This study follows a mathematical camp for high-school students identified as gifted, and examines it with a socio-cultural lens. Our goal is to examine the identities of students in the camp and the valued actions according to which these identities were authored, both by the students and by their instructors. Data was collected from three rounds…

In response to academic and healthcare restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pirate Wellness Program (PWP), a recreational therapy telehealth program, was developed and implemented in May of 2020 by East Carolina University Recreational Therapy (RT) faculty to provide virtual services and interventions to quarantined individuals with…

Various studies have reported that students have limited, stereotypical perceptions of STEM fields. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate interventions undertaken with the aim of changing female student's perceptions of STEM professions. This research aimed to examine the changes in mental images among female students as a result of…

Several studies have focused on how in-person informal CS learning programs like summer camps and after-school programs impact Black girls' intent to persist in Computer Science; however, virtual informal CS learning programs remain to be studied. This mixed-methods study uses Intersectional Computing and Social Cognitive Career Theory to examine…

Although multiple studies have considered women's experiences in the outdoor adventure education field and the impact on women's notions of gender, little research has been conducted on men's ideas about gender in the outdoors. This research explores male-identifying outdoor leaders' notions about masculinity and how they may shape their practice.…

In this paper, we present data from the most recent wave of the "Longitudinal Study of Young Jews Raised in Conservative Synagogues." Participants were part of the b'nai mitzvah class of 1994-1995 (or, the year 5755 in the Hebrew calendar) and members of Conservative synagogues in the US and Canada. Approximately 400 panel members took…

The recent popularity of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education has begun a new renaissance in education. STEAM education demolishes the silos, and from the wreckage it creates a learning environment that embraces multiple discipline areas within the curriculum and allows content to be fluid rather than rigid, enabling…

Year-round school is the organization of days within a school calendar year to provide students with regular breaks and instructional blocks. This study surveyed 502 parents to identify factors influencing parental support for, or opposition to, year-round school. Three themes were constructed based on parent responses: children need educational…

Over the past ten years, a western-Canadian university has offered an annual on-campus summer science and health science camp for Aboriginal youth. The goal of this camp has been to enhance pathways to science and health science careers for high school students aged 13-15 years-old. The camp's core curriculum exposes youth to science and health…

During the summer of 2016, through a teen arts internship, the author conducted research on some of the contexts, narratives, and activities that shape artist identity formation. The teen arts interns spent mornings engaged in activities such as discussion, writing, and making art, with a focus on art as activism, and spent afternoons as teaching…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate a summer music camp, designed using principles of Universal Design for Learning, for children with disabilities. Data included one parent-child group interview, a children's musical self-efficacy rating scale, children's drawings, and children's explanations of their drawings. Participants were…

This dissertation research used an embedded qualitative case study research design to investigate a single educator's actions in teaching Black youth engineering and computing in a culturally appropriate and accessible manner. Historically, the engineering discipline has preserved and upheld Eurocentric standards for how learners should think and…

Purpose: The paper aims to address the increasing issue of teacher shortages and the lack of diversity in America's educators. Highly diverse communities need ways to support community members interested in careers as teachers. This article explores one promising approach to reach and inspire high school students considering the teaching…

Attending summer camp can be a developmentally enriching experience for both campers and camp staff. However, many camps offer programming that is situated between the camper and counselor roles, namely counselor-in-training (CIT) programs. While CIT programs are common, there is a lack of research documenting the form, function, and outcomes of…

Finding meaning and purpose is critical to emerging adult development. Work can be a setting primed for meaning-making among emerging adults. Meaningful work is work one believes is significant, positive, and adds meaning and purpose to life. Although a robust meaningful work literature exists, little is known about emerging adults' perceptions of…