; Sullivan 2008 ). The community is an essential element of the meaningful context and is a powerful vehicle for transforming perspectives and understandings (e.g., Johri and Olds 2011 ). Informal learning promotes access and opportunities to participate in authentic STEM learning, and therefore, influences perceptions (NRC 2009 ).

Situated STEM learning results from an integration of STEM content within a community practice where “learning is authentic and relevant, therefore representative of an experience found in actual STEM practice” (Kelley and Knowles 2016 , p. 4). The See Blue See STEM model is one such informal environment, with targeted efforts to reach student populations underrepresented in STEM and capitalize on the transformational potential of engaging students in hands-on interactive sessions with STEM professionals. The STEM teaching and learning summer experience mirrors that of the work of professionals in the field. Employing a situative perspective in this study provides a context for broadening understanding of how authentic experiences in an informal environment can transform students’ perceptions toward STEM learning across contexts.

We used a naturalistic inquiry, phenomenological approach to examine students’ perceptions of STEM while participating in a summer informal learning experience. Naturalistic inquiry, falling in the constructivist paradigm, allows for multiple realities to be created by the students (Lincoln and Guba 1985 ). The meanings students create are constructed by their participation in specific settings (Crotty 1998 ). The phenomenological approach allowed us to focus on the “lived experience” of student participants in an informal learning environment (Creswell 2014 ). Students’ participation in the informal learning environment allows for the meaning students place on their experiences to be investigated (Merriam 2009 ).

See blue see STEM summer informal learning experience model

The See Blue See STEM Summer Experience is a 1-week summer informal STEM learning experience for middle level students. Founded in 2010 in Kentucky, the See Blue See STEM model provides a variety of STEM content experiences for students to participate during the summer to spark their interest in STEM. The See Blue See STEM model’s goal is to expose middle level students, particularly underrepresented populations, to a variety of STEM fields and STEM professionals in their workplace environment through authentic, hands-on instruction to increase students’ interest in a STEM career. The See Blue See STEM model was named a Top 5 model for Broadening Participation at the 2015 EPSCoR National Conference (Mohr-Schroeder 2015 ), and was replicated at Iowa State University and California State University—Long Beach during Summer 2017.

Throughout the See Blue See STEM model, focus is given to ensure high-quality, authentic, hands-on sessions with STEM content faculty from Colleges of Engineering, Education, Arts and Sciences, Medicine, as well as STEM professionals and/or informal STEM learning partners. The selection of presenters, which varies from year-to-year, provides opportunities for students to engage in a variety of STEM fields in their authentic research environments. The eight mathematical practices (NGA Center for Best Practices and CCSSO 2010 ) and the eight science and engineering practices (NGSS Lead States 2013 ) are present throughout the sessions.

In the See Blue See STEM model, all students participate in robotics (e.g., Lego Mindstorm EV3, Vex) or EDISON, which provides an engaging and motivating platform for students to actively build, explore, investigate, inquire, and communicate together to develop their programming and problem-solving skills. Curriculum topics and content are different each year in order to allow repeating students to have exposure to a variety of STEM content. In addition, the students engage in different content sessions each day. Students engage in robotics or EDISON every day for 3 hours and content sessions the other 3 hours of the day (see Table 1 for a sample 2-day schedule). This model, similar to Kelley and Knowles’ ( 2016 ) approach to STEM, allows students to work in a community of practice that is situated in authentic contexts and facilitated by a STEM expert.

For example, California State University-Long Beach students completed the Follow the Flow Challenge with local engineers from a community partner organization. The local engineers from a community partner introduced engineering and described the career paths and college courses they took to become engineers. Then they introduced the challenge, Follow the Flow , where students designed and built “a water flow system to move beads through terraced layers” (Finio 2018 ). The engineers engaged with the students and supported them as they completed the engineering design process. As students designed, built, and tested their structures, the engineers fostered their thinking and allowed them to engage in both the Standards for Mathematical Practice (e.g., attend to precision) and NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (e.g., planning and carrying out investigations).

At the University of Kentucky, students modeled with 3-D pens. This session was facilitated by a professor of mathematics education, and the students used 3-D pens to create a variety of three-dimensional mathematical shapes (e.g., cube, dodecahedron, pyramid). Once students created and named the shapes, they were challenged to design structures that incorporated those shapes. The students designed, built, and improved their structures while attending to the mathematically important shapes they were using. This allowed them to engage in the engineering design process while also utilizing the SMPs (e.g., modeling with mathematics and using appropriate tools strategically) and the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (such as planning and carrying out investigations and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) in a community of practice.

These examples illustrate the pedagogical approach used within the See Blue See STEM model. The students engage in authentic activities that are facilitated by experts in the field. Students work in a community of practice to plan, create, and refine their ideas by using the engineering design process. Technological tools are used when appropriate, such as the 3-D pens to create structures. Mathematics and science content knowledge is applied, while the emphasis is placed on the practices of these domains. In other words, students are engaging in the processes that are important components of the disciplines.

Participants

In order to recruit students to attend the summer informal STEM learning experience, an informational flyer and website address is sent out via statewide listservs and to middle schools in the region where the summer experience is held. Although the summer experience is open to all students, the camp focuses on attracting underrepresented populations in STEM fields, especially females and students of color. We define underrepresented populations in STEM fields as female, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders (National Science Foundation 2017 ). The directors of the summer learning experiences work directly with family resource directors at each of the area high needs elementary and middle schools in order to identify and specially invite underrepresented students. These students are guaranteed a place in the camp, provided a scholarship based on financial need, and provided transportation, if needed, to and from camp.

The summer informal STEM learning experience was comprised of incoming 5th–8th graders at all three sites. According to students’ self-identified data, the one institution’s summer experience population between 2012 and 2017 was 39% females, 8% Black, 5% Asian, 1% Hispanic/Latinx, 75% White, 5% other (e.g., mixed race), 6% no response, and 43% from underrepresented populations in STEM. The second institution’s summer experience population in 2017 was 55% females, 36% Black, 6% Asian, 39% Hispanic/Latinx, 15% White, and 3% other (e.g., mixed race), and 91% from underrepresented populations in STEM. The summer experience population in 2017 at the third institution was 59% females, 76% Hispanic/Latinx, 12% Asian, 12% other (e.g., mixed race), and 94% from underrepresented populations in STEM.

