Examining the Engineering Attitudes and Experiences of URM Summer Camp Participants
Jessica Whipple, Shelbie Prater, Joi‐Lynn Mondisa · 2020
Abstract Existing research studies provide an overview of the programmatic outcomes of academic intervention programs that target underrepresented minority (URM) populations, but lack empirical evidence about the personal experiences of program participants. To address this deficit, in summer 2017, we conducted a pilot study in which we examined the experiences and attitudes of participants of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s Wolverine Pathways (WP) program. Wolverine Pathways is an academic intervention program serving high school students from metro Detroit. Specifically, the study population (n=13) consisted of 11th graders who participated in a weeklong, engineering and healthcare focused summer camp held at the Ann Arbor campus. In this research inquiry, we used an explanatory mixed methods approach to collect quantitative data (pre- and post-surveys) and qualitative data (semi-structured interviews). Descriptive statistics were used to draw inferences from the data. Then, interview data was analyzed to identify trends and insights. Preliminary results indicated that participants completed the program with more positive attitudes toward engineering. Future research will focus on increasing and diversifying the sample population by including participants from other grade levels to provide a comparative analysis of participants’ experiences across various ages.