Engage Yourself in STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math

7th Annual Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore Summer Conference and Award Ceremony

Sizemore Youth Conference

Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26, 2016

Evaluative Report

Prepared by: Dr. Helga Stokes

Executive Summary The 7th Annual Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore Summer Conference and Award Ceremony and the Sizemore Youth Conference were sponsored by a grant from the Heinz Endowments and organized by the Sizemore Program Chair at Duquesne University’s School of Education. Both featured the theme "Engage Yourself in S.T.E.A.M.: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math." This year approximately 200 high school students participated in the half-day long youth conference and explored possibilities for engaging in S.T.E.A.M. The second day, some 250 educators reflected on options for enhancing the teaching and learning environment around S.T.E.A.M. subject matter and related issues of equity, cultural responsiveness, and mental health in educational settings. The evaluation’s purpose is to gauge participants’ perception of the quality of the various sessions and each session’s capacity for generating ideas and strategies around S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning. Mixed methods were used. Data was gathered through individual session surveys, open-ended general comment fields on the same surveys and, for the youth conference, through additional, brief, on-site interviews with students and post-conference interviews at three participating schools. All conference participants had the opportunity to complete the surveys. Interviewees were randomly sampled at the conference and also through teacher recruitment for the post-conference interviews. All surveys were designed around two major themes, one being diverse aspects of the quality of the session; and the other, applicability of session content to learning, teaching, studies and careers in S.T.E.A.M. fields. The two key events at the youth conference were a panel of high school students speaking on their experience with learning and exploring S.T.E.A.M. fields, and a presentation by Hip Hop artist and activist Jasiri X, a Pittsburgh native. Quantitative and qualitative data show an overwhelmingly positive reception of both presentations. Participants felt that the quality of both was high and that presenters engaged the students and gave information that was useful to their learning and motivation for engaging in S.T.E.A.M. fields. They felt that the conference had an energizing impact on their engagement in their work and lives.

Participants stated that, as a result of the conference, they felt more comfortable with S.T.E.A.M. fields and see more opportunities for engagement with S.T.E.A.M. The plenary sessions and workshops for educators were also received very well by a distinct majority of attendees. Participants expressed appreciation for the high quality of all sessions, plenary and workshops alike. They felt that they could take with them ideas applicable to their work. The session content was related to S.T.E.A.M. but also touched on issues of equity and social justice. By and large, participants recognized the interconnectedness of S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning with the more general issues of equity and social justice. Occasionally suggestions were given for a more explicit focus on S.T.E.A.M. content but it was also felt that the content not directly related to S.T.E.A.M. was very important and merited discussion. The evaluation report gives the detailed tabulated quantitative survey results by session, as well as the thematically sorted comments and interview results.

Table of contents Page

Introduction 7

Evaluation Procedures and Analysis 8 Evaluation purpose 8 Evaluation design 9 Survey design 9 Interview design 9 Observations 10 Conference promotion 10 Sampling 10 − Sampling for the survey 10 − Sampling for conversational interviews 11 Data analysis 11 Potential Limitations of Evaluation Design and Implementation 12

Evaluation Findings - Sizemore Youth Conference 12 Session notes 13 Youth - surveys and interviews 14 Surveys 14 − Student voices panel, quantitative survey results – students 15 − Jasiri X, quantitative survey results – students 16 − Specific ideas - students 17 Qualitative survey results: survey comments and interviews 18 − Survey comments 18 − Interviews during the conference 19 Post conference interviews with students 21 − Familiarity with the concept of S.T.E.A.M. 21 − Experiences with the learning of S.T.E.A.M. fields 22 − Changes in thinking about involvement in S.T.E.A.M. fields 22 − Needs 23 − Opportunities 23 − Likes 24 − Suggestions 24 Teacher surveys 25 Quantitative Survey results 25 − Student voices panel 25 − Jasiri X 26 − Specific ideas - teachers 27 Qualitative survey results from comments 27 Conclusion 28

Evaluation Findings - Sizemore Summer Conference Page Conference promotion 29 Morning plenary speaker: Dr. Louie Rodriguez 30 Quantitative survey results 30 Qualitative survey results 32 Keynote speaker: Dr. Leslie Fenwick 33 Quantitative survey results 34 Qualitative survey results 36 Panel – “A Father's Voice” 37 Quantitative survey results 37 Qualitative survey results 40 Concurrent Workshops - Findings for all workshops 40 Quantitative survey results 40 Qualitative survey results 43

Follow-up Survey for the 2015 conference 44

Recommendations 45 Youth Conference 45 General suggestions 45 Information tables 46 Follow-up interviews 46 Sizemore Summer Conference 46 Promotion 46 Presentations 46 Workshops 46

Appendices Appendix A: Surveys Appendix B: Individual workshop results Appendix C: Conference program

Figures Page Figure 1: Youth conference - Student voices panel; student survey 15 Figure 2: Youth conference - Jasiri X; student survey 16 Figure 3: Youth conference - Specific ideas; student survey 17 Figure 4: Youth conference - Student voices panel; teacher survey 25 Figure 5: Youth conference - Jasiri X; teacher survey 26 Figure 6: Youth conference - Specific ideas; teacher survey 27 Figure 7: Summer conference - Dr. Rodriguez – session quality 31 Figure 8: Summer conference - Dr. Rodriguez - specific ideas 32 Figure 9: Summer conference - Dr. Fenwick - session quality 35 Figure 10: Summer conference - Dr. Fenwick - specific ideas 36 Figure 11: Summer conference - “A Father's Voice” panel - session 38 quality Figure 12: Summer conference - “A Father's Voice” panel - specific 39 ideas Figure 13: Summer conference - Concurrent workshops summary - 41 session quality Figure 14: Summer conference - Concurrent workshops summary - 43 specific ideas Figure 15: Summer conference - Follow-up Survey for 2015 44 conference

Tables Page Table 1: Survey participation rates 11 Table 2: Conference promotion 29 Table 3: Professional roles - Dr. Rodriguez’ presentation 30 Table 4: Professional roles - Dr. Fenwick’s presentation 34 Table 5: Professional roles - A Father's Voice panel 38 Table 6: Rate of return of surveys per workshop 41

