Impact of a university-based electrical and computer engineering summer program for high school students

Professional societies and industry have called for new approaches to engineering education that will produce more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers, while encouraging the development of aneducational climate that will foster the goal of achieving STEM literacy for all. University-based researchers designed and implemented a summer highschool electrical and computer engineering camp to address a major challenge in the U.S.-the needtobuild awareness and excitement for engineering career paths among secondary students. Pre- and post-surveys were administered to assess students' knowledge and science self-concept. The quantitative data collection (N=38) measured baseline proficiency variables, such as knowledge of the subject matter, along with social cognitive variables such as academic self-efficacy, goal orientation, and confidence. Students demonstrated significant gains in engineering knowledge and confidence. They related engineering principles to their everyday lives, learned about engineering careers from faculty and working engineers, and became more knowledgeable about engineering theory and skills as a result of participating in authentic tasks. This study provides a replicable model for innovative engineering learning, as well as collecting and interpreting data on program effectiveness.