Data collection

Data for this paper came from students at the summer informal STEM learning experiences at the three diverse institutions across the United States. Data were collected from reflection forms and interviews which were designed to explore students’ “lived experiences” (Van Manen 1990 , p. 9) and how those experiences influenced their STEM learning. During the last 2 days of the week of the summer informal learning experience, student participants, for which we had IRB consent and assent, participated in a semi-structured interview lasting approximately 5 min each. The interview protocol was refined by the authors year to year to better ascertain students’ experiences and perceptions (see Table 2 for the latest interview protocol). The interviews were conducted during the 2015, 2016, and 2017 summer informal STEM learning experiences. Over 40% of students were interviewed to gain an understanding of students’ perceptions of STEM, what they enjoyed most about the STEM learning experience, what was most challenging, and how the informal learning experience will help them in their STEM classes in a formal school setting. The interviews were audio recorded. The interviewer also took notes to conduct member checks during and at the end of the interview.

In addition, the student participants completed a session reflection form (Fig. 1 ) at the end of each STEM content session (i.e., once a day). The STEM content session reflection was a handwritten by the students and were given to the students during the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 summer informal STEM learning experiences. The purpose of the form was to collect students’ perceptions of the STEM content session, what the students learned, and provide feedback to the presenters. This data collection process occurred across all three sites. The final data set for this paper consisted of 320 qualitative artifacts. Of the 320 artifacts, 254 were unique interview transcripts from students across all 3 sites, with the majority (85%) coming from the founding site. Seventy-eight percent (197 of 254) of the students interviewed were from underrepresented populations in STEM. The remaining artifacts (66) were session reflections from across all 3 sites, with the majority (85%) coming from the founding site.

Daily reflection and feedback form the students completed after each session

Data analysis

All data were transcribed and a pseudonym was assigned to each participant. In order to create a reflection artifact, we took the transcribed session reflections from each unique participant in a content session offered in the summer informal learning experience and created one document with all participant reflections contained within it. For example, for the engineering design session at one university, all session reflections for that content session were combined together into one document to create a rich artifact that would help the authors draw out the “lived experience” of the students during that particular session.

We used an inductive approach to analyze the data, which incorporated systematic methods of managing data through reduction, organization, and connection (Dey 1993 ; LeCompte 2000 ). One member of the research team used initial coding to develop an early code list (Saldaña 2016 ). The initial coding primarily employed descriptive coding, “summarizing in a word or short phrase… the basic topic of a passage of qualitative data” (Saldaña 2016 , p. 102). During this first cycle coding process, the descriptions began to paint a picture of the students’ most salient perceptions related to their participation in the summer informal STEM learning experience.

We, then, used the preliminary codes to establish further codes, which were used to code an initial set of interview transcripts and reflections. The entire author team then met to review the list of codes and revise the codes as necessary. All disagreements were discussed until a consensus was reached. Once a consensus was reached on the codes, a subset of the researchers ( n = 4) coded the interviews and reflections using Dedoose (Dedoose Version 8.0.35 2018 ). Inter rater and intra rater reliability standards were set at 90% agreement. All four researchers exceeded the threshold of 90% agreement on both intra rater (ranged from 91 to 94%) and inter rater reliability (94.3%) which exceeded the minimum threshold of 90% needed for reliability analyses (James et al. 1993 ).

After the data were coded, four of the researchers conducted second cycle coding by pattern coding to appropriately group and label similarly coded data as a way to attribute meaning (Saldaña 2016 ). Pattern coding helped the researchers identify common themes, as well as divergent cases, looking across categories to see if there are underlying patterns to the responses (Delamont 1992 ). Once the initial themes were drafted, the entire research team reviewed the themes and supporting data to add clarity and content validity to the themes. During this review process, important questions were raised about the appropriateness of the themes and whether they were well supported. This process resulted in further identification of metathemes. All discrepancies were resolved during the final development of the overall themes.

Results and discussion

As we used a situative lens to examine the research question of how participation in an informal learning environment influences students’ perceptions of STEM learning, three prominent themes emerged from the data. The informal learning environment (a) provided context and purpose to formal learning, (b) provided students opportunity and access, and (c) extended STEM content learning and student engagement.

Context and purpose to formal learning

During the STEM summer learning experience, students programmed Lego robotics and completed several challenges. They were able to witness the applicability of STEM content. Jude explained, “I learned how to program and make robots, and I also learned how to use science and technology and math and engineering to build them” (Interview 2017). The students were at ease learning the STEM disciplines because they knew they were not learning the content in isolation. For example, Janae stated, “I learned a lot about mathematics. Like, the robotics. There’s a lot of logic in it, you know.” (Interview 2016). Luis further elaborated he had to “calculate how far it [the robot] is from the wall. And how far from the object… It [taught] me how to measure things more like without really thinking about it that much” (Interview 2016). The students recognized the importance of the STEM disciplines, and applied those skills to accomplish specific tasks during the robotics sessions.

Not only were the students able to apply STEM content to solve problems, they were able to see how what they were learning during the STEM summer learning experience was preparing them to be successful in the formal school setting. For example Kya explained,

I’m really interested in science and math, and so this place really helped me get ready for this year, this coming school year. I learned [many] things about science than I thought I would because almost every material is a polymer. I saw what smoking can do to your lungs and that is going to help me with health this year. Because my health teacher she like talks about how to stay healthy, what not to do, we have a conversation about drugs in the middle of the year. And so this is really going to help me. (Interview 2017)

Kya realized she would be able to take the knowledge she gained from camp and use it in her science and health classes. Similarly, James argued that one cannot do engineering without mathematics.

Engineering also focuses on math–like how if you measure a plane, if you measure the length or width of a plane, it shows… like the length and width, like base times height, length times width, stuff like that. And then you can do the math. Cuz [sic] in order to build a plane [you have] to do math, so it shows you different ways to do math problems while doing fun things. (Interview 2015)

It is important to note that students expressed they did not understand why they had to learn mathematics or science in school. To them, these subjects were disconnected from the real world, and they had to take the classes because that was what they were told they had to do in school. However, Erin articulated the importance of knowing the applicability of the discipline.

