University-led STEM outreach programs
Purposes, impacts, stakeholder needs and institutional support at nine Australian universities
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4097446 |
|---|---|
| Authors | K Sadler (0000-0002-0221-7399, College of Education, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia, corresponding author), E Eilam (0000-0001-6076-6487, College of Education, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia), Stephen W Bigger (0000-0002-0923-2751, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia), Fiachra Barry (0000-0001-5980-8686, College of Education, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 586-599 |
| Publication date | 2018-03-04 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Studies in Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0307-5079 • E-ISSN: 1470-174X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/03075079.2016.1185775 |
| OpenAlex | W2423982746 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 24 |
University-led STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) outreach forms one potential avenue to address the continuing decline of tertiary student enrollments. Yet to-date the impact of these programs is not well understood, due to an historical emphasis on ‘delivering the goods’ that obscures debate on which outreach programs to deliver, why and to whom. At a time in which the academy faces growing pressures to ‘perform,’ it is argued that explicit consideration of program purposes and efforts to assess efficacy may facilitate discussions about the possible role of university-led outreach in attracting school students to STEM careers. This article reports on findings from a study of the outreach efforts at nine Australian universities, revealing two key barriers: limited institutional support structures; and limited explicit consideration of disparate, and at times, competing outreach stakeholder needs. These barriers problematize the contribution that universities can currently make toward raising future STEM aspirations
Higher education · Outreach · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Stakeholder · Education Systems and Policy · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Higher Education Research Studies
A case study of education outreach coordinators in universities in Australia and New Zealand
Evaluation of content knowledge and instructor impacts in a middle school outreach program
Empowering the future
STEM initiatives matter
Organizational Features of University-Based STEM Outreach Units in Canada
The absence of evidence of the effectiveness of Australian gender equity in STEM initiatives
Transcending networks' boundaries
The research act in sociology
The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers
Stability and volatility of STEM career interest in high school
Expanding and Elaborating the Concept of Academic Capitalism
Research Trends and Findings From a Decade (1997–2007) of Research on Informal Science Education and Free-Choice Science Learning
The Scholarship of Engagement
Academic manager or managed academic? Academic identity schisms in higher education
STEM intervention programs
| Citations per year | 0.88 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2018 - 2025 (8) |
| Highly cited | No |