2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

To increase the number of underrepresented students entering engineering and science careers, it is critically important to stimulate their interests in these fields at an early age. Introducing them to and developing their understanding of what individuals in these fields do is essential. It is also particularly important to increase students’ confidence in themselves and their academic ability for them to realize that these goals are achievable. Bandura (1997) notes that student’s perceptions about their own capability of achievement affects their aspirations, level of interest, and how well they prepare themselves for careers. When students believe in their own efficacy, they become motivated to act in ways that make their success more likely (Bandura, 1997).

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program is designed to offer underrepresented students in grades 3-5, not only access to a STEM curriculum, but also helps cultivate academic self-efficacy. This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of the 2021 SEEK program and compared if impact is consistent across gender.

Facilitated by collegiate mentors and secondary educators, SEEK delivers a 3-week, hands-on engineering design curriculum over the summer. In 2021, over 4000 students from across the country participated in the virtual SEEK program. They completed a pre-post assessment examining their academic self-efficacy and desire to become an engineer. Independent t-tests show there are differences in how SEEK impacted boys and girls. For boys, SEEK helped increase their academic self-efficacy regarding their belief that they can do science well. In addition, findings from multiple regressions show that the greatest predictor for boys and wanting to become an engineer “when they grow up”, was the belief that they could become an engineer, and their persistence at continuingly trying something even though it may be difficult (F(9, 454) = 13.38, p < .001). Likewise, for girls, believing that they can be engineers as well as asking questions when they do not understand something were significant contributors in their desire to become an engineer (F(9, 362) = 12.16, p <.001). These findings further substantiate Bandura’s (1997) work that by improving students’ perception of their capability will lead to them pursuing their career goals.

References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy in changing societies. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.