Table 1 STEM learning supports: conceptual and operational definitions
From: Measuring informal STEM learning supports across contexts and time
Learning support | Conceptual definition | Operational definition | |
|---|---|---|---|
Self-report | Behavioral | ||
Interest | Engaging with or reengaging with content over time (Hidi & Renninger, 2006 | Rating interest on a 10-point Likert scale | Change in the number of and duration between check-ins; increasing rates suggest increasing interest |
Engagement | Involvement or participation in content, resulting in positive emotional reactions (Milne & Otieno, 2007; Wang et al, 2016 | Rating engagement on a 10-point Likert scale | Patterns in user-initiated check-ins; High frequency check-ins on the same topic |
Identity | A recognition by a person and others that she or he can contribute to a STEM field (Calabrese Barton & Berchini, 2013 | Separate child and parent rating agreement with statements about seeing themselves in STEM fields on a 10-point Likert scale | Counting the number of user-initiated check-ins related to identity ratings; counting specific terms related to identity (see Table 2 for coding rubric) |
Goal setting | A key component of self-regulated learning and improves learning outcomes (Pintrich, 2000) | Rating statements about three types of goals (fun, entertainment, or learning) on a 10-point Likert scale | Counting the number of user-initiated check-ins related to previous learning goals |