Introduction

The 7th Annual Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore Summer Conference and the 2nd Annual Sizemore Youth Conference had the theme "Engage Yourself in S.T.E.A.M.: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math." According to the promotional statements on the conference website, This conference is designed to bring together Duquesne University and the Pittsburgh community around issues related to improving education for all students, particularly the education of students in urban schools. − Promoting diverse individuals leading the way in S.T.E.A.M. fields. − Creating possibilities and accessible opportunities for diverse individuals and others in urban schools/communities (Conference webpage1) The conference built on the experience of previous years, including last year’s first youth conference. It connects to the year-round work done by the Sizemore Program Chair and staff. For example, the Sizemore Pipeline Initiative: Tomorrow's Urban Teachers (TUT) directly helps students with career choices and focuses on recruiting high school students from minority/ African American background into the teaching profession. Year-round continuous presence in participating schools brings expertise from Duquesne University faculty and business leaders from the corporate community to schools. Attendance at the 7th Annual Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore Summer Conference and the 2nd Annual Sizemore Youth Conference could then be understood as a culminating event and catalyst for the year-round work by schools, their students and university faculty. These continuous efforts are reflected in a rising youth conference attendance. This year approximately 200 high school students2 participated in the youth conference and explored possibilities for engaging in S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology,

1 http://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/education/barbara-a-sizemore-urban-education- initiative/sizemore-summer-conference 2 Compare to 150 high school student in 2015 – see Evaluation Report of the 6th Annual Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore Summer Conference and Award Ceremony

Engineering, Arts, Math) fields and learned how these fields interconnect and affect their own lives. The second day, about 250 educators, mainly teachers and other educators with diverse roles, reflected on options for enhancing the teaching and learning environment around S.T.E.A.M. subject matter and related issues of equity, cultural responsiveness, and mental health in educational settings.

Evaluation Procedures and Analysis

Evaluation purpose The evaluation design is informed by the goals of the conference and the evaluation’s purpose, as defined by the conference organizers. The conference theme is: “Engaging students in science, technology, engineering, art and math (S.T.E.A.M.) learning.” The purpose of the conference is, as stated on the invitational flyer: − Promoting diverse individuals leading the way in S.T.E.A.M. fields. − Creating possibilities and accessible opportunities for diverse individuals and others in urban schools/communities. The evaluation’s purpose is to gauge participants’ perception of the quality of the various sessions and each session’s capacity for generating ideas and strategies around S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning. It is understood that S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning happens, by current definition, in an integrated, holistic and culturally responsive manner, with connections to real life experiences, and resembles the way professionals in the field would work3. This conference places particular emphasis on urban education and social justice; various presenters and workshop facilitators would make these themes relevant to S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning. The evaluation questions are designed to express this framework. (See Appendix A Surveys.) The evaluation results will be used to inform future conference designs

3 For a 2008 study on STEM Education in Southwestern Pennsylvania see https://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/documents/stem-survey-report-cmu-iu1.pdf

9 and to ascertain the impact of the conference on participants’ actual practices at their places of work and learning. Evaluation design The evaluation employed mixed methods. Surveys were designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Interviews and participatory observations added context and personal impressions

Survey design The survey instrument has agreement options on a scale from “one” to “four” for each statement, one being “strongly disagree” and four “strongly agree.” A “no opinion” option is also available on the surveys. A space for open-ended comments allows participants to share personal observations. Each session of the main conference was evaluated individually using the same survey content. The survey content for the youth conference is adjusted slightly to match its goals. Two versions of the youth conference survey were designed, one for the accompanying teachers/chaperones and one for the students. The questions can be grouped in two major domains, one focusing on the quality of the session and the other on the applicability of the session content to teaching, studies and career choices. (See Appendix A for surveys.)

Interview design Volunteers conducted brief interviews with youth at the youth conference asking about ways in which the presentations changed their perceptions about getting engaged in S.T.E.A.M. fields. Additional, more in-depth interviews were arranged for after the conference with students at three participating schools, asking them to reflect in greater depth about the impact of the conference, options they see for themselves for engaging in S.T.E.A.M. fields and experiences they need in order to effectively learn about those fields.

Observations Observations at the youth conference, the main sessions and one of the workshops established context. Some notes on session content were taken during the conference in order to better describe the sessions.

Conference promotion Effectiveness of the various means of conference promotion was evaluated based on the information participants provided on the conference registration form.

Sampling Sampling for the survey The survey participation rate is based on registration numbers. Registration for the Sizemore Youth Conference was by school, with estimated numbers of students. Ten teachers registered but 13 teacher surveys were received. With seven schools participating, it is estimated that at least two chaperones per school attended. Therefore, the teacher/chaperone attendance is estimated at 14. Online registration for the 7th Annual Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference counted 262 registrants. A few walk-ins arrived the day of the conference. Estimated attendance is, therefore, set at 270 for the sake of calculating the survey participation rate. Paper-based surveys were distributed by volunteer students and staff to all participants at the beginning of each session and collected immediately after each session. Surveys were taken to each workshop location by volunteers and collected at the end of the workshop. In this manner, all participants at the main sessions and the youth conference had the opportunity to complete surveys. For the 2015 Sizemore Conference, participants in the follow-up surveys were asked at the registration table if they were willing to complete a survey. The return rate for the 2015 follow-up survey is based on the number of participants who indicated on their registration form that they learned about the conference from previous conference attendance.

Table 1: Survey participation rates Registered Number of Return Rate in Session Surveys Percentage based received on registration Sizemore Youth Conference (attendance estimated) Student Voices Panel (Student survey) 180 159 88% Student Voices Panel (Teacher survey) 14 13 93% Jasiri X (Student survey) 180 158 88% Jasiri X (Teacher survey) 14 13 93% 7th Annual Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference Morning Plenary, Dr. Rodriguez 270 78 29% Keynote Speaker, Dr. Leslie Fenwick 270 68 25% Panel: A Father’s Voice 270 55 20% Concurrent workshops 249 148 59% Follow-Up Survey - participants in 2015 Conference 2015 Follow-up survey 71 32 45%

Sampling for conversational interviews Conversational interviews were designed for the youth participating in the youth conference. At the conference itself, two interviewers randomly sampled youth during lunch and asked if they would agree to participate. Within that timeframe it was possible to briefly talk with twenty students. For the follow-up interviews with students the collaboration of teachers was engaged. Teachers were asked during the youth conference by Canevin Center staff if they would be willing to help in the recruiting of youth for interviews at their respective schools. The goal was to conduct interviews with at least two students each at three different schools.

Data Analysis Survey results were tabulated using descriptive statistics. Open-ended comments were coded, thematically sorted, and trends and main themes identified. Interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically sorted based on emerging themes. Findings are triangulated whenever appropriate.