It’s helping me, and like showing me when I will need to use that math in real life problems, and it’s like helping me like understand why we need to learn math because I don’t like math very much. (Interview 2016)

The STEM summer learning experience provided a reason for students, like Erin, to learn subjects like mathematics in school, particularly for students who do not necessarily like the subject. Leslie agreed with Erin on how the camp provided meaning to the mathematics they were learning in school.

It's incorporating some of the math we've already learned into like STEM.It's giving us different ways to like apply the math that we will learn. So that we know why different equations or whatever what they’re for engineering would use some of the stuff like how to apply it into everyday life. So, it kind of gives meaning behind it. (Interview 2015)

The applicability of the activities completed during the STEM summer learning experience not only provided more context for the subjects students have in school, it also gave credence to help students understand why they learn the subjects in school. Luis commented the STEM summer learning experience helps “me in math classes because it gives me different scenarios to work with, and it helps me look at the problem in different ways not just in the same ordinary way” (Interview 2016). David realized mathematics involves more than understanding the basics. He suggested, “math isn’t all about like just 1 plus 1 stuff. It also involves calculating lots of things, not just equations” (Interview 2016). Shelby summarized the sentiments of many students in the camp,

I guess I feel like it’s giving us new ways to understand and see things, and it’s giving us things that we haven’t learned about; we’re just kinda getting it into our brains so we’re more prepared for our science classes. And, I just feel like it’s preparing us for what what’s going to be ahead of us and giving us ways to see things. (Interview 2016)

The students’ perceptions of the activities helped them to not only understand the purpose of the content they were learning, but realize the connections to what they are learning during the STEM summer learning experience can help them excel in the subjects they learn in school. In other words, providing the same content in a new environment was a catalyst for a positive change in how the students perceived future STEM content.

Opportunity and access

Students recognized access to STEM curriculum and materials was often limited because of funding and resources in public schools. Cristina pointed to the lack of technology in her small, rural school as a major barrier to accessing STEM content. “I don’t have a lot of robotics in my school or computer things, and so I don’t learn a lot about these topics” (Interview 2017). Other schools offered STEM content such as robotics as an elective or after school club. However, this prohibited some students with working parents because “the schedule would be weird,” (Shelby Interview 2016) even though the student may “just love programming” (Shelby Interview 2016). The STEM summer learning experience provided access to robotics and other activities often offered outside of the school day or during times when students may have to choose between fine arts, academic support services, and other electives.

Students also commented their access to rigorous core content was also lacking in the formal school setting. Several students commented they had limited exposure to STEM because STEM was not part of their curriculum, and many stated they have science class “only once a year so [they] don’t really do anything” (Luis Interview 2016). However, other students stated they did have STEM as a part of their school curriculum, but were yearning for challenging content and an opportunity to dive deeply into STEM learning. Hilda explained that in schools, a teacher may not be able to “go into super detail just so she can get everything done in the year” (Interview 2017). The students were excited about the opportunities and access the STEM summer learning experience provided because they were “learning things [they] didn’t know before” (Jude Interview 2017). They were “learn[ing] new stuff and visit[ing] new stuff that [they have] never been before” (Frances Interview 2017). Students remarked about “want[ing] to learn more. That’s why [they] came back” (Melsia Interview 2015). When provided the opportunity to access STEM, students were engrossed in the learning and eager to experience the activities. For example, accessing STEM content inspired students to think about potential applications in the real world. After engaging in a session discussing the development and use of virtual reality (VR), Anthony noted VR could help:

...teaching other students about other worlds. Like, such, like not other worlds, other places, area. Like under the ocean or in space. We could, we could really use that in classrooms and sometimes even at home too with your, with parents if they sort of like, kind of forget some, some useful information. We could help them by using the VR. And we could probably add triggers to the VR and hand motions to see your hand, like an avatar hand so that we could see, pick up, and build some of our things. (Interview 2017)

A STEM concept previously perceived as science fiction was now a learning tool that could be evaluated and improved upon. Beyond connecting to formal classroom learning, students were also making connections between their experiences during the STEM summer learning experience and the application of those experiences to their personal lives and the real world. Once students have access to “all this in action, and [they can] see how it applies to real life” (Tamara Interview 2016), it is transformative.

The STEM summer learning experience partners are from a range of professions providing students experiences that are both broad and rich. The pedagogical approach of the STEM summer learning experience balanced guided learning and student exploration. Instead of sessions where professionals imparted knowledge to students, they were engaged in “little activities that they have that help [students] learn easily” (Shaun Interview 2016). Students remarked this was an essential element to their rich learning experience. Students had access to deep experiences with robotics and coding in the mornings and “the afternoon sessions are different for [them] every day, with different professors” (Leslie Interview 2015). Their access was not just brief encounters with STEM professionals. Students were spending hours with professors, STEM career professionals, and college students engaging in their real work in an authentic setting. One of the most discussed experiences was a field trip to an alternative energy research center. Simone remarked, “I think that was pretty cool because we got to walk around and kind of engaging conversations and stuff with professionals. So… and I learned a lot too, so that was fun” (Interview 2016). For many students, work with STEM professionals humanizes and normalizes the individuals. Denise reflected,

I’ve learned a lot here over the past couple of days. What I’m probably going to take with me is how there’s different types of people, and we’ve kinda gone over the fact that most people outside of like engineering world they think that scientists and engineers are people that don’t really have friends or are kinda secluded. But I’ve kinda learned that it’s not like that at all. They’re just normal people who do normal things like everyone else. (Interview 2017)

Adri also stated, “It’s really fun and it’s cool to see like campus and like what some people do as their jobs. And to learn that you could do that too” (Interview 2017). Learning about professionals’ “job and about their life story and how they got to where they were at” (Michael Interview 2017) brings them down from the pedestal and onto an equal playing field. In other words, it makes the professional attainable to the students.

STEM content learning and student engagement

Students had an opportunity to experience activities they never experienced such as programming robots, cutting pigs, and playing with flies. These experiences extended their STEM content knowledge and piqued their interest and engagement. Several students expressed they really enjoyed doing the hands-on activities because that is how they learn. Shalea articulated,

I mean at my school we don’t really have many hands-on activities. It’s more of visual and audio learning. Like we do a lot of tests; we do a lot of things like that. And we really don’t get to do hands-on experimenting, and I am a pretty big hands-on learner, so it is hard for me to stay focused. It is hard for me to learn as fast as other people because I am more of a hands-on person. So, when there is a hands-on activity, I am really happy because I get [to] learn. I get to see. I get to feel. I get to touch, and I like how STEM camp Footnote 1 incorporates that in a fun and awesome way. When we dissected pigs that helped [me] learn about biology in a way where it wasn’t like in health class, where here is a diagram of the human body. Here is a textbook. Read it through. We are going to read it through, we are going to learn about it. No, in this one we learned it in a fun and interesting way. We played bingo with pig parts. (Interview 2017).

