The impact of a STEM program on academic achievement of eighth grade students in a South Texas middle school
Abstract
Description
"A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
in Educational Leadership."
The primary purpose of the study was to examine the impact of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational program on academic achievement. The study was delimited to 8th graders and outcome measures of mathematics, science, and reading. An ex-post facto, causal-comparative research design was employed. The characteristic-present group consisted of 73 eighth grade students in a STEM academic program. The comparison group consisted of 103 eighth grade students in a non-STEM academic program. On the basis of the centroids, the STEM group outperformed the non-STEM group on all outcome measures. It is concluded that participation in a STEM academic program, where teachers use Project-Based Learning (PBL), collaborative learning, and hands-on strategies, positively impacted eighth grade students' academic achievement in mathematics, science, and reading.
Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction
College of Education and Human Development
The primary purpose of the study was to examine the impact of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational program on academic achievement. The study was delimited to 8th graders and outcome measures of mathematics, science, and reading. An ex-post facto, causal-comparative research design was employed. The characteristic-present group consisted of 73 eighth grade students in a STEM academic program. The comparison group consisted of 103 eighth grade students in a non-STEM academic program. On the basis of the centroids, the STEM group outperformed the non-STEM group on all outcome measures. It is concluded that participation in a STEM academic program, where teachers use Project-Based Learning (PBL), collaborative learning, and hands-on strategies, positively impacted eighth grade students' academic achievement in mathematics, science, and reading.
Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction
College of Education and Human Development