Potential Limitations of Evaluation Design and Implementation Surveys have a specific focus; they were designed to ascertain questions deemed most important by conference organizers. That means the questions have to focus

12 on certain experiences of conference participants and be limited to those most crucial to the intended goals of the conference. Survey findings are as representative as the degree of participation achieved. The participation rates for the Sizemore Youth Conference were very high, whereas the participation rates for the main sessions were more moderate. The workshops rates varied between a low of 38% and a high of 77%. (See Table 1: Survey participation rates.) Interviews with youth were conducted under time restraints. The lunch hour offers opportunities for brief conversations in a distracting environment. The post- conference interviews took place towards the very end of the school year when students were taking or preparing for final exams.

Evaluation Findings - Sizemore Youth Conference

The Youth Conference is the second one held in conjunction with the Annual Dr. A. Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference. Students from seven schools participated, which is two additional schools when compared to the first youth conference. Participating schools are: 1. Aliquippa Jr/Sr High School 2. Pittsburgh Barak Obama Academy for International Studies 3. Propel Braddock Hills High School 4. Holy Family Academy 5. Imani Christian Academy 6. Pittsburgh Brashear High School 7. Penn Hills High School 8. McKeesport Area High School All schools serve a student population who are, to a large extent, from minority backgrounds4.

4 For school demographics see: Pennsylvania Department of Education, DATA & STATISTICS - Enrollment Reports and Projections. Found at: http://www.education.pa.gov/Data-and-Statistics/ Holy Family Academy https://www.hfa-pgh.org/about/glance/ Imani Christian Academy http://www.imanichristianacademy.org/

Session notes The Sizemore Youth Conference featured two main presentations, a student panel in which students from area high schools spoke about their experience with studies and work in S.T.E.A.M. subject matter. The Keynote Speaker was Mr. Jasiri X, Hip Hop artist, expert in social media technology and civil rights activist. The seven youth panelists shared details on how they became interested in S.T.E.A.M. subjects and increased their knowledge in the area. This ranged from always having been interested, having inspiring teachers, and attending after-school programs to seeing the emphasis Sizemore conference organizers (Dr. Brown and Melissa Prize) gave to S.T.E.A.M. subject matter whenever they visited schools. When asked about what it requires to be engaged in S.T.E.A.M. fields they mentioned, for example, drive and interest, optimism, ability to network, and patience because experiments need to be done over and over again until everything works out as envisioned. They encouraged all to promote S.T.E.A.M. fields more. Jasiri X is a Pittsburgh-based artist and co-founder of the 1Hood Media Academy in Pittsburgh. His art and educational activities are dedicated to raising consciousness about social justice. The presentation included a number of personal stories of struggles for social justice during recent events that negatively impacted the African American community. He spoke about his art, hip hop and rap, and pointed out that the music producers encourage violent forms of this art, whereas artists might want to go in other directions. In relation to S.T.E.A.M., he highlighted the role of social media for social change and how technology enables the use of social media. Because of technology, artists can now publish their own work and be independent and not beholden to producers. He encouraged the youth to take advantage of the technology to support their own learning and for making their voices heard. The nearly 200 high school students present were very attentive during both sessions and some did ask questions during the question-and-answer time after the presentation. Around the perimeter of the room there were ten information tables hosted by community organizations, a group of students and Duquesne University entities. For Duquesne University, Admissions, Financial Aid, School of Education Instruction and

Technology Departments, Spiritan Learning Summer Institute, and Duquesne University Bayer Natural Sciences Department were represented. The University of Pittsburgh Investing NOW Engineering Program was also represented. Community organizations present were Assemble Pittsburgh, Grow Pittsburgh, and the Citizens Science Lab, based in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Grow Pittsburgh, for example, had an activity of making seed balls from seeds and clay. Students could take these home for planting. One group of students from one of the participating schools had a table where they showed a sample of their SeaPerch project5, an underwater, remote controlled vehicle that can do tasks while submerged. Students had one hour to browse the booths before the sessions began. It was observed that they did visit the booths but now exact count was taken.

Youth - surveys and interviews Surveys All surveys were designed around two major themes, one being diverse aspects of the quality of the session; the other, applicability of session content to learning, teaching, studies and careers in S.T.E.A.M. fields. The survey portion reflecting on the individual sessions used a Likert scale from 1-4, 1 being “strongly disagree” and 4, “strongly agree.” A “no opinion” option was included. A section that asked about specific ideas the overall conference gave participants that could be implemented in their schools/places of work used a “mark all that apply” approach. This section was designed to highlight direct applicability of presentation content to work. It is not a value or quality judgment of sessions. A single presentation will likely not address all areas. Rather, all have to be seen together, and together they should address the focus of the conference. A field for open-ended comments was also available.6

5 SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in an in-school or out- of-school setting. (http://www.seaperch.org/what_is) 6 See appendix A: survey instruments

The youth conference surveys had one version for students and one for teachers. The themes were essentially the same, with some minor changes in question formulation to make them applicable to the respective roles of each.

Student voices panel, quantitative survey results – students The graph summarizes the answer choices given for each question by number of participants who chose the option. Figure 1: Student voices panel; students survey: quantitative survey results by survey question N=159; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 Strongly disagree 20 Disagree 10 0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

As can be seen on the graph, a slight majority of survey participants chose the “agree” option for six of the questions, followed closely by “strongly agree” for four of the questions. For two questions the “agree” option was the dominant choice, with 90 stating that they enjoyed the panel and seventy-six finding it useful for their schoolwork. The “disagree” and “no opinion” options were chosen to a much lesser extent. At most, 34 students disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that the presentation was useful for their schoolwork. The choices clustered around “agree” or “strongly agree.”

Jasiri X, quantitative survey results – students Figure 2: Jasiri X; students survey: quantitative survey results by survey question N=158; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 140

120

100

40 Strongly disagree

20 Disagree

0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

Jasiri X’s presentation received a majority of “strongly agree” choices for five of the eight questions. Taking the agree and strongly agree options together, 150 students found that the speaker connected well with students; 148 found the presentation well organized and 150 expressed that they enjoyed the presentation. For applicability to schoolwork, future educational plans and career choices, “agree” was closely followed by the “strongly agree” choice, with a slight favor for “strongly agree.” The presentation’s being useful for school work received the highest combined “disagree” and “strongly disagree” vote (23). As survey comments show, students applied Jasiri X’s presentation to their lives in a more general way.

