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Enhancing Student Learning through Facilitating Informal Programs

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Title: Enhancing Student Learning through Facilitating Informal Programs
Language: English
Authors: Jonathan D. Perry, Carlee Garrett, Jonan P. Donaldson, Tatiana L. Erukhimova
Source: Journal of STEM Outreach. 2025 8(1).
Availability: Journal of STEM Outreach. PMB 0367, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203. e-mail: jstemoutreach@vanderbilt.edu; Web site: https://www.jstemoutreach.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)
Contract Number: 2214493
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Universities, Graduate Students, Science Education, Physics, Outreach Programs, Informal Education, Self Concept, Information Dissemination, Student Attitudes, Professional Identity, Sense of Belonging, Student Participation
Geographic Terms: Texas
ISSN: 2576-6767
Abstract: There is growing evidence in literature that university students who facilitate informal outreach programs enrich their educational experience through building their scientific identity, sense of belonging to the community, and important career skills. These features are shown to potentially help with students' persistence in STEM majors and retention efforts. In this study, we explored self-reported student experiences and perceptions of their learning due to their facilitation of informal physics outreach programs. We identified important themes related to students' learning in 35 interviews with undergraduate and graduate students who facilitated at least one out of five informal physics outreach programs at a large, public university. These findings were based on multiple learning theories with a deductive coding process. Through a network analysis with a clustering algorithm, we identified three distinct clusters of themes which we termed: disciplinary learning, internal development, and external engagement. These clusters exhibit ideas centered on developing knowledge and skills directly related to physics, transformation of students' perceptions of themselves and their place relative to the discipline, and authentic dialogic communication with the general public and peers. Statistically significant links between the clusters suggest that the rich learning experience of STEM students who facilitate informal outreach programs rests on the interconnectedness of these themes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1489444
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Journal of STEM Outreach. PMB 0367, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203. e-mail: jstemoutreach@vanderbilt.edu; Web site: https://www.jstemoutreach.org/
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  Data: There is growing evidence in literature that university students who facilitate informal outreach programs enrich their educational experience through building their scientific identity, sense of belonging to the community, and important career skills. These features are shown to potentially help with students' persistence in STEM majors and retention efforts. In this study, we explored self-reported student experiences and perceptions of their learning due to their facilitation of informal physics outreach programs. We identified important themes related to students' learning in 35 interviews with undergraduate and graduate students who facilitated at least one out of five informal physics outreach programs at a large, public university. These findings were based on multiple learning theories with a deductive coding process. Through a network analysis with a clustering algorithm, we identified three distinct clusters of themes which we termed: disciplinary learning, internal development, and external engagement. These clusters exhibit ideas centered on developing knowledge and skills directly related to physics, transformation of students' perceptions of themselves and their place relative to the discipline, and authentic dialogic communication with the general public and peers. Statistically significant links between the clusters suggest that the rich learning experience of STEM students who facilitate informal outreach programs rests on the interconnectedness of these themes.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outreach Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Informal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Information Dissemination
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional Identity
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      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
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      – SubjectFull: Student Participation
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Enhancing Student Learning through Facilitating Informal Programs
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