Frankie stated,

This is like a summer school but way more fun. First of all, you have two snacks in a day and I usually have to wait a while for snack, and you get to learn about programming and not just boring writing in the boring workbook. I like the more hands-on. It really helped me I think. (Interview 2015)

More importantly, the students were excited that “we actually get to do things like robotics, and we get to like build. We got to learn the process of how like doctors take our DNA” (Adri Interview 2017). Jesse also commented, “I like building things. I mean like it’s fun. Like you get to do things with your hands. You get to move things. You get to like make your imagination things come true sometimes” (Interview 2017). The hands-on nature of the camp also allowed students to not just see how the content is used, but to practice doing the content. Paige described the process of DNA extraction:

Um, we took Gatorade, and mixed it with salt. So, it was like a Gatorade salt solution, and we put it in our mouth so it could absorb some DNA from like our cheeks without bursting it. And we take that and we put it in some detergent, and then we added some clear liquid. I think it was some sort of rubbing alcohol I don’t know. Then you could see like that parts of your DNA like build up. (Interview 2017)

Instead of simply learning about DNA, the students extracted DNA to explore biological concepts. Timmy reiterated, “I just like doing hands-on stuff and I love that STEM Camp lets us do like a bunch of things like hands-on activities and let us learn things and not just tell us what to do, but let us actually do them” (Interview 2016). The summer learning experience was “[m]ore actually doing things” (Jessica Interview 2016). For example, Sally said she liked “building the dam because we got to make up a lot of ideas and try to solve a problem with just the materials that we had” (Interview 2015). Lisa specifically mentioned the power of doing when she stated, “I actually [did] it myself. We didn’t have someone telling us what to do. Who gets to do that? And it helped me learn and that was really cool” (Interview 2017). The emphasis was on doing and seeing.

Students were not simply reading about STEM concepts or watching a video. Students’ learning about STEM was particularly peaked when they were able to interact with materials from STEM fields. Lab materials, software, and technology dominated conversations when students had access to supplies that were not readily available to them. Karena mentioned she “really enjoyed using the microscopes. Looking at larva. And being in the biology class in general. I loved looking at the organs” (Interview 2017). Learning about anatomy from diagrams, videos, and textbooks is not as rich of an experience for students as holding a human heart and brain in their hands.

Students commented on how the hands-on activities and experimenting made the content come to life. Josh, for example, emphasized, “I got to actually see a real brain, lung, organs, things like that, which I’ve never seen before, which was pretty interesting” (Interview 2016). Seeing organs was only part of the experience, though. Dolly described her experience dissecting pigs,

I know it sounds really weird, but at first it’s one of those things where you’re really nervous and like eh, ah, mmm, should I really do this. And it’s one of those things where your stomach, it’s like right before a rollercoaster like you’re stomach’s all tied up in knots and your brains like you want to like this. I’m asking you “do you want to do it, you can quit this right now, do you want to do this” but part of you is like “you know what I’m just gonna do this, I’m just gonna do this” and once you finally get to the top of that rollercoaster you’re like “hey, this is really really fun. I don’t want to stop.” And it’s like one of those things where it seems really gross and nerve-racking, but once you actually like start doing it you’re like “hey this is kinda fun in a disturbing way.” (Interview 2016)

The students were excited they had the opportunity to learn about biology and other science disciplines because many students commented, “We don’t do a lot of science at my school so it’s good to learn more about it” (Taylor Interview 2016). Stephan articulated they have to focus on specific standards, but “[STEM Camp] helps me with more background knowledge around all the subjects” (Interview 2017). The students understand that in the formal learning environment, their teachers may not have the time to go deeper into a subject. Hilda expressed,

I would say STEM camp, it kind of just, it kinda gives you a little bit of everything. Especially with, like, our science stuff. Our science teacher, she teaches us like, everything. She doesn’t go into super detail just so she can get everything done in the year…And this place, …the other half of the day you go into detail about every, like, little thing. Like today we were extracting our own DNA. And we’re talking about, like, the chromosomes and DNA and all this stuff inside of it. (Interview 2017)

Other students emphasized physical science concepts. For example, Jada explained, “I like the lessons. Like the lessons in the science lab because they were really fun cause we got to mix these chemicals together and see how they reacted to other chemicals and stuff. And it was really cool” (Interview 2017). The STEM camp experiences laid the groundwork for connections among disciplines and professions. While students “like to go into the lab and really, really experimenting with the lab coats and stuff,” (Suzanne Interview 2017), it is engaging in the STEM content in those environments that is so important to making it come to life.

[Students] were downstairs taking a tour of the engineering… [They] learned how the vibration and the echo and everything… how like if you talk nobody can hear you ‘cause the uh ectoplasm, something like that. Ectoplasm like, it’s on the walls and it’s pretty hard. So they have to use those little square things, I don’t really know what it’s called but it’s connected to the wall. And like you can like, it’s kinda loud in there but out there, you can’t even hear nothing. Like that’s awesome. I like doing that. (Melsia Interview 2015)

The students emphasized the active nature of participating in the content. Students saw real organs, dissected pigs, extracted DNA, mixed chemicals, made boats, and built levees. Students stressed learning through the activity. This same perspective was also evident as students’ engaged in robotics. Alyssa explained why she liked robotics:

Um I like how everything is really interactive and you learn stuff while having fun um because while you’re programming robots, you’re writing code and you’re programming, but it’s a lot of fun and you turn it into a competition and they make racetracks to make it more appealing to kids. (Interview 2016)

As the students completed the robotics challenges, they anticipated and looked forward to “going on to harder ones every time” (Becka Interview 2017). The students deepened their understanding of programming, and they did not give up when their robot did not do what was expected.

