The Development and Validation of the Elementary Activity Interest Measure

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Development and Validation of the Elementary Activity Interest Measure
Language: English
Authors: Robert W. Danielson (ORCID 0000-0002-6288-5719), Gale M. Sinatra (ORCID 0000-0002-6545-587X), Shenghai Dai (ORCID 0000-0002-7829-0621), Viviane Seyranian (ORCID 0000-0002-3339-2931), Benjamin C. Heddy (ORCID 0000-0003-2564-653X), Julie A. Marsh (ORCID 0000-0003-1781-9488), Morgan S. Polikoff (ORCID 0000-0002-6135-6292)
Source: Journal of Experimental Education. 2025 93(2):396-418.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Descriptors: STEM Education, Test Construction, Student Interests, Grade 4, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Teachers, Test Validity, Test Reliability, Science Interests
Geographic Terms: California
DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2023.2276933
ISSN: 0022-0973
1940-0683
Abstract: Educators are often trying to foster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) engagement by facilitating interest in STEM content, but research suggests that STEM interest generally declines through the primary and secondary grades. To counter this trend, STEM interventions have begun to focus on younger students. To support this work, we developed the Elementary Activity Interest Measure (EAIM) to allow for teachers and researchers to more easily measure interest in younger populations. Embedded within a large, randomized control trial intervention designed to increase learning about STEM content, our data from both a pilot study (16 classrooms comprised of 194 students) and the RCT (all fourth-grade classrooms in a large, urban school district comprised of 1712 students) indicate that the proposed use of the EAIM scores are supported by the collected evidence of reliability and validity. Further, EAIM scores correlate both with performance in science (Polikoff et al., 2018) as well as positive and negative emotions. Utilizing graphics and targeted specifically for elementary aged students, the EAIM is designed to measure interest in large-scale studies and is easily modifiable for teachers/practitioners to check if their interventions are producing the desired results.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1472318
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Educators are often trying to foster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) engagement by facilitating interest in STEM content, but research suggests that STEM interest generally declines through the primary and secondary grades. To counter this trend, STEM interventions have begun to focus on younger students. To support this work, we developed the Elementary Activity Interest Measure (EAIM) to allow for teachers and researchers to more easily measure interest in younger populations. Embedded within a large, randomized control trial intervention designed to increase learning about STEM content, our data from both a pilot study (16 classrooms comprised of 194 students) and the RCT (all fourth-grade classrooms in a large, urban school district comprised of 1712 students) indicate that the proposed use of the EAIM scores are supported by the collected evidence of reliability and validity. Further, EAIM scores correlate both with performance in science (Polikoff et al., 2018) as well as positive and negative emotions. Utilizing graphics and targeted specifically for elementary aged students, the EAIM is designed to measure interest in large-scale studies and is easily modifiable for teachers/practitioners to check if their interventions are producing the desired results.
ISSN:0022-0973
1940-0683
DOI:10.1080/00220973.2023.2276933