Specific ideas - students An additional section on the survey, referring to both presentations, asked about specific ideas the presentations gave listeners. This section had a “mark all that apply” format. 123 students marked at least one choice on this section. Figure 3: Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=158

Ways in which S.T.E.A.M. knowledge and skills affect me. Ways in which I can apply S.T.E.A.M. curricular content to real–world Ways in which S.T.E.A.M. professionals solve problems and design processes. Types of S.T.E.A.M. projects I would be able to do in my school. Ways to communicate with my teachers about S.T.E.A.M. integration. Changes that need to be made in our school to accommodate S.T.E.A.M.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

The various choices received between 50 and 80 marks, with an average of 60. Eighty survey takers marked “ways in which S.T.E.A.M. knowledge and skills affect me.” Seventy-nine participants felt that they gained some idea of the changes that need to be made in their schools to accommodate S.T.E.A.M. integration. Seventy- three received ideas on applying S.T.E.A.M. curricular content to real world problems. Sixty-six gained ideas for types of S.T.E.A.M. projects they could do in school, 64 for how to communicate with teachers about S.T.E.A.M. integration and 54 on how S.T.E.A.M. professionals design processes.

Qualitative survey results: survey comments and interviews Survey comments The students returned a total of 159 surveys for the youth panel and 158 for Jasiri X. The comments section referred to both sessions and 36 students commented. First, the sections were grouped by positive comments, negative comments, mixed comments and suggestions. The core themes are general praise, inspiration, and knowledge gained about opportunities, other people’s views, use of social media and the importance of S.T.E.A.M. General praise was given for the overall youth conference with comments such as: − The event was very inspiring and the session was very presentable − I liked the session; it was very meaningful and inspiring − It was nice having a good speaker for younger people Both Jasiri X and the youth panel received specific positive comments in which commentators mentioned the session by name. Students found Jasiri X very inspiring. It was observed that students were engaged and enjoyed themselves. Students mentioned the inspiration they gained as illustrated in this comment: I really loved the videos/PowerPoints, as well as Jasiri X’s presentation. It was really well put together and made me think, not just about myself and my future, but of the world around me. Students remarked about the knowledge they gained from both presenters and information regarding “opportunities that are out there for us youth” in S.T.E.A.M. fields. One enjoyed learning about other peoples’ experiences with S.T.E.A.M. and another realized the importance of S.T.E.A.M., thanks to the conference. One student in particular was impressed with the description of the use of social media to spread ideas and arts. It was remarked that there was not much about engagement in S.T.E.A.M. and how to build a career in it. Although enjoying the program, two felt that it was not relevant to their personal career aspirations as captured by this quote:

The program was very nice, but I would like to go to school for other things than science. I am interested in physical therapy, counseling and maybe pursue into business. Suggestions were given for conference improvement, specifically: − Student panel needed more advance preparation − More job information − Tie sessions together thematically − Engage students more − Speakers be more engaging Additional suggestions that would be beyond the scope of the conference were also given. These are: − We should have science fairs at every school for every grade to be a part of. The table here had a great way of showing how kids can try new things. − S.T.E.A.M. needs to be presented more in schools, so more schools can be recognized. In summary, most comments were positive, included some concrete suggestions and showed that students related what was said to their personal aspirations and concerns. One student wrote this rap in the comment section: Black lives matter so just let me chatter about this matter because cops are out there beating us well like it doesn’t matter but that ain’t cool so I really want to take these cops to school cause there’s a rule for cops.

Interviews during the conference Twenty-three students were briefly interviewed during lunchtime after the youth conference presentations, sixteen individually and the remainder in groups of two or three. Twenty students explicitly stated that they gained a new perspective, and an additional eleven also stated that, as a result of what they heard, they now want to get engaged with S.T.E.A.M. Mostly they remarked that previously they had not

20 known that much about S.T.E.M. and S.T.E.A.M. but due to the presentations they now have a better understanding, as this student’s remark illustrates: The presentations, basically, just opened my eyes to the different careers and the different things you can do with the ‘S.T.E.A.M.’ careers. I didn’t realize the different options and different careers you could go into but the presentation definitely opened my eyes to what you can do. Participants used terms such as “feeling more comfortable with S.T.E.A.M. fields,” “more interested” and “see more opportunities now.” They realized that they can seek help in the community in order to learn more about getting into S.T.E.A.M. fields. Students made connections to their own schooling experience and remarked that all schools should put greater emphasis on S.T.E.A.M. Several told of specific experiences at their respective schools. One related how a school raised funds for a 3-D printer; another described a tech wing for graphic arts, automotive engineering and construction. One student mentioned involvement in a program called SeaPerch, the previously described underwater robotics project. Several students were particularly pleased with the integration of the arts because they want to pursue the arts in some way in their careers as expressed by one student: I think they are focused a lot more about art and me being an artist and an animator, it made me feel good that they added art, that they made it S.T.E.A.M.; I like that. I animate and I draw and finally they include me; it’s yeah! Engagement in S.T.E.A.M. was perceived in diverse ways. Most expressed general interest in studying or working in S.T.E.A.M. fields. A few already had very specific ideas, which included physician or forensic investigator. All participants were positive, expressed their interest and stated that they gained new insights.

Post conference interviews with students In order to gain a deeper understanding of the students’ conference experience and takeaway from the conference, interviews with two to three students at each of the three participating schools were scheduled to take place after the conference. All

21 together, seven students participated for twenty minutes each, on average. The teacher or principal recruited the students at each school and interviews took place mainly during their lunch breaks or study periods. Students were in 9th, 10th or 11th grades. As for demographics, six students were African American and one white. Participation was voluntary and it was explained that any identifying information would be removed from the recorded interviews in the process of summarizing the data. The interviews were conversational in nature and revolved around how the conference changed their thinking about involvement in S.T.E.A.M. fields, what specific impact the various presentations had, concrete takeaways, opportunities students see and needs they have. For context, students were also asked about their familiarity with the S.T.E.A.M. concept and the S.T.E.A.M. learning experiences they had.

Familiarity with the concept of S.T.E.A.M. Students learned about the meaning of S.T.E.A.M. at their schools, typically two or three years ago. Their understanding varied. Connecting arts to S.T.E.M. was new for most and science and math were dominant in their conceptualization of S.T.E.M./ S.T.E.A.M. The conference helped them see connections among the fields, as this student expressed: Definitely I would say so because from the presentation you’ve seen that you needed some part of technology to understand the arts, mathematics to understand the arts; engineering, sciences and so on and that goes vice versa with everything. (School B, S1) A few concerns about college and college funding in connection with studying S.T.E.A.M. were voiced. Overall, students mentioned that their conceptualization of S.T.E.M./ S.T.E.A.M. had grown over the years. Understanding of the interconnectedness of the various fields differed but the conference did add clarifications.