Like if you’re programming and you don’t do it right you can go back and fix it. So, it’s like kind of like a trial and error, with fixing things, and like if I do something wrong, I can go back and try to fix it. I just think about, like how, what did I do wrong that I could’ve done better. If it’s turning too far, then we’ll bring down the rotations. And then, if it’s uhm going too short, then we’ll just bring the rotations up more. (Cory Interview 2017)

Jordan shared,

I liked um programming the robots and learning um a little bit in each subject. When I’ve done something wrong, I’d go back and I would make the number or something, cuz you have to make the numbers, I would make the number a little bit higher, and if that wasn’t right I would make it in the middle between those two. It would teach me right from wrong. (Interview 2015)

Students did not talk about learning how to program by reading about it or by listening to a lecture or by completing a worksheet. The students, instead, emphasized learning to program by doing the programming. When they were wrong, as the student above described, they tried again. It was a problem solving process to program the robot to do what they wanted.

Melanie described, “I mean it’s fun having to programming the robots, but it’s really challenging. Program the robots, they do the wrong thing, but then you correct them and their mistakes” (Interview 2016). Unfortunately, many students discussed how they did not experience these “fun activities” at their school. The students were excited about all of the experiments and learning.

I’m addicted [to robotics], basically. Like as soon as they say like 10 minutes [left], I’m like rushing to get things done because it’s so fun and it takes, it actually takes effort. Not like you know, breeze through it and kinda know everything–like sometimes that happens at school. (Tonia Interview 2016)

Students expressed the STEM summer learning experience allowed them to be creative and use their mathematical skills when working with the robots. In a broader perspective, access to the professionals, curriculum, content, and environments central to the STEM camp experience built students up where they had previously felt inadequate or poorly adept. Morgan added,

Well I'm not really good at math, but I think this morning we learned about like different things that use different shapes that you've already learned like the great pyramids….sometimes there are shapes that you can use. Sometimes you have to draw them out and can use them to make cubes, pyramids, and things like…some of my sisters told me—she told me math in 7th grade is really hard to understand if you don't understand shapes so like…maybe because some things we've learned - some things don't apply but some—they will actually apply to what we learned but some of them will. (Interview 2015)

For this student, understanding something she perceived as really hard was a victory and confidence booster. For other students, they feel more prepared for classes because it’s helping me and like showing me when I will need to use that math in real life problems, and that I will need to, and it’s like helping me like understand why we need to learn math; because I don’t like math very much. (Erin Interview 2016)

Dolly said the STEM summer learning experience is

...preparing me for some daring things I might do. Like, you gotta be brave, you’ve gotta be willing to like actually throw yourself out in the world saying “hey I’m just gonna do this” because if you’re doing like a science project or something…you have to be optimistic about work, you’ve gotta be outgoing and I think going here is making be braver to do that…we’re being able to interact with things that will make me like learn be able to learn more things. (Interview 2016)

Students were able to connect their new learning to their futures. Some students thought more short term, “If I learn more about this topic it will better prepare me for middle school” (Walter 2014 Math Modeling Reflection), while other students were connecting their experiences to their distant future, “I want to become a doctor when I grow up, and to do so I need to know a lot about anatomy. Dissecting animals really helps me learn more” (Heather 2016 Anatomy Reflection). Students gained STEM knowledge because they were given the opportunity to access and engage in STEM activities and persevere.

The goal of the STEM summer learning experience was to (1) provide upper-level elementary and middle level students, particularly underrepresented populations, access to a variety of STEM fields and STEM professionals in their workplace environment through authentic, hands-on learning activities, and (2) increase students’ interest in a STEM career. While one of the goals centered on STEM careers, the benefits of participating in the STEM summer learning experience also extended to students’ perceptions of future STEM learning. This study highlighted how the STEM summer informal learning environment influenced students’ perceptions of STEM learning. Specifically, the STEM summer learning experience provided students with context and purpose for formal STEM content. The use of project/problem-based learning allowed students to connect to real-world issues (STEM Task Force Report, 2014 ), such as seeing how mathematics is needed in the design and construction of planes, in the programming of robots, and in the calculations students used in measuring distance for their robotics challenges. By using authentic STEM workplaces, the STEM summer learning experience fostered a learning environment that extended and deepened STEM content learning while providing opportunity and access to content, settings, and materials that most middle level students otherwise would not have access to. Denise’s comments epitomized how interacting with STEM professionals normalized and humanized them. It allowed her to connect to the STEM community as a place where she can participate, practice, and belong (O'Connell et al. 2017 ).

Students also acknowledged the access they received to hands-on activities in authentic STEM settings and the opportunities they received to interact with STEM professionals were important components of the summer informal learning experience. In an era of budget cuts and pressure to cover material that will appear on standardized tests, schools are often limited in the access they can provide to in-depth content and authentic settings. Unfortunately, this contributes to the “receivement gap” (Chambers 2009 , p. 418) that many students, particularly Black and Latinx students, experience. While policymakers focus extensively on outputs, such as achievement scores, less attention is focused on the inputs in and structures of education. The result is a system that does not provide equitable access or opportunity to authentic, engaging learning experiences that bring the content to life. As the students’ own comments showed, their participation in the summer informal STEM learning experience addressed the limitations of formal schooling through the experiences provided (Bell et al. 2009 ; Meyers et al. 2013 ). Thus, in the current system, one implication of this study is the importance of high-quality informal STEM learning experiences, such as those provided by the See Blue See STEM model, to increase students’ access and opportunity to engaging activities that contextualize and give purpose to their formal learning.

The findings of this research can also be considered to design authentic learning experiences in informal settings and to create purposeful contexts and settings in informal experiences. Providing access to meaningful contexts for learning (STEM Task Force Report 2014 ) and authentic settings is critical. While it is unrealistic to think every informal STEM learning environment would have access to scientists’ labs, creating partnerships with people in STEM careers is one way to provide a broader picture of what STEM is, where STEM happens, and who does STEM. This provides the meaningful exposure to a STEM community (O'Connell et al. 2017 ) and influences how students participate, practice, and belong in that STEM community.

While this study is important in highlighting the students’ perceptions of how participating in an informal STEM learning environment prepares them for future STEM learning, further research is needed to examine lasting impacts of participating in this type of informal learning. Exploring students’ future course taking patterns, success and perseverance in STEM-related courses, and choice of college majors and/or career are all areas needing further research.

NOTE: Informal summer learning experiences are colloquially known as camp.

