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Research Article

A science summer camp as an effective way to recruit high school students to major in the physical sciences and science education

Paul J. Bischoff¹*, Devin Castendyk¹, Hugh Gallagher¹, John Schaumloffel¹ and Sunil Labroo¹

¹The State University of New York-College at Oneonta, USA

Email: bischopj@oneonta.edu

*Correspondence to Department of Secondary Education, The State University of New York-College at Oneonta, USA

Abstract

Now in its fifth year, PR2EPS is a National Science Foundation funded initiative de-signed to recruit high school students to attend college majoring in the physical sciences, including engineering and secondary science education, and to help ensure their retention within these programs until graduation. A central feature of the recruit-ment effort is a free, one-week residential summer science camp for high school stu-dents. This report describes the rationale for using a camp as a recruitment tool as well as the camp structure. Two focus questions are addressed: 1) How successful is the camp at providing a learning environment where participants can share their enthu-siasm for science and brainstorm and apply solutions to challenging scientific tasks with their peers? 2) How successful is the camp at recruiting students into the physical sciences at this college? Quantitative data from pre- and post-camp and longitudinal surveys showing that campers are pursuing degrees in the sciences are substantiated in a framework of qualitative data collected during the summer of 2007 by a non-participant observer. Faculty similarly concerned with motivating high school students to major in the physical sciences and science education should find the report useful as several indicators show that most campers continue on their trajectory towards degrees in the sciences.

Received 14 May 2008; 16 June 2008

Reference

Bischoff, P. J., Castendyk, D., Gallagher, H., Schaumloffel J., & Labroo S. (2008). A Science Summer Camp as an Effective way to Recruit High School Students to Major in the Physical Sciences and Science Education, International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 3(3), 131-141.