Girls Tech Camp: Librarians Inspire Adolescents to Consider STEM Careers

Girls Tech Camp: Librarians Inspire Adolescents to Consider STEM Careers

Motivated by a desire to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies, librarians at the Marston Science Library (Marston) at the University of Florida (UF) developed Girls Tech Camp (GTC), a summer camp designed to introduce middle-school girls to creative tech...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Issues in science and technology librarianship no. 92
Main Authors: Stapleton, Suzanne C, Royster, Melody, Bharti, Neelam, Birch, Stephanie, Bossart, Jean, Butts, Shannon, Tobin Cataldo, Tara, Gonzalez, Sara Russell, Minson, Valrie, Putnam, Samuel R, Yip, Christine
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Science and Technology Section, Association of College and Research Libraries 01-09-2019
Subjects:
Academic Libraries
Adolescents
Career Choice
Creative Activities
Day Camp Programs
Electronic Equipment
Experiential Learning
Females
Librarians
Middle School Students
Program Development
Program Effectiveness
Programming
Science Careers
State Universities
STEM Education
Summer Programs
Florida
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Summary:Motivated by a desire to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies, librarians at the Marston Science Library (Marston) at the University of Florida (UF) developed Girls Tech Camp (GTC), a summer camp designed to introduce middle-school girls to creative technologies used in these fields. This week-long summer day camp launched in 2016 and continued in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Each year, the camp brought twenty-two 6th-8th grade girls into an academic science library to build experience with emerging technologies and increase interest in pursuing further studies or a career in STEM. The camp introduced the girls to a range of technologies, including 3D modelling, 3D printing, augmented reality, Arduino microcontrollers, light sensors, digital video production, computer coding, and conductive crafts. Through hands-on activities, guest lectures, and campus field trips, youth interest and confidence in using technology expanded, and participants experienced student and research life at a university. This paper describes the development, operation, and assessment of hosting a camp in an academic library to inspire girls to pursue STEM studies.
ISSN:1092-1206
1092-1206
DOI:10.29173/istl22