Four strategies for driving a University Pre-College computing outreach program

A public university's computing outreach program focused on four key strategies for increasing the depth and breadth of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This paper describes the development and implementation of a project management hands-on learning laboratory activity within the context of the university's outreach strategies. The first two strategies, establishing relationships with the primary and secondary (K-12) level partner schools and implementing whole-grade participation, have led to repeat visits by students over several years. The third strategy, hands-on learning laboratory activities, has successfully engaged K-12 students, as indicated by the assessment results that provide evidence of successful student learning. The fourth strategy, producer-consumer collaborations, has facilitated the efficient matching of faculty expertise with K-12 teacher needs. The results include the evidence that outreach strategies can have a positive influence on student engagement in STEM education at multiple points in the K-12 education experience. © 2019 by the Information Systems & Computing Academic Professionals, Inc.