Science and engineering for what? A large-scale analysis of students' projects in science fairs

TL;DR

This study analyzes over 5,000 student science fair projects in Brazil over 20 years, revealing diverse topics and trends that can inform educational practices and resource development for open inquiry in STEM education.

Contribution

It introduces a large-scale topic modeling analysis of student projects, highlighting temporal and regional variations, and suggests applications for improving inquiry-based STEM learning.

Findings

Diverse topics explored in student projects

Significant variation over time, region, and school setting

Methodology supports future research and instructional design

Abstract

Science and Engineering fairs offer K-12 students opportunities to engage with authentic STEM practices. Particularly, students are given the chance to experience authentic and open inquiry processes, by defining which themes, questions and approaches will guide their scientific endeavors. In this study, we analyzed data from over 5,000 projects presented at a nationwide science fair in Brazil over the past 20 years using topic modeling to identify the main topics that have driven students' inquiry and design. Our analysis identified a broad range of topics being explored, with significant variations over time, region, and school setting. We argue those results and proposed methodology can not only support further research in the context of science fairs, but also inform instruction and design of contexts-specific resources to support students in open inquiry experiences in different settings.