Experiences with the learning of S.T.E.A.M. fields S.T.E.A.M. curricular content is, of course, taught at all schools and is familiar to students. The question, rather, is the depth of the teaching and active learning and integrated approach. Students mentioned field trips to the Carnegie Science Center and projects connected to those trips; they mentioned game design and writing computer code and described some imaginative ways their teacher helped them recall mathematical formulas. They reflected on gaps they still have and knowledge they still need to acquire if they want to pursue their chosen careers in, for example, biology, should they choose a medical career. The examples given were illustrative and do not mirror their entire S.T.E.M./ S.T.E.A.M. learning experience. Based on these remarks, it can be understood that students brought prior learning about S.T.E.M./ S.T.E.A.M. and the meaning of those acronyms to the conference.

Change in thinking about involvement in S.T.E.A.M. fields The conference itself deepened their desire to engage in S.T.E.A.M. fields. With the exception of one student who already had a clear goal of becoming a lawyer and one 9th grader who was undecided, students envisioned careers for themselves that were, to some degree or another, related to S.T.E.A.M. fields. For example, dentistry, accounting and engineering were mentioned. Even though their career choices might have been already in the direction of S.T.E.A.M. fields, they did feel that the conference gave them a confirmation, motivated them further and helped them to focus their plans, as expressed in one student’s comment: “It really just cemented my high desire to study in a S.T.E.A.M. field even further; I was already planning to do so from the start” (School B, S1). They also saw connections among fields, such as the student who planned to become a lawyer and saw the need for knowledge of forensics. Students, referring to the panel “Student Voices,” appreciated seeing peers speak of their personal stories and could relate to that. The conference also had an impact on looking at colleges, as illustrated by the comment of one 10th grader:

Well it kind of made me want to get started and looking at colleges early and like finding out about my job career cause a lot of the kids were my age and they had already planned out their job careers and stuff (School A, S1) In summary, they mentioned increased motivation, receiving that “extra push” (School B, S2) and being able to focus their goals.

Needs When asked about support they need to advance towards S.T.E.A.M. fields, hands-on experience was mentioned. Students saw internships and similar real world exposure as a good way to learn more about the various fields, as is illustrated by the opinion of one of the students: There should definitely be more like internships and more kind of workshops for people even younger than us probably like starting from maybe eighth grade or ninth grade, just an opportunity for kids our age to get experience, so that they have an idea of what they want to do, there needs to be more advertising of it too. … Yeah they’re hard to find…(School B S2) Knowing about how to finance college was mentioned as a need. Also, acquiring certain specific knowledge that relates to the envisioned career was seen as a necessity.

Opportunities Students had general ideas about the opportunities that exist in terms of programs of studies. Some concrete information came from the information tables. For example: … there were a lot of booths for colleges there and I met one fellow he told me about someone on a Board who was here and who is a doctor. So he told me to introduce myself to him; so it just opened me up to even more opportunities. (School A, S1) The panel also offered some ideas, as illustrated by this remark: One young lady that was up there on the panel she talked about how her mom was a police-officer and her mom was going back to school and so she had like made me realize you don’t only have to put one mindset on things, you could become

something earlier in life and you could actually switch courses later in life and you could tie both of them together. (School C, P1) Students saw opportunities; they also realized, due to possible competitiveness, that engaging in them may take some initiative..

Likes Students unanimously liked the conference. One, in particular, was impressed by the opening remarks of a faculty member: Yeah, she was talking about Maya [Angelou] and Malcolm X. I remember, she quoted – I just can’t remember her name. … she like inspired me to keep on the road that I’m going because … she was an inspiring figure to me (School A, S1). Jasri X’s presentation gave students material to think about as illustrated in this remark: I really like the [Jasiri X presentation] too because it showed us how our music industries were like being run … . 2 Chainz he actually has a degree and he’s really smart but he’s rapping about stuff even though he has a degree. Like instead of bragging about them having degrees and out of school, college and all that but involved in drugs and sex and all of that, it’s really like giving the kids our age the wrong message. (School A, S2) Students felt that Jasiri X’s session was motivational, not just towards S.T.E.A.M. but also life in general. Jasiri X received praise in many ways but the student panel was also very much appreciated because hearing from peers is more relatable than merely hearing from adults.

Suggestions Conference-specific suggestions included seeing examples of work, be it artwork or students’ bringing examples of scientific work and having some representation of all the different science fields, plus more hands-on experiences. It was also observed that nowadays there is a lot of emphasis on music but there is much more out there that students need to become familiar with as career options.

Teacher surveys The surveys given to accompanying teachers at the youth conference asked about session quality in the same manner as the survey for the youth. The difference lay in the applicability, with questions focused on usefulness for lesson and course planning and preparing students for S.T.E.A.M. fields.

Quantitative Survey results

Student voices panel Out of the estimated fourteen teachers and chaperones accompanying the youth, thirteen returned surveys. The graph below summarizes the number of times a level of agreement to the various statements was chosen. Figure 4: Student voices panel; teacher survey: quantitative survey results by survey question N=13; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 12

4 Strongly disagree 2 Disagree

0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

The panel was well received, with between seven and ten participants strongly agreeing with the first four statements that directly evaluate the quality of the panel. “Strongly agree” was also chosen most frequently for “ideas for my teaching

26 methods” and “prepare students for S.T.E.A.M. careers.” Overall, the choices clustered around “agree” or “strongly agree” for all statements. Two disagreed with the statements “speakers connected well with students” and “the panel helped me prepare students for steam careers.” In addition, three statements received one disagreement each, as seen in the graph above.

Jasiri X Figure 5: Jasiri X; teacher survey: quantitative survey results by survey question N=13; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 14

4 Strongly disagree

2 Disagree

0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

The presentation by Jasiri X was received overwhelmingly positively. Of the thirteen participants who returned the survey, twelve enjoyed the presentation and one did not. One other disagreement was expressed for “supporting materials helped my learning.” Other than that, all choices were either “agree” or “strongly agreed,” with a few expressions of “no opinion”.

Specific ideas - teachers Teachers also completed the additional section on the survey that asked if they had generated any work-specific ideas based on both presentations.

Figure 6: Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=13

Ways in which S.T.E.A.M. knowledge and skills affect my students. Ways in which I can help my students to apply S.T.E.A.M. curricular content to Ways in which S.T.E.A.M. professionals solve problems and design processes. Types of S.T.E.A.M. projects I would be able to do in my school. Ways to plan S.T.E.A.M. integration with my colleagues. Changes that need to be made in our school to accommodate S.T.E.A.M.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

According to the results, five out of thirteen teachers found the presentations to be useful for finding ways to apply S.T.E.A.M. curricular content to real-world problems. On the low end, only one teacher found ideas for the way professionals solve problems and design processes. Three or four teachers, respectively, applied the other four options to their take away learning, as seen in the graph above.

