Abstract:

Morehouse College Innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Explore (MC-iSTEM-Xe) Strategy Project engaged underrepresented minority students in grades 6 through 10 in a long-term (3 year) STEM program that bridged students from middle school to high school. MC-iSTEM-Xe included a four-week Summer component, Hands-on Field Experience, and Saturday Academy during the academic year. A project-based framework designed to provide underrepresented minority students with challenging technological learning experiences utilizing entrepreneurial concepts were implemented to promote academic success in middle school and high school to prepare students academically to attend post-secondary institution. One objective of the program was to introduce students to the innovation design process underlying STEM based problem solving in a real-world project-based context as part of the innovation course. Students were challenged to find solutions that were economically possible and viable for business adoption. Students engaged in critical thinking by brainstorming, gathering pertinent background information, drafting hypothesis, analyzing potential solutions, testing hypothesis, and recommending solutions. For the initial project, students identified a problem in the community regarding sound, using innovative tools to develop demos and prototypes to address the issue (e.g., hearing device for those who are hearing impaired). In an effort to understand the COVID-19 virus and its impact on the Black communities, students used the Design Thinking Process to develop prototypes of solutions that would allow them to return to the classroom in a safe environment. Students presented the findings of their prototype solutions using an online museum format. In the second project, students studied the Chemistry of Baking and created a collaborative cookbook featuring custom cookies based on the result of research of dietary restrictions and health disparities within their immediate families and community. Over the Summer 2021, students examined climate change and sustainability data. This project was designed to investigate these phenomena with a focus on single-use plastics and their impacts on vulnerable populations. Students produced news segments about single use plastics in the context of the community dependency on plastics and offered solutions to reduce or eliminate plastic dependency. Students reported high levels of STEM self-efficacy in Science, Math, Technology, Problem Solving and Innovation. Students also reported high levels of confidence in collaboration, and team building skills. Students were evaluated at the end of each term indicating how much they agreed or disagreed with statements in each of the focused competency areas on a Likert scale from Strongly Agree=5 to Strongly Disagree=1. Scores were well above the neutral point (3.0) demonstrating that they agreed with statements.

Keywords:

Project-Based learning, STEM Education, Innovation, Secondary Education, Minority Students.