Publication Date

2019

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Xie, Ying

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment (ETRA)

Abstract

This study explored the impact of STEM summer camps (held at a Midwestern university) on campers’ science process skills (SPS). Upon analysis statistically significant positive growth in SPS was observed, evidenced by the increase from presurvey to postsurvey SPS scores, over the period of these short duration camps. There were no statistically significant differences in growth (presurvey to postsurvey) by gender, grade level, or ethnicity. While there were no significant main effects for gender (male vs. female) and grade level (middle vs. high school) on science process skill scores, there was a significant main effect of ethnicity (white vs. nonwhite) in SPS. As part of their daily reflections, campers generated questions daily throughout the camp. It was observed that a large number of campers did not reflect by generating questions. Using the PREG model for coding the level/rating of questions generated by camper, it was concluded that there was no statistically significant change in the ratings of the questions over time. Regression analysis also showed no statistically significant relationship between campers’ change in SPS and change in the level of their generated questions. There was also no significant effect of the change in SPS survey scores on the change in ratings of campers’ generate questions over time.

Extent

168 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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