Qualitative survey results from comments

Seven of the thirteen survey responses included written comments. The inspirational nature of Jasiri X’s presentation was appreciated, as well as how powerful and passionate he is about his work. It was remarked that the only missing element was an actual rap performance. One observed that Jasiri X related well to the students. Another simply stated: “Very well done, thank you!” A suggestion was to include team building among the different participating schools and more active learning.

Conclusion The quantitative survey questions, open ended comments on surveys and the brief lunch-time interviews, taken together, make clear that participants overwhelmingly appreciated the conference and gained considerable new insights. Students mainly mentioned that they now have a clearer understanding of the concept of S.T.E.A.M. and how the S.T.E.A.M. fields relate to their personal life. They expressed greater motivation to get into S.T.E.A.M. fields and appreciated the integration of the arts into science fields. Teachers saw more options for bringing S.T.E.A.M. fields into their schools and to the students.

Evaluation Findings - Sizemore Summer Conference The summary of findings for the 7th Annual Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference includes an analysis of how participants learned about the conference, how each session was perceived and how applicable they deemed the session to be to their work, to urban education and social justice issues. Participants completed surveys for the three plenary sessions and ten concurrent workshops. The three plenary sessions were given by Dr. Louie Rodriguez, of the University of California, San Bernardino; Dr. Leslie Fenwick, Dean, Howard University School of Education; and a panel entitled "A Father's Voice: Supporting Children's STEAM Interest."7 In addition, participants from last year’s conference were surveyed to ascertain the extent to which they could integrate last year’s takeaway from the conference into their teaching or other educational activities over time.

Conference promotion The following categories were available on the drop-down menu integrated in the registration web page. They are seen here with the number of participants who learned about the conference through the respective medium: Table 2: Conference promotion Previous Newspaper Promotional Word of Conference Website Other Advertisement Flyer Mouth Attendance 0 71 8 12 86 85

Word of mouth had the greatest impact on conference attendance, followed by Other and Previous Conference Attendance. No one learned about the conference through the newspaper, hence newspaper advertising is likely an unnecessary expense. Instead, Online Communication/Social Media and Workplace could be additional potentially useful categories. This assumption is based on 2015 conference evaluation data for which the other category yielded descriptors, the majority of which were “at work” and “through e-mail”.

7 For workshop topics see Appendix B

Morning Plenary Speaker: Dr. Louie Rodriguez, University of California, San Bernadino Dr. Louie Rodríguez’s presentation reflected his work and research experience in urban education. The presentation included issues of student voices in school change and examples and strategies to boost student engagement and achievement. He focused on community context and the importance of making teaching and learning relevant to the community experience of the students. He emphasized that it is important to build on the expertise of students and bring that into the teaching- learning process. As an example, he shared the story of a student who was an expert on bicycles and could share this in school, which in turn helped him to develop a related career.

Quantitative survey results Of the 270 registered conference participants, 76 completed the survey for the presentation by Dr. Louie Rodriguez. The majority were teachers; the professional roles given are: Table 3: Professional roles - Dr. Rodriguez presentation Professional Role (PR) N Teachers 28 School Administrator 14 Student 5 University Faculty 2 Other 27 Total 76

Participants completed five questions; three of these referred to the quality of the presentation and two to the relevancy of S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning and social justice in education respectively.

Figure 7: Dr. Rodriguez - quantitative survey results by survey question N=76; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 70 60 50 40 30 20 Strongly disagree 10 Disagree 0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

As the chart illustrates, the items referring to the overall quality of the presentation and the relevancy for social justice in education received high approval ratings, with 65 and 66 strongly agreeing to the two items respectively. Relevancy for S.T.E.A.M. in urban education received 42 strong agreements and 22 agreements. Overall, the choices clustered around “agree” or “strongly agree,” with one strong disagreement on all statements except The speaker(s) showed skill in engaging participants in discussions. All items received some disagreement, ranging from one to five participants voicing disagreement.

In addition to the above statements, participants were asked if the presentation gave them ideas for aspects of their work. In this case, participants were asked to mark all that apply. Of the 76 returned surveys, 63 had some items marked on this part. The results are summarized in the chart:

Figure 8: Dr. Rodriguez - Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=76

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that connects to the real-life experiences of my students. S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that has applications in the real world. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods withprofessional problem solving and design processes. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are learner- centered. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry- based. Creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all. Creating equitable S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities for learners. Promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. ields.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

The greatest number of respondents (29) stated that they received ideas for creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all. The fewest (6) chose S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry-based. All others varied between fifteen and twenty-seven, as can be seen in the chart above. These choices reflect the focus of the presentation and are not meant to be a value judgment by participants.

Qualitative survey results Thirty-four of the survey participants left comments in the open-ended comment box. General praise was given, with expressions of appreciation such as “excellent presentation,” “brilliant and inspiring,” “encouraging,” “practical” and “informal,” among others. More specific comments related to the education system, diversity and equity, ideas received, connections to S.T.E.A.M. and seeking out publications by the speaker.

References to the education system and working in schools and with students highlighted the applicability of what was said. For example: As someone who works within the community I love the fact you see how schools are a large part of the community and how strong schools can help with community development and revitalization!! Thank you! Survey participants appreciated Dr. Rodriguez’ explanation of the teaching practice of using local history to encourage students, along with having student’s voices incorporated into the teaching-learning process. Participants saw the relevance of his talk to urban education even though, as some stated, the connection to S.T.E.A.M. was not at the core of the presentation: S.T.E.A.M. was not the major focus of his presentation - yet I was truly motivated and engaged in this excellent presentation. I will take all this information back to my school principal to create measurable change. Participants appreciated the speaker’s analysis of the “struggles to diversify and make sure our schools gain access to equal opportunities.” Several stated that they will buy his book and look into his other publications. One wished that the referenced book had been for sale at the conference. The desire to receive a copy of his PowerPoint presentation was also expressed.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Leslie Fenwick, Dean, Howard University School of Education Dr. Fenwick’s presentation recast research on African Americans from that of a deficit angle to one of having made great contributions. She pointed out that schools are closed more often in poor than in affluent neighborhoods and the schemes created for neighborhood revitalization are disconnected from community and children. She highlighted discrepancies in commonly held assumptions about African Americans in the United States versus the actual numbers, using statistics to demonstrate that many published statistics about African Americans are erroneous. For example, it is often stated that more African American males are in prison than in college. Actually, she stated, while too many are in prison, a greater number are in

34 college. In addition, Dr. Fenwick said that African American students are more likely than whites or Asians to choose computer science as a field of study. Despite that, the fact that African Americans are underrepresented in the technology industry is due to hiring practices. She described several initiatives Howard University and other historically black universities and colleges (HBCU) have undertaken to improve hiring practices in the technology industry.