Abbreviations

Next-generation science standards

Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

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This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers 1348281 and 1560013, the Fluor, and AstraZeneca. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation, the Fluor, and AstraZeneca.

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MMS, MC, CJ, and CM managed collection of the paper-based surveys and reflections. MMS, MC, CJ, CM, TR, and AD managed collection interview data. TR and CJ developed the initial research question for this paper. TR, CJ, CM, and AD analyzed the qualitative data. All authors participated in creating, revising, and testing the code list. All authors participated in writing, revising, and approving the final manuscript.

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TR, Assistant Professor, Bowling Green State University. TR’s research interests include informal STEM education, African American students’ relationship with and understanding of mathematics and STEM, how elementary preservice teachers think about equitable teaching of mathematics, and how elementary preservice teachers develop mathematics and STEM teaching identities.

CJ, Associate Professor, Iowa State University. CJ’s research interest focuses on effective mathematics instruction at the elementary and middle levels, the preparation of prospective and in-service mathematics teachers, STEM Education, STEM literacy, STEM curricula development, strategies to help students who struggle in mathematics, and STEM teachers’ conceptions of equity.

MMS, Professor of STEM Education, University of Kentucky. MMS’s current line of research includes Preservice teachers’ perceptions of struggling learners, transdisciplinary STEM education, informal STEM learning environments, and broadening participation in STEM.

SBB, Associate Professor of K-12 STEM Education, University of Central Florida. SBB’s most current lines of research include deepening student and teacher understanding of mathematics through transdisciplinary STE(A)M problem-based inquiry and mathematics, science, and STE(A)M teacher professional development effectiveness.

CM, Assistant Professor, California State University, Long Beach. CM’s research interests include how preservice teachers incorporate mathematical modeling and the engineering design process into their mathematics classrooms, how do preservice teachers implement problem-based learning and integrated STEM education influences students’ motivation toward and perceptions of STEM.

MALC, Education Resource Specialist, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH. MALC’s research interests include how to prepare resilient and proficient STEM professionals, and how the design of curriculum and learning experiences can support STEM literacy and equitable STEM pathways.

DCS, STEM Teacher, Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, KY. DCS’ research interests include broadening participation in STEM and STEM informal learning environments.

AD, doctoral student, Iowa State University. AD’s current line of research includes early childhood and elementary STEM curriculum, transdisciplinary STEM education, broadening participation in STEM, and family engagement in mathematics and STEM experiences.

LRP, Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Kentucky.

CAC, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Morehead State University.

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Roberts, T., Jackson, C., Mohr-Schroeder, M.J. et al. Students’ perceptions of STEM learning after participating in a summer informal learning experience. IJ STEM Ed 5 , 35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0133-4

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Research Topics for STEM Students and Sample Titles

Introduction to Research

It is a good subject because research hones the critical thinking skills of individuals.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Topics and Titles for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strand

Under the STEM strand, the qualitative and quantitative research topics are science, experiments, mathematics, engineering, and the like. The following are sample research topics and titles.

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Discover the latest insights on Qualitative and Quantitative Research Topics and Titles for STEM Students.

You just read some of the most well-crafted quantitative research topics for stem students ever published on this site. It may be common for some, but you may use them to formulate a better one that will suit your taste and interest.

As for this post, the objective is to list examples of it, which would help you have an idea regarding the research being done by STEM students like you.

Anyway, research is more than an academic requirement that you need to finish and submit on time. Believe me, it is a fun journey that promotes growth and learning, especially the experimental research topics for stem students. By immersing yourselves in topics of interest, you will discover your passions, strengths, and areas of growth.

Research Tools

Research Tools for Increased Productivity

If you're currently looking for online tools for your research, you may read what tools you need.

The process of choosing a research topic, asking questions, and finding answers may be difficult, and oftentimes, the most difficult thing in this process as perceived by students. However, through individuals' curiosity and determination to find answers, it will lead to a better understanding of one's own preferences and area of focus.

Indeed, conducting research strengthens communication skills because your communication skills are really honed as you write research papers, prepare presentations, and defend them.

Before ending this article, please understand that conducting research is a transformative journey for senior high school students. It feeds curiosity and sharpens critical thinking at the same time. This pursuit enriches your educational experience and prepares you for today's modern world. So, embrace and learn to love it. You'll soon appreciate its importance.

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STEM Education Research

Science isn’t merely for scientists. Understanding science is part of being a well-rounded and informed citizen. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research is dedicated to studying the nature of learning, the impact of different science teaching strategies, and the most effective ways to recruit and retain the next generation of scientists.

Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian STEM education researchers are engaged in a number of projects:

Developing research-based tests for use in evaluating students’ knowledge of science concepts. These tests are designed to check for common differences in the way non-scientists understand a subject as compared to scientists. When offered at the beginning and end of science courses, they assess whether instruction has resulted in students' conceptual growth. The tests are freely available for education researchers and teachers, and cover the full range of elementary, secondary, and university courses in science. Misconception-Orientation Standard-Based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART)

Studying ways to improve students’ preparation for introductory STEM courses in college. Students arrive at college with varying pre-college educational experiences, which often influence how well they do in their first STEM classes. To keep interested students in STEM programs, researchers look at measurable factors that predict improved performance. Factors Influencing College Success in STEM (FICS)

Discerning factors that strengthen students’ interest in pursuing a STEM career. Education researchers look at a whole range of pre-college experiences in and out of school that can affect students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers, in order to see both what encourages and what drives them away. Persistence in STEM (PRiSE)

Examining predictors of student outcomes in MOOCs. Many universities have implemented MOOCs to provide academic resources beyond the university, but the research on how well they perform compared with ordinary classes is scant. In addition, MOOCs are frequently plagued by students dropping out. By studying actual implementations of MOOCs, SED researchers hope to gather evidence to explain why many students don’t stick with the course through the end. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Advancing Science Teaching and Learning

Public understanding of science is essential for our democratic society. At the same time, white female students and students of color are underrepresented across STEM fields, which is a problem both from equity and workforce demand perspectives. For these reasons, researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian study how to improve science teaching and learning.

The Science Education Department (SED) at the Center for Astrophysics is dedicated to researching how people learn, and identifying measurable ways to evaluate learning for students in STEM classes. SED researchers have developed assessment tools designed to evaluate students’ conceptual knowledge for all levels from elementary school through university. These tests are freely available for teachers and other education specialists. Experts in the program also study the educational outcomes of massive open online courses (MOOCs) , which are widely used by universities despite the current lack of evidence on their effectiveness.

