Principal Investigator
Tara Hofkens – RAND
Project Description
This study evaluates the impact of the Camp Invention summer program on upper elementary students’ STEM interest, engagement, self-efficacy, and inventive identity. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study compares participating students with a matched group of non-participants within the same districts, using propensity score methods to create baseline-equivalent groups. The study will include approximately 700 students across multiple sites and will collect data through pre- and post-surveys, participant experience surveys, interviews with program staff, and administrative data on student demographics. The analysis will examine overall program impacts as well as variation across student subgroups and levels of participation, and will explore implementation factors that may influence effectiveness.
Research Questions
- What is the impact of participation in Camp Invention on students’ STEM interest, engagement, self-efficacy, and inventive identity?
- How do impacts vary across student subgroups and baseline levels of STEM interest, as well as by participation and experience?
- What program features, barriers, and participant experiences help explain variation in outcomes and implementation effectiveness?