Quantitative survey results Of the 270 registered conference participants, 68 returned the survey for the presentation by Dr. Leslie Fenwick. The majority marked “Other,” followed by “Teachers.” The professional roles given are: Table 4: Professional roles - Dr. Fenwick presentation Professional Role (PR) N Teachers 21 School Administrator 8 Student 8 University Faculty 3 Other 28 Total 68

The chart below features agreements or disagreements by item. Figure 9: Dr. Fenwick - quantitative survey results by survey question N=68; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 60

20 Strongly disagree

10 Disagree Agree 0 Strongly agree No opinion

Dr. Fenwick’s presentation was rated highest for its relevancy to issues of social justice in education (51 “strongly agree”). This is followed by relevancy for integrating S.T.E.A.M. in urban education and overall quality of the presentation (42 strong agreements on both). There was a high number (32) of “no opinion” responses for supporting materials. As the comments illustrate, the lack of visuals for the statistics was seen as a drawback. Disagreements, calculated as the summary of “strongly disagree” and “disagree,” ranged from five to nine. Nine participants did not find the quality of presentation high; eight did not see the speaker as skilled in engaging participants. Six found that supporting materials did not add to learning. Nine saw no relevancy for integrating S.T.E.A.M. in urban education, with five expressing that view for issues of social justice. Overall choices cluster around “agree” and “strongly agree.”

The second portion of the survey asked about ideas received for aspects of professionals’ work. Of the 68 completed surveys received for Dr. Fenwick’s presentation, 43 marked at least one item on this portion. Figure 10: Dr. Fenwick - Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=68

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that connects to the real-life experiences of my students S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that has applications in the real world S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods with professional problem solving and design processes S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are learner- centered S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry- based Creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all Creating equitable S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities for learners Promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. ield

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Based on Dr. Fenwick’s presentation, 29 participants reported receiving ideas for promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. fields. On the lower end, seven each marked “S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods with professional problem solving and design processes” or “S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry-based.” Between eight and 24 participants marked each of the remaining statements, as can be seen in the chart above.

Qualitative survey results Forty-two comments were found in the open comment section of the session survey. General praise was given with expressions such as, “helpful,” “very eye-opening presentation,” “very engaging,” “excellent session,” “very timely, “appropriate for the conference,” and “Fenwick was amazing.”

The statistics given were highly appreciated by most. For example, it was remarked that “…the focus on challenging stereotypes using statistics was a powerful approach. It can form an effective rationale to argue for equitable change”. There was, though, some discomfort expressed by one participant who “… didn’t appreciate all the white comparisons. I think it made both groups feel uncomfortable”. The need for paying attention to diversity in education was expressed several times in various ways. It was observed that “data … will bolster and inform future discourse on the subject of diversity in education” and that the lecture “did get to the heart of the matter of Urban Education, HBCUs [historically black colleges and universities] and STEM” and that it “…also raised awareness of the importance of HBCUs and training people of color to become teachers”. While the statistics were seen as quite helpful to dispel stereotypes or myths, especially about African American males, the connection to what educators can do to change the situation needs to be explored more. One participant remarked that s/he “…was disappointed with the lack of connections to how I can make a difference” and another asked “… how do you get minorities to apply for teaching in a non-minority school district”? Overall, the information was appreciated and deemed valuable and pertinent, only the lack of visuals to support the detailed statistics was seen as a disadvantage for retaining the information.

Panel - "A Father's Voice: Supporting Children's S.T.E.A.M. Interest" The panel was moderated by Mr. Mark Brentley, Former Pittsburgh School Board President and Founder of Pittsburgh Public School’s (PPS) Take Your Father to School Day. According to the conference program, the panel members were fathers of local urban S.T.E.A.M. students. Panelists spoke about their personal experiences in getting more involved in their children’s learning and volunteering at the schools. They highlighted the importance of men getting more involved in education and their children’s schooling in general and in relation to the study of S.T.E.A.M. fields.

Quantitative survey results Of the 270 registered conference participants 55 returned the survey for panel. The majority marked “Other,” followed by “teachers.” The professional roles given are:

Table 5: Professional roles - A Father's Voice panel Professional Role (PR) N Teachers 19 School Administrator 7 Student 2 University Faculty 5 Other 22 Total 55

The chart below shows agreements or disagreements by item. Figure 11: Panel - A Father's Voice - quantitative survey results by survey question N=55; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion

40 35 30 25 20 15 Strongly disagree 10 Disagree 5 Agree 0 Strongly agree No opinion

Analyzing the chart above, some key observations are that the majority (37) of survey participants strongly agreed that the quality of the panel was very high and an additional fifteen agreed. One strongly disagreed. Forty-nine either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that the presentation was relevant for issues of social justice in education. This was followed by 48 who either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that the speaker(s) showed skill in engaging participants in discussions. The relevancy for integrating S.T.E.A.M. in urban education was seen as a less strong feature of the presentation with 39 either agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statement. A high number of participants (27) did not give an opinion on supporting materials since the item did not apply outright to the format of the panel. This second portion of the survey again asked about ideas received for aspects of professionals’ work. Of the 55 completed surveys received for the panel, 42 marked at least one item on this portion.

Figure 12: A Father's Voice panel - Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=55

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that connects to the real-life experiences of my students.

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that has applications in the real world. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that incorporate professional problem solving and design processes. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are learner- centered.

S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry- based.

Creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all.

Creating equitable S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities for learners.

Promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. ields.

0 5 10 15

Twelve participants felt that they received ideas for creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all, followed by 11 choices for S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that connects to the real-life experiences of their students and applications to the real world. Ten found ideas for promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. fields. The remaining three choices were marked to a lesser degree, as can be seen in the chart above.

Qualitative survey results The panel received positive comments and praise, with expressions such as “outstanding - mind, heart, and spirit,” “all the fathers were stellar,” and “excellent, dynamic panel,” among others. Participants found the presenters to be “real” and share their real life stories, as illustrated by this comment:

Loved how genuine and real the men were with their personal stories; really enjoyed learning from their perspectives; generation stories right from Pittsburgh too; such a refreshing and enjoyable way to end the day - held my attention more than any other presentation - LOVED IT! The example the men gave of getting involved in their children’s schools and education was highly appreciated. It was suggested that the men and their activities be promoted as an example for others. The panel was very well received, as all the comments, without exceptions, demonstrate. There were a couple of suggestions. One was to make the connection to S.T.E.A.M. clearer and more relevant and the other to have a shorter panel followed by breakout discussion groups.

