UC San Diego

The number of students interested in pursuing STEM in post-secondary institutions is on the decline. This is due to several factors, one being a lack of effective and innovative science enrichment (summer or after-school) programs for high school students (Baran et al., 2019; Kong et al., 2014). While traditional lecture-based science courses effectively communicate theoretical knowledge, concerns have been raised regarding their ability to maintain students’ interest in science and the lack of practical application of the learned technical information (Kong et al., 2014). Using social cognitive theory as a foundation, this quantitative study evaluated the efficacy of pre-college life science research immersion programs that changed modality as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The primary research question is to determine if the delivery methods of the university-based, pre-college life-science research immersion programs (in-person, online, and hybrid) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic affected the efficacy of the instruction. Findings reveal nuanced impacts of instructional methods on student outcomes, highlighting the importance of tailored approaches grounded in social cognitive theory. This study underscores the significance of early engagement in research and the role of diverse instructional methods in fostering students’ interest and proficiency in STEM fields.