A current challenge of STEM education is the substantial underrepresentation of white female scientists and scientists of color across STEM fields, which limits the potential for innovation and excellence in scientific research. To address this problem, SED researchers study variables that predict persistence of students within the STEM pipeline, factors that impact achievement by students in STEM courses, and the development of science identity.

In addition to pursuing fundamental STEM education research, Harvard and Smithsonian educators translate these findings into practice by developing innovative science programs, curricula, interactive media, and technology-based tools for STEM learning. These research-based resources are used by educational audiences in the United States and around the world. The significance of SED’s work has been recognized in the form of grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the National Institutes of Health.

Cambridge Explores the Universe 2018, held at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA.

A student working with a professional astronomer at the Cambridge Explores the Universe 2018, held at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA.

How can astronomy improve life on earth?
Solar & Heliospheric Physics
Science Education Department

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New grant supports teen air quality studies, michael foley elected first grad student on aas education committee, cfa job shadow event makes astronomy more accessible, to navigate the heavens, take a seat, thousands of new astronomical images highlighted in latest release of worldwide telescope, astronomy educators awarded $2.8m to inspire minority youth to pursue stem careers, factors influencing college success in stem (fics), massive open online courses (moocs), misconception-oriented standards-based assessment resources for teachers (mosart), persistence in stem (prise), sensing the dynamic universe, worldwide telescope (wwt), youthastronet, telescopes and instruments, microobservatory telescope network, spitzer space telescope.

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STEM Library Resources

What is the research process?
How do I choose or develop a research topic?
What are scholarly articles?
What are tips for reading scientific papers?
How can I identify a primary research article?
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Getting started with research topics

The possibilities for selecting a research topic are nearly endless! While most initial research ideas will need some tweaking to be in line with your project’s or assignment's scope, you can take nearly any idea, interest, or phenomenon and turn it into a research topic.

Please check with instructor for specific directions concerning topic selection for a research project or to confirm if a topic is acceptable.

Brainstorming initial topics

Tip #1: choose a topic you care about..

This could be a personal interest, related to something you have experienced, related to your job or future career, etc. You could even research a problem or barrier you’ve experienced or something that upsets you. What matters is that you have a vested interest in your research topic. This is going to help motivate you to keep working on the project.

For example: Adrian works full-time and also has young child, and sometimes they get stressed out about work-life balance. Adrian could choose “working parent mental health” as an initial topic.

Tip #2: Be curious.

Have you ever wondered why something works (or doesn’t work) the way that it does? Are you curious about how something impact your life? Research that!

For example: Traffic noise from I-215 sometimes keeps Gabi from falling asleep. Gabi could choose “noise pollution and insomnia” as an initial research topic.

Tip #3: Be observant.

Notice trends, phenomena, or occurrences in your daily life. You can research why those trends might occur.

For example: Rui has noticed more vehicles running red lights while commuting work. Rui could choose “distracted and aggressive driving” as an initial research topic.

Tip #4: Think about something you’ve recently learned or read in a class.

If a reading, assignment, or video from a class has stood out to you, explore that further. That topic or an aspect of it could serve as your initial research topic.

For example: Almas was fascinated to learn in HLTH 1050 that former drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar imported hippos to Colombia and that the hippos are now causing significant issues as a non-native species. Almas could choose “impacts of non-native animal species” as an initial research topic.

Developing your topic

Great! You’ve selected an initial topic that interests you. Now you will want to refine it so your topic fits within the scope of your project.

Strategy #1: Ask self-reflective questions.

Ask yourself personal questions to help focus your topic. Ask yourself: Why did I choose this topic in the first place? What specifically interests me about it? Do I have personal experience with this? This reflective process can help you move from a general topic like "medical marijuana" to a more specific one that is also interesting to you. For example, perhaps you know someone who suffers from chronic pain and had medical marijuana recommended to them; you might want to learn more about how medical marijuana helps with chronic pain and if there are any negative medical side effects associated with its use.

Strategy #2: Ask what you want to learn and why.

Try answering this question by filling in the blanks: “I am researching [topic], because I want to find out [issue / question] in order to [application, or why it matters].” For example: I am researching sound pollution, because I want to learn if it impacts sleep cycles in order to understand how traffic noise may negatively impact human health.

Strategy #3: Create an argument.

Another way to refine your initial topic is to give your opinion, take a side to an argument, or present a different outlook. Try to keep an open mind and withhold your own judgement until you have done some research. It is a growth experience to consider other views! Ask something like: “What are the consequences of X on Y?” For example: What are the consequences of vehicle emissions on Utah’s air quality?

Strategy #4: Use the 3 P's

Identify a problem (your initial topic), a population (a specific group of people), and a place. Adding these three components together can help focus your topic.

The 3 P's: Population, Place, Problem Licensed under CC BY-NC by Sarah Hood

Evaluating the feasibility of your topic

The next step in developing your research topic is making sure that it is actually feasible for you to research. Sometimes great ideas have to be tabled for another point in time because of current limitations. Here are three questions/sets of questions to ask yourself before moving ahead with your research project.

Why do I care about this topic?

What about it interests me? Will I continue to be interested in this topic throughout the research process? If you cannot answer these questions, return to brainstorming possible topics.

Is my topic too broad or too narrow to fit within the project's scope?

If your topic is too broad, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of sources you find or feel like you have no clear goal of what to study or accomplish. If your topic is too narrow, you may have a very hard time finding sources or completing your project. Look for a topic that is “just right.” It should be specific enough that it is actionable.

Too broad: What causes air pollution in Utah?
Too narrow: How to pickup trucks driving on I-15 between Draper and South Salt Lake City contribute to the ozone levels in Salt Lake County’s air conditions?
Better: How do commuting vehicles in Salt Lake County contribute to air pollution?

Do I have the available resources (time, money, tools, support, etc.) to realistically accomplish this project in the set timeframe?

If your project is going to require you do an observational study, do you have the available time to do that? If your project requires specialized equipment, do you have access to it and knowledge of how to use it? If you need to acquire supplies or incentives for people to participate in your project, do you have the funding? These logistical questions are important, because having the appropriate resources available can help set you up for success. If you don’t have these resources available, you may need to table your research topic until another time.