Concurrent Workshops - Findings for all workshops Quantitative data for all workshops combined Ten concurrent, 90-minute workshops were offered during the conference. Seven of them focused directly on S.T.E.A.M. topics, one wove the S.T.E.A.M. themes into larger issues of cultural responsiveness, while two others addressed race and mental health. All-together, 249 conference participants registered for the workshops. Attendance per workshop was capped at thirty. One hundred forty-eight participants completed the surveys, a 59% rate of return. A breakdown of topics with registration numbers and number of surveys returned is seen here in table. Table 6: Rate of return of surveys per workshop 7th Annual Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference - Workshops Registered Number of Return Rate in Session Surveys Percentage based received on registration 1. Science for Educators 16 6 38% 2. Technology for Educators 23 12 52% 3. Engineering for Educators 16 6 38% 4. Culturally Responsive Education 30 23 77% 5. Differential Instruction 30 22 73% 6. Racial Micro-aggressions 30 14 47% 7. Encouraging Creativity 30 22 73% 8. Investigating Across the Curriculum 26 10 38% 9. Math (STEM) 18 10 56% 10. Trauma and Mental Illness 30 23 77% Total 249 148 59%

A summary of survey ratings and responses is seen in the chart below8. Figure 13: Concurrent workshops - quantitative survey results by survey question N=148; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion 140 120 100 80 60 40 Strongly disagree 20 Disagree 0 Agree Strongly agree No opinion

One hundred forty-eight either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “The overall quality of the presentation was high.” Three disagreed or strongly disagreed. One hundred forty-four found that the speakers showed skill in engaging participants in discussions and two did not. One hundred thrity-four found that the supporting materials (e.g. handouts, resources) added to their learning, while two did not. One hundred twenty-seven found presentations relevant for integrating S.T.E.A.M. in urban education, while 10 did not. The numbers regarding relevancy for integrating S.T.E.A.M. need to be understood with the premise that two workshops were outside the scope of S.T.E.A.M. teaching and learning but were very well received and proved to be important topics, as can be seen in the disaggregated data in Appendix B. Lastly, 131 participants found the workshops relevant for issues of social justice in education, while seven did not. In summary, the workshops

8 For detailed results by workshop please see Appendix B

43 received high approval ratings. The quality was judged as high and the presenters as skilled. The survey for the concurrent workshops also featured a second part asking about ideas received for aspects of professionals’ work. Below is a summary chart for all workshops combined. Appendix B contains individual workshop results.

Figure 14: Concurrent workshops - Specific ideas the presentations gave listeners; mark “all that apply” format. N=148

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that connects to the real-life experiences of my students.

S.T.E.A.M. curricular content that has applications in the real world. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods withprofessional problem solving and design processes. S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are learner-centered.

S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry-based.

Creating organizational change to foster S.T.E.A.M. learning for all.

Creating equitable S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities for learners.

Promoting diverse individuals towards S.T.E.A.M. ields.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Regarding ideas received, the markings ranged from 54 to 76. “S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are inquiry based” received the lowest marking. “Creating equitable S.T.E.A.M. learning opportunities for learners” was on par with “S.T.E.A.M. teaching methods that are learner-centered,” being the highest, marked by 76 participants each.

Qualitative survey results A detailed list of comments for each individual workshop can be found in Appendix B. In general, participants expressed praise for each and every workshop, gave a few suggestions and expressed some minor misgivings.

Follow-up Survey for the 2015 conference Participants who had identified themselves as having attended the 6th Annual Barbara Sizemore Summer Conference were asked at the registration desk to complete a follow-up survey. Of the 71 who had identified themselves as such, 32 completed the survey. The survey questions focused on diverse aspects of teaching and working with students. A comments section encouraged participants to share examples they see as being illustrative of the conference’s influence. Figure 15: Follow-up Survey for 2015 conference - quantitative survey results by survey question N= 32; survey scale: 1-4, with 1=strongly disagree and 4=strongly agree; 0=no opinion

10 Strongly disagree Disagree 8 Agree 6 Strongly agree 4 No opinion 2

The question was whether attendance at the 2015 conference helped participants to better assure that certain practices were implemented. Summarizing “disagree” and

“strongly disagree” choices, and also “agree” and “strongly agree” choices, 27 participants found that they improved connecting curricular content to their students’ diverse backgrounds; five did not. Twenty-four found that they motivate their students more equitably towards higher order thinking; eight did not. A better accommodation of diverse learning styles was achieved by twenty-five participants; seven did not see that outcome. Twenty-six participants stated that behavioral challenges are now resolved in a more just and equitable manner; six did not see this in their practice. Twenty-four participants observed behavioral challenges being resolved in a more positive and supportive manner; seven did not and one had no opinion on this issue. Participants did not share any anecdotes or illustrative examples on their surveys. In summary, the survey results show that the 2015 conference had some impact on educational practices. The trend is towards agreeing to positive changes around better catering to diverse learners, being culturally responsive, challenging students’ intellectual capabilities towards higher order thinking and dealing with behavioral issues in a more constructive manner. This is the first time that a follow-up survey for a previous conference was conducted. These data would have to be collected over consecutive years to see if the trend is confirmed.

Recommendations

Youth Conference General suggestions As survey results demonstrate, the youth conference was overwhelmingly well received. A few suggestions were given for more hands-on learning, structured interactive time where schools can meet and mix, and more information about individual S.T.E.A.M. fields. Information tables The tables were visited by students but, based on some interview comments, they might not have been fully taken advantage of. Strategies for promoting the tables

47 could be designed. Table representatives could be contacted for feedback and suggestions. Follow-up interviews The follow-up interviews were just a beginning to explore student’s thoughts around the themes addressed by the conference, options they see for themselves for engaging in S.T.E.A.M. fields and things that need to change in educational settings to give them more support. The recruitment of participants was hampered by the time available for interviews. The two-week period following the conference was the end of the school year, graduation week for seniors and final exams time for younger students. A recommendation is to follow up in the new school year with available and interested students and teachers in order to jointly explore possibilities for future engagement.

Sizemore Summer Conference As survey results indicate, the Sizemore Summer Conference was very well received. A few suggestions for adjustments can be concluded from the results. Promotion Change categories; drop newspaper and add social media/e-mail and workplace. Presentations Ask presenters to have supporting materials, such as visuals or handouts. There were requests for being able to buy a recent publication of one of the presenters on- site at the conference. (See comments, Fenwick and Rodriguez presentations) Continue the discourse on inequalities based on race, institutionalized racism and practical ways to address it in educational settings (see comments, Fenwick presentation) Workshops Some perceived 90 minutes as being insufficient time. There were also requests for being able to attend several workshops. That means that the same workshop rotations would need to be offered twice during the day, if deemed advisable.