Pathways to STEM Engagement: Insights from Informal Learning, Classroom Instruction, and School Climate

This three-manuscript dissertation examines students’ attitudes, interests, and emotional engagement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with a particular focus on informal learning experiences, perceptions of classroom instruction, and broader school climate influences. The first study is a meta-analysis synthesizing thirty years (1992–2022) of U.S.-based research on the impact of informal science education (e.g., after-school programs, enrichment activities) on K-12 students’ attitudes and interests in STEM. The findings reveal a positive overall effect, with substantial heterogeneity moderated by factors such as the type of program, student grade level, STEM subject area, and publication year. The second study explores how students’ perceptions of science instruction, specifically its interest and clarity, relate to emotional engagement across elementary and secondary grade levels. Using multilevel modeling with data from 6,465 students in 25 schools, the study finds that perceptions of interesting and understandable instruction are significantly linked to emotional engagement, particularly during transitional grades like sixth grade, where positive perceptions most strongly predict engagement. The third study uses latent profile analysis and multilevel modeling with TIMSS 2019 data to examine how school-level variables and student personal-level variables relate to three subdimensions of science attitudes: interest, confidence, and value. While school-level STEM support did not significantly predict these attitudes, student-level factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and parental education level were more predictive. Notably, male students reported higher confidence and interest, while female and Asian students reported higher value in science. In summary, these manuscripts contribute to a nuanced understanding of how informal and formal learning environments, instructional perceptions, and personal-level variables shape student engagement and attitudes toward science. The findings have implications for educational policy, program design, and targeted support for underrepresented student populations in STEM.