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STEM Camp: STEM Research Topics

Starting Research
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55 Brilliant Research Topics For STEM Students
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COMMENTS

55 Brilliant Research Topics For STEM Students
There are several science research topics for STEM students. Below are some possible quantitative research topics for STEM students. A study of protease inhibitor and how it operates. A study of how men's exercise impacts DNA traits passed to children. A study of the future of commercial space flight.
169+ Exciting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students
Engineering Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students. Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Human-Centered Design in Engineering. Innovation and Sustainability in Civil Engineering. Public Perception of Self-Driving Cars. Engineering Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation.
200+ Experimental Quantitative Research Topics For Stem Students
Here are 10 practical research topics for STEM students: Developing an affordable and sustainable water purification system for rural communities. Designing a low-cost, energy-efficient home heating and cooling system. Investigating strategies for reducing food waste in the supply chain and households.
Research and trends in STEM education: a systematic review of journal
With the rapid increase in the number of scholarly publications on STEM education in recent years, reviews of the status and trends in STEM education research internationally support the development of the field. For this review, we conducted a systematic analysis of 798 articles in STEM education published between 2000 and the end of 2018 in 36 journals to get an overview about developments ...
11 STEM Research Topics for High School Students
Topic 1: Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI stands at the forefront of technological innovation. Students can engage in research on AI applications in various sectors and the ethical implications of AI. This field is suitable for students with interests in computer science, AI, data analytics, and related areas. Topic 2: Applied Math and AI.
Trends and Hot Topics of STEM and STEM Education: a Co-word ...
This study explored research trends in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Descriptive analysis and co-word analysis were used to examine articles published in Social Science Citation Index journals from 2011 to 2020. From a search of the Web of Science database, a total of 761 articles were selected as target samples for analysis. A growing number of STEM ...
Top STEM Topic Areas for a Strong Dissertation
Topic selection isn't something you do within two minutes or a day. You have to take your time, research well, question your mastery, and settle on a topic you understand well. Importantly, research winning topics that interest your audience and that have many related sources and materials.
Factors Influencing Student STEM Learning: Self-Efficacy and ...
Social, motivational, and instructional factors impact students' outcomes in STEM learning and their career paths. Based on prior research and expectancy-value theory, the study further explored how multiple factors affect students in the context of integrated STEM learning. High school STEM teachers participated in summer professional development and taught integrated STEM to students ...
STEM: Innovation on Teaching and Learning
This Research Topic is focused on STEM education: based on this model, several studies have emerged on innovative approaches on teaching and learning. In order to meet the demands of developing students for the 21st century skills and given the appropriate characteristics for this goal of the STEM model, further research is needed on this topic.Being so, it is justified to carry out more ...
Research and trends in STEM education: a systematic analysis of
Taking publicly funded projects in STEM education as a special lens, we aimed to learn about research and trends in STEM education. We identified a total of 127 projects funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the US Department of Education from 2003 to 2019. Both the number of funded projects in STEM education and their funding amounts were high, although there were ...
Students' perceptions of STEM learning after ...
Background Informal learning environments increase students' interest in STEM (e.g., Mohr‐Schroeder et al. School Sci Math 114: 291-301, 2014) and increase the chances a student will pursue a STEM career (Kitchen et al. Sci Educ 102: 529-547, 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an informal STEM summer learning experience on student participants, to gain in ...
Frontiers in Education
5,064 views. 6 articles. Part of a multidisciplinary journal that explores research-based approaches to education, this section aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, research and practice in STEM Education.
Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research
articles that discuss recent developments that have an impact on STEM education in areas such as policy and industry needs; The case studies may include color photographs, charts, and other visual aids in order to bring engineering topics alive. The research articles will focus on innovations that have been implemented in educational institutions.
Creativity and Innovation in STEAM Education
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer, and Mathematics) education refers to an interdisciplinary and applied approach of teaching and learning to increase scientific literacy and critical thinking of individuals. By merging the Arts with STEM subjects, STEAM education emphasizes the role of arts, creativity and humanity, as in scientific breakthroughs and technological advancement in the 21st ...
Research Topics for STEM Students and Sample Titles
Under the STEM strand, the qualitative and quantitative research topics are science, experiments, mathematics, engineering, and the like. The following are sample research topics and titles. Topic: Learning Strategy and Learning Beliefs. Sample Title: Learning Strategy and Learning Beliefs of STEM Students. Topic:
STEM Education Research
Science isn't merely for scientists. Understanding science is part of being a well-rounded and informed citizen. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research is dedicated to studying the nature of learning, the impact of different science teaching strategies, and the most effective ways to recruit and retain the next generation of scientists.
(PDF) Understanding STEM from Students' Perspectives: Exploring
Community engagement in STEM learning and teaching largely focuses on citizen science projects, serving the needs and goals of the largely white and male dominated STEM fields with only cursory ...
Trending Topic Research: STEM
STEM. Trending Topic Research File. Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is one of the most talked about topics in education, emphasizing research, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity. The following compendium of open-access articles are inclusive of all substantive AERA journal content regarding STEM published ...
Students' perceptions of their STEM learning environment
Introduction. Education frequently refers to the STEM acronym as the partial or full integration of the separate disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, including a focus on twenty-first Century competencies (Koul et al., 2018; Timms et al., 2018).Research evidence suggests there is a need to advance STEM education across Australia in order to ensure international ...
Pursuing STEM Careers: Perspectives of Senior High School Students
Abstract and Figures. This qualitative descriptive research explored the perspectives of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) senior high school students in a public secondary ...
How do I choose or develop a research topic?
Rui could choose "distracted and aggressive driving" as an initial research topic. Tip #4: Think about something you've recently learned or read in a class. If a reading, assignment, or video from a class has stood out to you, explore that further. That topic or an aspect of it could serve as your initial research topic.
Q: Can you give a research title for the STEM strand?
3 Basic tips on writing a good research paper title. How to write an effective title and abstract and choose appropriate keywords. One tip we can give right away is that you should first have a working (rough) title when you start the paper and then refine/finalize it once you've completed the paper (or the first draft). Hope that helps.
STEM Camp: STEM Research Topics
Resources for participants at IRSC's 2013 STEM camp. Ideas for a research paper using a science, technology, engineering, or math topic.