A series of environmentally focused outreach activities for middle school students was designed to engender interest in science and positively impact students’ attitudes toward science from within the classroom.  The program included three, multi-day outreach units in which students measured phosphate concentrations in local waters, investigated soil health and biodiversity by testing soil nutrients and culturing soil bacteria, and explored solar energy by determining the optimal solar panel angle for summer and winter sun positions. Hands-on learning, local relevance, authentic experiences, and interactions with scientific mentors were emphasized in the program design. Each unit was supported by presentations from community partners to highlight local relevance and science careers.  Over 350 eighth grade students from a public school in northern Minnesota participated.  The student population consisted of 18% Native American students and 46% of all students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.  The program was assessed in a pre-post design using the BRAINS (Behaviors, Related Attitudes, and Intentions toward Science) survey instrument that evaluated attitudinal changes across the subscales of behavioral beliefs, attitude toward the behavior, normative beliefs, control beliefs and behavioral intention.  These subscales link to the components of theories of reasoned -action and planned behavior (TRAPB) and can be used to predict behavior, such as pursuing science in the future.  Quantitative analysis indicated no significant changes in students’ overall attitudes toward science.  However, analysis of the sub-scales revealed significant differences with respect to gender in attitude toward science, control beliefs or self-efficacy, and behavioral beliefs.  Short answer responses to questions about science, science-based jobs, and desire to become a scientist were analyzed qualitatively.  This analysis exposed student’s stereotypes of science and changing interests in science over the school semester. The design, evaluation, outcomes, and lessons learned of this outreach program will aid the development of new efforts to positively impact middle schoolers interest in science.

Design and evaluation of a classroom-based outreach program to increase eighth graders’ attitudes toward science

ACS Spring 2022

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