The effect of an informal science intervention on middle school girls’ science affinities

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the impact of an informal science outreach programme built around theories of identity formation and self-efficacy on middle school girls’ science affinities. A lottery-based, randomised control trial was used to identify programme effects on four science affinity outcomes: science interests, efficacy with science, science attitudes, and science identity. A multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that programme participants scored higher than their control group peers on weighted composite of post-programme affinity indicators. These results suggest that informal science education may offer a venue through which to support the formation of science identities and efficacy in girls. Implications for including psychosocial support elements into science classroom pedagogy and science education standards are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Informal science education
• gender disparities in STEM
• science identities
• science efficacy
• intervention

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Brandy L. Todd http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2023-1864

Keith Zvoch http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9348-5155